Protecting a Deceased Person's Identity and Mail in Ontario

After a death, the deceased person's name, Social Insurance Number and mail can still be used by someone else. Fraudsters sometimes look for recent deaths, and an unattended mailbox can give them what they need.

As executor, you are often the person who has to close this gap. This article walks through who to notify, in a sensible order, and what to leave open until the estate is settled.

Start with the credit bureaus

To guard against identity fraud, the Government of Canada advises notifying Canada's two credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, of the death. How each bureau handles a notice of death, and what it asks you to provide, can differ, so it is worth checking with each one directly.

Once notified, ask what the bureau will note on the file and whether it will tell you about new applications for credit. Keep a note of the date, the person you spoke to and any reference number. These records also help later when you account to the beneficiaries.

Redirect and watch the mail

Contact Canada Post to forward the deceased person's mail. Mail often carries account numbers, statements and tax slips, so forwarding it to you protects privacy and also helps you find assets and debts you did not know about.

• Ask for the mail to be forwarded to your address as executor.
• Keep a list of every sender whose mail arrives, so you can update or close those accounts.
• Shred mail with personal information once you have recorded what you need.

Notify government programs

Several government notifications help prevent misuse and avoid repayment problems. Contact the CRA as soon as possible to avoid repayment of benefits, return a valid passport to the Passport Program with a copy of the death certificate, and contact Canada Post as above.

For the Social Insurance Number, when a death occurs in a Canadian province, the provincial vital statistics agency automatically notifies the SIN program. If the death happened in a territory or outside Canada, the family or estate must inform the SIN Program yourself.

The estate keeps the OAS and CPP payments for the month of death, but all payments issued after that month must be returned. Cancelling promptly reduces the amount you may have to repay.

The executor or their lawyer also contacts the CPP and OAS/GIS programs about cancelling benefits and about any survivor benefits. Separately, the CPP death benefit is a basic amount of $2,500 plus a possible top-up of $2,500, for a maximum of $5,000, and the executor named in the will, or the administrator appointed by the court, applies and should do so within 60 days of the date of death. If there is no estate, or the executor has not applied, it can be claimed in order of priority by the person or institution responsible for the funeral expenses, then the surviving spouse or common-law partner, then the next of kin.

Closing accounts without creating problems

Closing accounts removes openings for fraud, but timing matters. Cancel what is clearly not needed, such as social memberships, extra credit cards and subscriptions. Keep the estate's main bank account, or open an estate account, until bills are paid and distributions are made.

As executor you must keep accurate records of the estate's assets and transactions. Before closing an account, get a statement showing the balance at the date of death and the activity since. If you pay a proper estate expense personally, a trustee may recover it from the trust property.

Vehicles, licences and plates

A vehicle is another item that can be misused if its paperwork is left unattended. A driver's licence fee refund is claimed at a ServiceOntario centre with the Application for Refund of Driver's Licence Fee.

A vehicle may be transferred to a beneficiary of the estate exempt from retail sales tax if supporting estate documents are provided. If a vehicle is jointly registered to legally married spouses and one dies, the survivor can transfer it exempt from retail sales tax with only a death certificate (or a certified copy). In all other joint-ownership cases, including common-law spouses, the surviving owner must provide the estate documents to show they are the legal beneficiary first.

When a vehicle is registered to a new owner at ServiceOntario, proof of Ontario vehicle insurance is required, and licence plates may be transferred only between spouses, parents and children, using a plate transfer declaration. Other steps depend on your situation, so confirm them with ServiceOntario or a lawyer.

What to do next

• Order several certified copies of the death certificate, since many organizations ask for one.
• Notify Equifax and TransUnion.
• Arrange mail forwarding with Canada Post.
• Contact the CRA, Service Canada and ServiceOntario, and return the passport.
• Review mail and statements for accounts you did not know about.
• Keep a log of every call, letter and reference number.

If you see signs of fraud, such as credit applications after the death, or if relatives disagree about who should handle the accounts, speak with a lawyer about your authority and next steps.

Frequently asked questions