*Please note, our law firm does not provide copies of death certificates. Our firm focuses on Estate Planning, Trust & Estate Administration and Probate.
A death certificate is a legal document that provides evidence that an individual has died. While obtaining copies of a loved one’s death certificate might seem like an unpleasant and unnecessary legal formality, it is often the first step in ensuring that a beloved family member’s estate is dissolved and their legacy respected.
Contents of a California Death Certificate
A death certificate is a legal document that contains information about the deceased person, their family, and the circumstances of their death. In general, death certificates include:
- The decedent’s full name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and residential address
- The full name of the decedent’s surviving spouse, domestic partner, and living parents, if any
- The name and address of the funeral director or registrar
- The cause and circumstances of the deceased person’s death
The Necessity of Death Certificates
Death certificates are more than a matter of public recordkeeping. In many cases, public institutions and private corporations will require a copy of the deceased person’s death certificate before transferring control of the decedent’s assets to their loved ones.
You might need a death certificate to:
- Arrange a funeral, burial, or cremation
- Transfer control of a real property or motor vehicle to the decedent’s heirs
- Transfer control of a financial account to the account holder’s designated beneficiaries
- File an insurance claim
- File a petition to receive continuing Medicaid benefits or pension payments
- Notify a creditor or mortgage lender of the decedent’s death
While the paperwork required to obtain a copy of a California death certificate is not especially difficult to fill out and understand, the state has additional requirements that must be met before it will release a copy of the decedent’s records. In some cases, failing to understand and meet these requirements could delay probate proceedings or trust fulfillment, preventing heirs from receiving their inheritances.