Managing Deceased Client Records

Overview

This article outlines practices to manage deceased client records based on various scenarios your firm may encounter. This is not an exhaustive list of every scenario that may occur for your clients, and custom workflows may need to be established for specific cases. Additionally, your firm may have a specific workflow that differs from the workflow options outlined in this article. If you have any questions regarding your firm's best practices around managing deceased client records, please reach out to your CSM. 

• Individual 
• Primary Contact in Household
• Spouse
• Dependent or Member 
• Prospect

Individual 

This scenario handles if an Individual, meaning a client with no spouse or household members, passes away. Their individual record will be closed and marked not to receive communications through these steps but will remain available for searching and access within your organization.

1. On the Individual record, select the Actions menu located on the record's side panel.
2. Select Mark as Lost Client under Client Actions in the drop-down options.
3. Select Deceased from the drop-down options for the "What reason did the client provide for leaving/not proceeding with the firm?" question in the pop-up.
4. Select the option of how you were informed of the client's death for the "How were you informed of the decision to leave/not proceed?" question in the pop-up.
5. Once both questions are completed, select Next to proceed with closing the record. 
6. On the Individual record, Select the Basics subtab under the Overview section.
7. Under the Contact Details & Preferences section select the pencil icon located beside the Do Not Call checkbox.  
8. Check both the Do Not Call and Email Opt Out checkboxes.
9. Under the Personal Information section, enter the date the client passed away in the Date of Death field if you have this information. 
10. Press Save to finalize these changes. 

Primary Contact in Household

This scenario handles the record management when the primary contact in the Client Household passes away and you would like to change the existing spouse to be the primary contact for the record.

1. On the Client Overview page, select the primary contact's name under the Household Members section.
   
2. On the Contact record for the primary contact, select the pencil icon located beside the Do Not Call checkbox under the Contact Details & Preferences section.
3. Check the Do Not Call and Email Opt Out checkboxes.
4. Under the Personal Information section, enter the date the primary contact passed away in the Date of Death field if you have this information. 
5. Press Save to finalize these changes.
6. Navigate to the People & Relationships section on the client record by selecting the People & Relationships button in the navigation sidebar. 
   
7. Click the caret button located to the right-hand side of the primary contact's name and select Edit.
   
   
8. In the Relationship Type field, select the X to remove the relationship type of Spouse. 
9. If the relationship type is already created, search for "Deceased Spouse" in the Relationship Type field and select this option from the drop-down menu. To create this relationship type please consult our Creating Relationships Types article. 
10. Select Save to finalize this relationship change. 
11. Click the caret button located to the right-hand side of the spouse's name and select Edit.
    
    
12. In the Relationship Type field, select the X to remove the relationship type of Spouse. 
13. Search for "Primary" in the Relationship Type field and select this option from the drop-down menu. 
14. Press Save to finalize this primary contact change.
15. Navigate to the Overview section on the Client record and select the new primary contact's name.
    
16. Select the pencil icon located next to Martial Status under the Personal Information section. 
17. From the drop-down menu, select Widowed.
    
18. Press Save to finalize this marital status change. 
19. If desired, the Client record name can be changed to remove the deceased's name. To change the record name, navigate to the Basics tab under the Overview section. 
20. Select the pencil icon next to the Entity Name field and make the desired changes. 
21. Press Save to finalize the Entity Name change. 

Spouse

This scenario handles the record management when the spouse of a client has passed away but the primary contact for the record remains the same.

1. On the Client Overview page, select the spouse's name under the Household Members section.
   
2. On the Contact record for the spouse, select the pencil icon located beside the Do Not Call checkbox under the Contact Details & Preferences section.
3. Check the Do Not Call and Email Opt Out checkboxes.
4. Under the Personal Information section, enter the date the spouse passed away in the Date of Death field if you have this information. 
5. Press Save to finalize these changes.
6. Navigate to the People & Relationships section on the client record by selecting the People & Relationships button in the navigation sidebar. 
   
7. Click the caret button located to the right-hand side of the spouse's name and select Edit. 
   
8. In the Relationship Type field, select the X to remove the relationship type of Spouse. 
9. If the relationship type is already created, search for "Deceased Spouse" in the Relationship Type field and select this option from the drop-down menu. To create this relationship type please consult our Creating Relationships Types article. 
10. Select Save to finalize this relationship change. 
11. Navigate to the Overview section on the Client record and select the primary contact's name.
    
12. Select the pencil icon located next to Martial Status under the Personal Information section. 
13. From the drop-down menu, select Widowed.
    
14. Press Save to finalize this marital status change. 
15. If desired, the Client record name can be changed to remove the deceased spouse's name. To change the record name, navigate to the Basics tab under the Overview section. 
16. Select the pencil icon next to the Entity Name field and make the desired changes. 
17. Press Save to finalize this change. 

Dependent or Member

This scenario outlines the record management if a Dependent or Member of a Client Household passes away.

1. On the Client Overview page, select the Dependent or Member's name under the Household Members section.
   
2. On the Contact record for the Dependent or Member, select the pencil icon located beside the Do Not Call checkbox under the Contact Details & Preferences section.
3. Check the Do Not Call and Email Opt Out checkboxes.
4. Under the Personal Information section, enter the date the Dependent or Member passed away in the Date of Death field if you have this information. 
5. Press Save to finalize these changes.
6. Navigate to the People & Relationships section on the client record by selecting the People & Relationships button in the navigation sidebar. 
   
7. Click the caret button located to the right-hand side of the Dependent or Member's name and select Edit.
   
   
8. In the Relationship Type field, select the X to remove the relationship type of Dependent or Member. 
9. If the relationship type is already created, search for "Deceased Dependent" or "Deceased Member" in the Relationship Type field and select this option from the drop-down menu. To create this relationship type please consult our Creating Relationships Types article. 
10. Select Save to finalize this relationship change. 

Prospect

1. On the prospect's Individual record, select the Actions menu located on the record's side panel.
   
2. Select Mark as Lost Prospect under Prospect Actions in the drop-down options.
3. Select Deceased from the drop-down options for the "What reason did the prospect provide for leaving/not proceeding with the firm?" question in the pop-up. 
4. Select the option of how you were informed of the prospect's death for the "How were you informed of the decision to leave/not proceed?" question in the pop-up. 
5. Once completed, select Finish to proceed with closing the prospect record.
   
   
6. Select the Basics subtab under Overview on the individual record.
7. Under the Contact Details & Preferences section select the pencil icon located beside the Do Not Call checkbox.  
8. Check the Do Not Call and Email Opt Out checkboxes.
9. Under the Personal Information section, enter the date the prospect passed away in the Date of Death field if you have this information. 
10. Press Save to finalize these changes.