How to Forward Mail of Deceased Person

An overflowing mailbox at a deceased person's address does two things you don't want: it signals to criminals that the property is empty, and it feeds a steady stream of account numbers to anyone running a postmortem identity theft operation. Getting the mail redirected — and the subscriptions cancelled — should happen within the first week.

Set Up Mail Forwarding Through USPS

The US Postal Service allows an appointed executor or administrator to forward a deceased person's mail. To submit a change-of-address request, the representative must complete it in person at a Post Office and show documented proof of appointment and authority to manage the mail.

Who can file: An appointed executor or administrator who can document authority to manage the deceased person's mail. Being named in a will or having a death certificate alone is not enough.

Duration: USPS forwards primarily First-Class Mail for 12 months and Periodicals for 60 days. USPS generally does not forward Marketing Mail. After the forwarding period ends, USPS returns mail to the sender with the new address for 6 months.

For UK estates: Royal Mail offers a redirection service for up to 12 months. You'll need the death certificate and proof of your authority to manage the estate.

Forward the mail to your own address so you can track incoming statements, identify accounts you didn't know about, and catch any suspicious new credit applications — a red flag for identity theft.

Cancel Subscriptions and Memberships

Once the mail is flowing to you, start working through the cancellations. The monthly charges add up quickly if nobody shuts them off.

Gym memberships. Most gyms require a death certificate and written cancellation request. Some chains (Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, Anytime Fitness) allow cancellation by mail or in person. Expect to provide the member's name, membership number, and a certified death certificate. If the membership was on auto-pay, contact the bank or card issuer to block future charges if the gym is slow to process.

Magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Call the customer service number on the mailing label. Most publishers will cancel the subscription and issue a prorated refund. Some require a written request — a short letter with the subscriber's name, account number, and a copy of the death certificate.

Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, Disney+). If you have access to the email account, you can usually cancel from the account settings page. If not, contact customer support with the death certificate and proof of executor authority.

Meal kits, subscription boxes, and auto-delivery orders. Check the decedent's email and bank statements for recurring charges. Cancel each one individually — there's no central registry for these services.

Stopping Junk Mail and Marketing

Even after forwarding, junk mail keeps coming. To reduce it:

• DMAchoice (the ANA's mail preference service) lets family members add a deceased person's name to a permanent suppression list that is sent monthly to participating companies. It can reduce prospect mail but does not stop all promotional mail.
• OptOutPrescreen.com lets you opt out of prescreened credit and insurance offers online or by calling 1-888-567-8688. It reduces those offers but does not prevent identity theft.
• Catalog Choice (catalogchoice.org) lets you opt out of specific catalogs individually.

Track What You Find

Every piece of mail that arrives reveals an account that needs to be addressed — bank statements, investment account summaries, insurance premium notices, property tax bills. Keep a running list. The first month of redirected mail usually uncovers accounts the family didn't know existed.

The Notifying Everyone — Master Template Kit includes a complete account tracking worksheet and pre-written cancellation letters for every major category — banks, utilities, subscriptions, and government agencies — so you can work through the list without drafting each letter from scratch.