How to Report a Death to a Credit Bureau

When a loved one dies, it causes emotional anguish. It also comes with a mountain of responsibilities. One of them is reporting the death to the credit agencies.

Things You'll Need

• Death certificate

Instructions

1. Ensure that all remaining accounts that need to remain open are transferred into a survivor's name. If a credit card account is owned by a husband and wife, and one of them passes away, the card may be canceled immediately if it remains in the name of the deceased person. Even if you are an authorized representative on the card holder's account, you do not enjoy the same rights as the account holder.

2. Write a letter explaining that the person has died. Include his Social Security number, full name, date of birth, and date of death. Also include your name and your relationship to the deceased person.

3. Send a copies of the letter, along with copies of the death certificate, to each of the three credit bureaus. Send the letter via certified mail to ensure that you are notified when it is received. Here are the mailing addresses for each of the three major credit bureaus:

   Equifax
   Office of Consumer Affairs
   P O Box 105169
   Atlanta, GA 30348

   Experian
   P O Box 9701
   Allen, TX 75013

   Trans Union
   P O Box 6790
   Fullerton, CA 92834

4. Request that each of the credit bureaus place a deceased alert on the person's credit file to guard against identity theft.

References

• Steps to Protect Deceased from Identity Theft
• Reporting Husband's Death to Credit Bureaus