- The person handling the estate, usually the executor, takes over once a death occurs, and a prior authorized representative's authority with Service Canada ends at death.
- CPP and OAS payments issued after the month of death must be returned, and any already spent must be repaid.
- Whether early termination fees apply depends on the contract and the provider, so ask for the answer in writing.
- Collection agencies in Ontario are limited in who they may contact and how often.
After a death, small monthly charges keep running: the mobile phone, internet, streaming services, gym memberships and utilities. Left alone, they drain the estate's bank account and may create arrears that have to be sorted out later.
If you are the executor, this article walks through what to cancel, the documents providers tend to ask for, and how to think about early termination fees. Providers set their own policies, so expect some variation and confirm important points in writing.
Start by confirming who has authority
How each provider handles this varies, so expect to be asked for proof of your authority to act for the estate. For federal benefits, an authorized representative's authority to deal with Service Canada ends at death, and the executor (legal representative) takes over. If there is no will or named executor, Canada.ca refers to CRA guidance and provincial rules.
Part of the executor's role is settling unpaid debts and overpayments, including taxes owed to the CRA, before distributing what is left to the beneficiaries under the will. That is why stopping new charges early matters: every avoidable bill reduces what is available for that purpose.
What to cancel or change
Start with a list built from the deceased person's bank and credit card statements for the last few months. Recurring payments are easy to spot there.
| Account type | What to do |
|---|---|
| CPP and OAS | Tell Service Canada the date of death as soon as possible. The estate is entitled to the payments for the month of death. |
| CPP survivor benefits and Allowance for the Survivor | These are listed among the benefits that must be cancelled on a death. |
| QPP | If the person also received QPP, Retraite Québec must be contacted too. |
| Mobile phone and internet | Contact the provider; decide whether to close, or keep temporarily to access verification codes for other accounts. |
| Hydro, gas and water | Ask to close or transfer the account as of a set date, especially if the home is sold or empty. Keep the heat and insurance in place until the property is dealt with. |
| Subscriptions and memberships | Cancel streaming, software, gym and magazine accounts, and check for annual renewals. |
| Life insurance | Contact the insurer or agent to make a claim. The OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance can help locate a policy. |
Government benefits: act quickly
Government payments after death are the account type where mistakes cost the most. All CPP and OAS payments issued after the month of death must be returned. If they were paid by direct deposit, the bank is asked to return deposits made after the date of death to the originator. Cheques received after the month of death are to be returned to Service Canada with the name and address of the estate or the person handling the affairs.
If post-death payments have already been redeemed, meaning spent or withdrawn, they must be repaid. Reporting the death promptly is the simplest way to avoid that.
Documents providers usually ask for
There is no single rule for what private companies require, so what follows reflects common practice rather than a legal requirement. Have these ready.
- A certified or photocopied death certificate
- The will and proof of your authority as executor, such as a court-issued certificate if the provider asks for it
- Your photo identification
- The account number, phone number or service address
- The date you want the account closed
- A forwarding address for the final bill
- The account holder's date of birth or the security answers, if the provider asks
Ask whether the provider will accept copies and whether it needs the original. Some will take a request by phone; others want it in writing. Keep a note of the date, the name of the person you spoke to and any reference number.
Early termination fees and final bills
Whether a fee applies when a contract is ended because of death depends on the wording of the agreement and the provider's policy. Phone, internet and equipment financing contracts often have different terms from month-to-month services. This article does not set out a rule on that, so ask the provider directly whether it will waive any cancellation charge or remaining device balance, and ask for the answer in writing.
If a provider will not waive a charge, the amount is generally a debt the executor has to consider along with the others, since the executor settles unpaid debts before distributing assets to beneficiaries. Do not pay disputed amounts out of your own pocket without advice. Whether you could be personally responsible for a particular contract depends on what was signed and by whom, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.
If a collector calls the family
Unpaid final bills sometimes end up with a collection agency. An agency cannot contact someone if it knows or reasonably should know that person is not responsible for the debt.
- Agencies cannot harass, use threatening, profane, intimidating or coercive language, or use excessive or unreasonable pressure.
- They cannot contact people between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday to Saturday, on Sundays outside 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or on public holidays.
- After the initial contact period, no more than 3 contacts in a 7-day period are permitted, with some exceptions.
- If you believe the rules were broken, you can complain through Consumer Protection Ontario, but a complaint does not cancel the debt.
These rules are about collection agencies. Whether they fit a particular caller, such as a company collecting its own account, depends on the facts and is worth confirming with a lawyer.
What to do next
- Gather the death certificate and your proof of authority
- List every recurring payment from recent statements
- Report the death to Service Canada first
- Cancel or close the other accounts in writing and keep copies
- Ask each provider about cancellation fees and final bills in writing
- Keep a log of every call and letter, including any collector's contact
- Get legal advice before paying any large or disputed bill
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to cancel the phone right away?
Not necessarily. Some executors keep the phone briefly so they can receive verification codes for other accounts, then close it. Just be sure the charges are understood and that you are not running up avoidable costs.
What happens to CPP and OAS payments after death?
The estate is entitled to the payments for the month of death. Payments issued after that month must be returned, and any that were spent or withdrawn must be repaid.
Will the provider charge an early termination fee?
It depends on the contract and the provider's policy. Ask whether the fee can be waived and get the answer in writing. A lawyer can review the contract if the amount is large.
Can a collection agency call me about the deceased person's debt?
An agency may contact a family member only in limited cases, such as where the person guaranteed the debt. It cannot contact someone it knows or should know is not responsible for the debt. Keep a record of the calls and get advice if the contact continues.
Sources
- Canada.ca – Cancel CPP and OAS benefits after a death — canada.ca
- Canada.ca – Represent someone who died — canada.ca
- Ontario.ca – A guide for collection agencies: Prohibited practices and conduct — ontario.ca
- Ontario.ca – Stop collection agency calls — ontario.ca
- FSRA – Life and health insurance — fsrao.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
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