How Good Grief Helps Texas Families in the First Month After a Death
Good Grief exists to help you answer one question at a time.
We help Texas families:
Understand what actually matters now
Avoid costly early mistakes
Navigate Austin-specific realities
Create a clear path forward—without overwhelm
You don’t need to know everything. You just need the next right step.
The First 30 Days After a Death in Texas
This checklist is designed to help you navigate the first month after someone dies in Texas. You do not need to complete everything. This is about doing what matters most and avoiding common mistakes.
Week 1: Get a Legal Pronouncement of Death
Confirm the death has been legally pronounced. If the death occurred in a hospital or hospice, this is handled for you. If the death happened at home without hospice, call 911.
Decide on care for the body. Texas allows burial, cremation, green burial, and home funerals. You are allowed to slow down and compare options.
Order certified Texas death certificates. Most families need five to ten copies.
Week 2: Protect What Matters
Secure the home if the person lived alone. Lock doors and windows, forward mail, and keep utilities on.
Confirm Social Security has been notified to stop benefits.
Locate important documents such as a will, trust documents, deeds, and recent account statements. If no will exists, Texas intestacy laws apply.
Week 3: Get Organized and Mistakes to Avoid
Do not distribute money, sell vehicles, transfer property, or close major accounts yet.
Begin a simple inventory list of known assets and accounts. No details needed yet.
Take a beat, you have done a lot. Accept that you do not need to finish everything this month. The goal is clarity, not completion.
A Final Note
The first month after a death is about buying time and protecting yourself. Texas systems are complex, and rushing often creates more problems later.
Good Grief helps Texas families navigate these early steps with clarity, structure, and compassion. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
