Reporting a Death of a Loved One to TransUnion

There can be a lot to take care of when a loved one passes away, but it’s important to take the time to notify the three nationwide credit reporting agencies (CRAs), TransUnion^®, Equifax and Experian,  so the individual’s credit report can be marked as deceased. CRAs will periodically receive notification from the Social Security Administration about those who have passed away. However, notifying a CRA on your own can be faster and is an important step in the care of your loved one to help protect their credit report from fraud.

Follow the steps below to update your loved one’s credit report and give yourself peace of mind:

1. Ensure the Social Security Administration has updated their files for your loved one

You can find the contact info for your local Social Security office online. If you’re working with a funeral director, they may have reported on behalf of the family already. Check with them to see if this is part of their services.

2. Write a letter to one of the nationwide credit reporting agencies

To expedite the process of appropriately marking your loved one’s credit report, consider contacting a CRA yourself. Whichever agency you contact — TransUnion, Equifax or Experian — will then notify the other two on your behalf. Along with a copy of the death certificate, please also include the following for the deceased:

• Legal name
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Date of death

The information can be mailed to TransUnion at:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

Once we receive the letter, we’ll note the individual is deceased on their TransUnion credit report within five business days. We will also notify the other two credit reporting agencies. When the file has been marked, we will send a letter to the spouse or third party to let them know the request has been processed.

3. Request and review your loved one’s credit report

Reviewing their report can help you gather important information about their credit accounts and any outstanding debt. If you want credit reports from the other two agencies, you’ll need to request a report individually from each.

If you are the spouse of the deceased and you would like a copy of their credit report, you can request it from TransUnion by mailing a letter. In the letter, state that you are the spouse and include your name and mailing address. If the notification is from an executor or someone other than a spouse, please include a copy of the requestor’s identification, such as a driver’s license, and a copy of the will, executor agreement or Power of Attorney documentation along with a mailing address.

The information can be mailed to TransUnion at:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

4. Contact all creditors that the deceased person did business with

Note the credit accounts in your loved one’s report as you’re reviewing it. You can find lender contact information with each account. Inform them of their passing and request they mark their files accordingly. The creditors may require a copy of the death certificate. Joint accounts can usually remain open, but you’ll want to confirm this with the lender.

5. Report any suspected fraud found on their credit report

When reading their credit report, in addition to gathering account information, you should also be on the lookout for any activity that seems suspicious. Commonly referred to as "ghosting," fraudsters sometimes use the personal information of someone who has passed away  to open new credit accounts or file faulty tax returns.  

If you suspect there’s fraudulent activity on a deceased person’s credit report, notify the lenders for the accounts in question. You should also report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission and get a copy of an Identity Theft Report. It’s also a good idea to file a police report documenting the fraud. The police may require your Identity Theft Report from the FTC to launch their investigation.

Dispute inaccurate items on their credit report

You can also submit a dispute on behalf of the deceased. To dispute items on their TransUnion credit report, provide the following in a letter:

• The legal name of the person for whom you’re disputing
• The name of the companies that reported the item you’re disputing
• The partial account number (from their credit report)
• The reasons for the dispute
• Any supporting documents

If you are an executor or other third party you will need to provide identification such as a driver’s license, and a copy of the will, executor agreement or Power of Attorney documentation along with your mailing address. If you are the spouse, simply state your name and indicate you are the spouse and include a mailing address.

You can send your dispute documents to:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

We know there’s a lot to manage when a loved one passes away. Taking time to protect their credit and personal information can help save you from the time and stress incurred from identity theft recovery. Visit our Managing Credit for a Loved One page to learn about other ways you can manage or protect a deceased loved one’s credit. 

FAQs

Why should I report the death of a loved one to a nationwide credit reporting agency?

Nationwide credit reporting agencies (CRAs) will receive updates from the Social Security Administration, but contacting a CRA directly may be a quicker way to have your loved one’s credit report correctly marked.

How do I report the death of a loved one to TransUnion?

Along with a copy of the death certificate, provided a letter that includes the following for the deceased:

• Legal name
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Date of death

The information can be mailed to the following address:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

How do I request a credit report for someone who is deceased?

Send a copy of a death certificate along with a letter with their legal name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death to the following address:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

If you are the spouse of the deceased, state that you are the spouse and include your name and mailing address in the letter. If the notification is from an executor or someone other than a spouse, please include a copy of the requestor’s identification, such as a driver’s license, and a copy of the will, executor agreement or Power of Attorney documentation along with a mailing address.

How do I dispute items on a credit report for someone who is deceased?

To dispute an item on a credit report for someone who is deceased, along with a copy of a death certificate, provide their legal name, the name of the companies that reported the item you’re disputing and the partial account number (from their credit report), the reason for the dispute and any supporting documents. If you are the spouse, simply state your name and indicate you are the spouse and include a mailing address. If you are an executor or other third party you will need to provide identification such as a driver’s license, and a copy of the will, executor agreement or Power of Attorney documentation along with your mailing address.

Send your dispute letter and any supporting documents to the following address:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016