What to Do After a Death in DuPage County, Illinois
The first weeks after losing someone involve time-sensitive tasks. Here's what to prioritize and what can wait.
Handling an estate in DuPage County starts with a few urgent tasks: securing the property, ordering death certificates, and stopping the deceased's benefit payments. Court filings at the Circuit Court come after.
Death certificates are typically the first requirement—banks, insurance companies, and the Circuit Court all require certified copies. You can often find ordering information through DuPage County vital records, though many families order extra copies during the initial filing to avoid delays later.
1. Order Death Certificates
Use this tool to figure out how many certified copies you need:
2. Estate Settlement Checklist
Track your progress through the probate process:
Once appointed as personal representative, Illinois law requires filing an inventory of estate assets with the Circuit Court within 60 days755 ILCS 5/14-1Verified May 7, 2026. The inventory includes identifying and valuing all property owned at the time of death—real estate, bank accounts, investments, vehicles, and personal belongings.
Illinois requires publishing a notice to creditors in a local newspaper. Creditors then have 6 months755 ILCS 5/18-3Verified May 7, 2026 to file claims against the estate.
Start by securing the deceased's property—collect mail, lock up valuables, and document everything. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to report the death and stop benefit payments before overpayments create a debt the estate must repay.
Reach out to each financial institution to lock down accounts. Banks and credit card companies need to know about the death to prevent unauthorized access.
When you're ready to start the probate process, contact the Circuit Court at 630-407-8700 to confirm what documents you'll need. You can file in person or by mail—families handling probate themselves don't need to use e-filing. Hearings are typically scheduled Monday - Friday at 9:00 AM, Courtroom 2011.
Submit life insurance claims as soon as you identify the policies. These payouts go directly to named beneficiaries outside of probate and are often available within weeks.
Many families handling estates through the Circuit Court choose to hire an attorney, particularly when Probate & Guardianship Judge Hon. Terra Costa Howard must rule on complex asset valuations or resolve disputes among beneficiaries.
Expect attorney fees of 2%755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified May 7, 2026 to 4%755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified May 7, 2026 of estate value in Illinois. For simple estates without disputes, many Wheaton firms offer flat-fee alternatives.
Professional help is especially worthwhile when the estate triggers Illinois estate tax requirements, involves procedures the executor hasn't navigated before, or raises liability concerns.
Legal Sources
- 755 ILCS 5/14-1
- 755 ILCS 5/18-3
- 755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
Data sourced from Illinois statutes and official state code. How we research.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before anything court-related, handle three things: get the doctor or coroner to sign the death certificate, secure the home and any valuables, and locate the will. Only then does probate planning make sense.
Plan on 8–12 certified copies. Each financial institution, title company, insurer, and the DuPage County probate court will ask for an original. Ordering too few is the most common delay families run into. Use the Illinois death certificate calculator for a personalized count.
Illinois does not set a strict filing deadline for opening probate, but delay has costs: the creditor claim period is 6 months, assets stay frozen until probate opens, and some banks refuse to act without letters. Most families file within 30–60 days.
Funeral homes typically report the death to Social Security. Bank and brokerage notifications are on the executor — accounts freeze on notification, so timing matters. The Illinois estate settlement checklist walks through the order.
Yes. A revocable living trust keeps the estate out of DuPage County probate entirely — no filing, no hearings, no public record. Families who plan ahead settle in weeks instead of months. Create a revocable trust online before the next generation has to go through what you're handling now.
What to Expect at Court
Here's what you should know about court appearances in this county.
Court Appearances
Routine probate matters are heard Monday through Friday at 9:00 AM in Courtroom 2011 at the DuPage County Judicial Center.
Circuit Court
DuPage County
505 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone:
630-407-8700Fax:
630-407-8575
Hours:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Paper Filing Available
E-Filing Optional
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
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