How to Cancel Subscriptions After Someone Dies: A Complete Guide

First Steps: What to Do This Week

You don't need to cancel everything immediately. In the first week, focus on these priorities:

1. Don't close bank accounts yet. You need the statements to find recurring charges. Closing accounts prematurely can make cancellations harder.
2. Get multiple certified copies of the death certificate. Order at least 10—many companies require an original or certified copy mailed to them. You can order these from the funeral home or county vital records office.
3. Secure their email access. Email is where you'll find subscription confirmations, billing receipts, and password reset links. If you don't have their password, most email providers have a deceased user process.
4. Don't delete their phone yet. Check for apps with active subscriptions (App Store, Google Play), saved passwords, and two-factor authentication codes you may need.
5. Start a spreadsheet. Track every subscription you find: company, amount, billing date, status (active/canceled), and any reference numbers.

Documents You'll Need

Gather these before you start making calls:

• Certified death certificate (multiple copies—some companies keep the original)
• Your government-issued ID
• Proof of authority: Letters testamentary (from probate court), letters of administration, or small estate affidavit
• Proof of relationship if you're next of kin but not executor (marriage certificate, birth certificate)
• The deceased's account information (account numbers, email address, phone number, last 4 of SSN)

Tip: If the estate is small and doesn't go through probate, many companies will accept a death certificate plus proof of relationship. If a company insists on letters testamentary and you don't have them, ask for a supervisor or their bereavement department.

How to Find All Their Subscriptions

The average American has 12 paid subscriptions. Many people have more without realizing it. Here's how to find them all:

1. Check Bank & Credit Card Statements

This is the most reliable method. Look at the last 3 months of statements for every bank account and credit card. Annual subscriptions may not show up in a single month, so going back 12 months is ideal.

Quick method: Upload their bank statement CSV to JustCancel to automatically detect all recurring charges. It takes 30 seconds and catches subscriptions you might miss manually.

2. Search Their Email

Search for these terms in their inbox:

• “subscription” or “recurring”
• “your payment” or “payment received”
• “renewal” or “auto-renew”
• “monthly charge” or “annual charge”
• “free trial” (may have converted to paid)

3. Check Their Phone

• iPhone: Settings → [Name] → Subscriptions
• Android: Google Play Store → Menu → Subscriptions
• Look for apps like Headspace, Calm, dating apps, news apps, fitness apps

4. Check Common Subscription Categories

• Streaming: Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Premium
• Shopping: Amazon Prime, Walmart+, Costco, Target Circle
• Software: Microsoft 365, Adobe, iCloud, Google One, Dropbox
• Health: gym memberships, telehealth, prescription delivery, meditation apps
• Insurance: auto-pay policies that continue billing
• News: newspapers, magazines, Substack, Patreon
• Gaming: Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Online
• Dating: Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Match
• Meal kits: HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Factor

What to Cancel First (Priority Order)

1. High-cost subscriptions ($50+/month): gym memberships, insurance, meal kits, premium software
2. Subscriptions renewing soon: check billing dates and cancel before the next charge
3. Annual subscriptions approaching renewal: these are the biggest single charges you can prevent
4. Everything else: streaming, apps, small recurring charges

Important: Some subscriptions (especially gyms and insurance) require 30 days' notice. Cancel these first even if they're not the most expensive.

How to Contact Companies (With Scripts)

Phone Script

Email Template

Tips for Difficult Companies

• If asked for the account password, explain you don't have it and ask for their deceased account holder process
• Ask for the “bereavement” or “deceased account” department—most large companies have one
• If they insist on probate documents you don't have, ask what alternative documentation they accept
• Keep a record of every call: date, time, representative name, reference number
• If a company refuses to cancel, file a complaint with the CFPB or your state attorney general

Guide for Major Companies

Apple (iCloud, Apple Music, Apple TV+, App Store subscriptions)

• Contact Apple Support at 1-800-275-2273
• They have a Digital Legacy program
• Need death certificate + proof of relationship
• Can cancel all subscriptions tied to the Apple ID at once

Google (YouTube Premium, Google One, Play Store subscriptions)

• Submit a request through Google's Inactive Account Manager
• Need death certificate + your ID + proof of relationship
• Can take 2-4 weeks to process

Amazon (Prime, Kindle Unlimited, Audible, Subscribe & Save)

• Call 1-888-280-4331 or use online chat
• Need death certificate + account email
• Pro-rated Prime refund is possible
• Don't forget Subscribe & Save items—these continue shipping automatically

Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max

• Most streaming services can be canceled online if you have account access
• If not, call customer service with death certificate
• Netflix: 1-866-579-7172
• These are usually the easiest—most cancel immediately with no documentation

Gym Memberships

• Often the hardest to cancel even under normal circumstances
• Many require certified mail with death certificate
• Some still charge a “cancellation fee”—push back, this is not acceptable for a death
• If they refuse to waive fees, file a BBB complaint

Insurance (Auto, Home, Life)

• Contact the agent or company directly
• Auto insurance: cancel immediately to stop charges; any prepaid premium is refundable to the estate
• Home/renters insurance: keep active until property is transferred or sold
• Life insurance: don't cancel—file a claim instead

Microsoft (Office 365, Xbox Game Pass, OneDrive)

• Submit a Next of Kin request
• Need death certificate, your ID, proof of relationship
• Can take up to 30 days

Getting Refunds for Post-Death Charges

You may be entitled to refunds for any charges that occurred after the date of death. Here's how:

1. Ask the company directly. Many will refund charges after the death date without a fight. Some (like Amazon) proactively offer this.
2. Dispute with the bank. If the company won't refund, contact the bank or credit card company. Explain the account holder is deceased and charges continued. Most banks will reverse post-death charges.
3. File a CFPB complaint. For companies that refuse to stop charging or issue refunds, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can intervene.

Important: Keep the death certificate date handy. Any charge after that date is unauthorized and can be disputed.

Handling Bank Accounts & Credit Cards

Don't close accounts immediately. Here's the recommended order:

1. Download or print all statements from the last 12 months
2. Identify all recurring charges
3. Cancel each subscription individually (closing the card alone may not cancel—companies can pursue the estate for unpaid charges)
4. After all subscriptions are confirmed canceled, close the accounts

Credit cards: Notify the card issuer of the death. They'll freeze the account to prevent new charges while allowing you to dispute existing ones. The estate (not you personally) is responsible for any remaining balance.

Digital Accounts & Data

Beyond subscriptions, consider these digital accounts:

• Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn all have memorialization or account deletion options
• Email: Keep active as long as needed for cancellations, then close or memorialize
• Cloud storage: Download any important files from iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox before closing
• Password manager: If they used one (1Password, LastPass, etc.), this is the master key to finding all their accounts
• Domain names: If they owned any, these need to be renewed or transferred to avoid losing them
• Cryptocurrency: Check for Coinbase, Robinhood, or hardware wallet accounts—these may have significant value

Cancellation Checklist

Use this checklist to track your progress. Check each category:

📺 Streaming & Entertainment

• Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock, Apple TV+
• Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora
• Audible, Kindle Unlimited, Scribd
• Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Online

🛒 Shopping & Delivery

• Amazon Prime, Walmart+, Costco, Target Circle, Instacart+
• DoorDash DashPass, Uber One, Grubhub+
• HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Factor, Daily Harvest
• Subscribe & Save / auto-ship orders

💻 Software & Cloud

• Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace
• iCloud+, Google One, Dropbox, OneDrive
• VPN services (NordVPN, ExpressVPN)
• Antivirus (Norton, McAfee)

💪 Health & Fitness

• Gym membership (Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, Equinox, etc.)
• Peloton, Apple Fitness+, ClassPass
• Headspace, Calm, BetterHelp, Talkspace
• Prescription delivery (Hims, Ro, PillPack)

📰 News & Learning

• Newspapers (NYT, WSJ, Washington Post)
• Magazines
• Substack, Medium, Patreon
• MasterClass, Skillshare, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning

🏠 Home & Utilities

• Internet, cable, phone
• Home security (SimpliSafe, ADT, Ring)
• Smart home (Nest Aware, Ring Protect)
• Lawn care, pest control, cleaning services

💰 Financial

• Credit monitoring (Experian, Credit Karma Premium)
• Identity theft protection (LifeLock, Aura)
• Investment apps (Robinhood Gold, Acorns)
• Tax software (TurboTax, H&R Block)

🚗 Transportation

• Car insurance
• Roadside assistance (AAA)
• SiriusXM, OnStar
• Parking apps, toll transponders

Getting Help

You don't have to do this alone:

• Estate attorney: If the estate is complex or companies are uncooperative, an attorney can send demand letters
• Funeral home: Many offer assistance with account closures as part of their services
• AARP: Offers free resources and guidance for managing a deceased person's affairs
• JustCancel: Upload their bank statement to quickly identify all recurring charges you might have missed

Take it one step at a time. There's no deadline to get everything done, and most companies are understanding when you explain the situation. Be kind to yourself through this process.