Death in the family: first steps
3 tasks in suggested order
1. If a death occurs at home, contact a doctor and wait for the official examination
If a death occurs at home, the official examination of the deceased (Totenbeschau) must be arranged. Until that examination, the deceased person should not be altered or changed into different clothes.
Immediately after a death at home is discovered.
Doctor or the locally designated service; in many cases a funeral service can assist with the next steps, including arranging the official examination of the deceased.
Have the deceased person’s details and available medical information ready where possible.
If the person dies in a hospital or care home, the institution arranges the required steps. If the cause of death is unclear, additional official investigations may be required.
Official source: oesterreich.gv.at
2. Who to notify after a death
After the death has been reported, the civil registry office automatically notifies certain authorities. Other bodies and contractual partners must be notified by the surviving relatives or, later, by the heirs themselves.
The death must be reported to the civil registry office no later than the working day after the official examination of the deceased. Other notifications should then be made as soon as possible according to the requirements of the body concerned.
Bodies notified automatically include the statutory social insurance system, residence/passport authorities, the AMS and the probate court. Depending on the case, employers, banks, certain insurers, the ORF contribution service, communications providers and other contractual partners must be notified separately.
Have the death certificate/extract from the death register and any other documents required by the respective body ready.
Do not assume that every authority or contractual partner is informed automatically. Use the official “Notifications after a death” list as a checklist.
Official source: oesterreich.gv.at
3. Estate proceedings
After the death notification is sent to the competent district court, estate proceedings are initiated. A notary conducts the proceedings on behalf of the court as court commissioner (Gerichtskommissär).
The proceedings begin after the official death notification. Respond to invitations and requests from the court commissioner.
As a rule, the probate court is the district court for the deceased person’s last place of residence; the competent notary acts as court commissioner.
Gather information about relatives, assets, liabilities and any testamentary dispositions for the initial estate inventory interview (Todesfallaufnahme).
The estate includes rights and assets, but also liabilities. Do not distribute estate assets on your own without taking the status of the proceedings into account.
Official source: oesterreich.gv.at
