 TITLE: How to Handle Credit and Debt After the Death of a Spouse CONTENT: Do I Need to Notify Credit Bureaus of My Spouse's Death?\n--------------------------------------------------------\nWhen your spouse dies, you'll need to notify lenders that accounts held in your spouse's name alone should be closed. If you have joint accounts, notify lenders that one party on the account is now deceased. Lenders will report your spouse as deceased when they send their next account update to the credit bureaus.\nCredit bureaus also receive periodic lists of newly deceased people from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Funeral homes generally notify the SSA of a death; if you want the funeral home to handle this for you, give them your spouse's Social Security number. You can also report the death to the SSA yourself by calling 800-772-1213 or visiting your nearest Social Security office in person.\nWhen a credit bureau receives notice of the death, your spouse's credit report will be flagged to indicate that he or she is deceased. If anyone attempts to apply for credit in your spouse's name, lenders will be alerted that they've passed away.\nIf you'd like to speed up the notification process and help ensure your spouse's identity is secure, you can notify the credit reporting agencies yourself. You only have to notify one of the major consumer credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion or Equifax—and they will tell the others. Here's how to notify each credit reporting agency of a death:\n*   **Experian:** Mail a copy of the death certificate to Experian's Consumer Assistance Center, P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 7501, or upload it online.\n*   **TransUnion:** Mail a copy of the death certificate to TransUnion, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016\n*   **Equifax:** Mail a copy of the death certificate to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105139, Atlanta, GA 30348-5139\nAlong with the death certificate, you'll need to provide the credit bureau with your spouse's legal name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death. They'll also want your name, mailing address, and a copy of your driver's license or other government-issued identification. If someone else, such as the executor of your spouse's estate, is notifying the credit bureau, that person should provide a copy of their government-issued identification and a copy of the will, executor agreement or power of attorney documentation proving they are authorized to act on behalf of your spouse's estate. END