How to report a death to Experian

Experian states that only a spouse or another legally authorized person, such as the executor of an estate, can report a death to the credit bureaus. If you are not the spouse, you will need to supply documentation of your authority — Experian gives the example of a legal document with a court seal showing you are the executor, and elsewhere accepts a copy of the will, an executor agreement, or power of attorney documentation.

Not to report the death. Experian states that once you notify one credit bureau of a death, it notifies the other two. Credit reports are a different matter: Experian recommends requesting the deceased person's report from Equifax and TransUnion as well, because not all creditors report to every bureau. Experian also cautions that some creditors do not report at all, so the estate may have debts that appear on no credit report.

It warns, rather than blocks. Experian says that if someone tries to apply for credit in the deceased person's name, the creditor receives the alert and can stop the process, and that a lender who sees the deceased statement will know the application is the result of identity theft. That depends on the creditor checking the file. Experian points to a credit freeze as the stronger option, describing it as prohibiting anyone from viewing the credit report in the first place.

Experian asks for a certified copy and is explicit that you should not send the original: "Do not provide the original death certificate. Instead, obtain a certified copy if you don't already have one." Its operational instruction elsewhere is to mail a copy of the certificate. The one unambiguous rule across Experian's guidance is that the original stays with you.

Mail a request to Experian, P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013, together with a copy of the death certificate and proof that you are authorized to act on the deceased person's behalf — for example, a legal document with a court seal indicating you are the executor of the estate. Experian says the death certificate and supporting documents can also be submitted online along with the request. Experian publishes no fee and no processing timeline for this request.

It is the best single starting point, but not a guarantee. Experian tells executors that not all creditors report to each of the credit reporting agencies, so it recommends requesting reports from all three, and adds that some creditors may choose not to report at all — meaning the deceased person could have debts that do not appear on any credit report. The report does carry contact information for each creditor listed, which is what an executor uses to notify them.

Experian states that the credit bureaus delete credit accounts seven years after being notified of a death, and that once all accounts have been removed the credit report will no longer exist.

Two ways, according to Experian. Creditors report it: when a spouse or executor alerts the deceased person's creditors, the next time a creditor updates the accounts it also reports the person as deceased. And the Social Security Administration periodically sends a list of the newly deceased to the major credit reporting agencies, usually after a funeral home reports the death. Experian notes that this can take time, and that identity thieves try to capitalize on the delay, which is why it recommends reporting directly.