Four Steps to Stop Mail Addressed to a Deceased Person

Once you have been appointed the executor or personal representative of a deceased loved one's probate estate, or when you step in as the successor trustee of the loved one's trust, one of the first things you should do is to notify the post office of the death and ask them to forward the deceased person's mail to your address. You will be required to provide documented proof that you have been authorized to manage your loved one's mail—a death certificate is not enough. You will then need to complete a change-of-address request. According to the United States Postal Service website, you must do this in person.^[1]

You must direct your loved one's mail to your mailing address for a period of time because, as the executor, personal representative, or successor trustee, you are responsible for winding up your deceased loved one's affairs. Your duties include ensuring that necessary bills are paid and creating a list of everything your loved one owns to ensure it is passed on to the intended recipient. Unfortunately, along with essential pieces of mail such as statements, bills, and refunds, many not-so-important pieces—catalogs, solicitations, and junk mail—will end up in your mailbox.

Conversely, you may have purchased a deceased person's home from their estate or trust and be receiving their mail at your new address. If you receive mail that is addressed to someone other than you, you want to ensure that the correct person gets the mail.

How can you stop the post office from delivering mail to a deceased person? Follow these four steps:

1. If you are the executor or personal representative of an estate that has been administered through the probate court and the estate is officially closed, hand-deliver or send a copy of the probate order closing the estate and dismissing you as the executor to the deceased person's local post office with a request that all mail service be stopped immediately. If you do not take this step and mail continues to trickle in two or more years after the death, the post office may honor forwarding orders for only one year.

2. To stop mail received as the result of commercial marketing lists (junk mail), log on to the Deceased Do Not Contact Registration page (ims-dm.com/cgi/ddnc.php) of the DMAchoice.org website and enter the deceased person's information. There is a $1 authentication fee to register for the list. After registering the deceased person on the website, the organization claims that the amount of mail received due to commercial marketing lists should decrease within three months. The deceased person's friend, relative, or caregiver can register.

3. For magazines, other subscriptions, and mail that are technically not junk mail (for example, solicitations from charities to which the deceased person made donations while they were living), contact the organization directly to inform them of the death. Note that some publishers may issue a refund for unused subscriptions.

4. If you shared the mailing address with the deceased person or are the new owner of the deceased person's home, write "Deceased, Return to Sender" on any mail addressed to the deceased person and leave it in your mailbox for pickup.

Remember, it is a federal offense to open and read someone else's mail, so if you are not the deceased person's legal representative, do not open their mail! Call or visit your local post office for additional instructions if you are ever in doubt.

We know that losing a loved one is difficult. Not only are you grieving your loss, but if you are the executor, personal representative, or successor trustee, you also have work to do. Book a call if you need assistance winding up your loved one's affairs.

^[1] Standard Forward Mail & Change of Address, United States Postal Office, https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm (last visited Nov. 20, 2024).