Legal and Financial Protection
What if the deceased signed a contract I didn't know about?
Short answer
Contract obligations survive death and become estate obligations. Review mail, email, and files for any contracts — home improvement, loans, service agreements, leases. The estate must honor or properly terminate contracts. Some contracts have termination rights at death — read each one.
What this usually means
Contract obligations survive death and become estate obligations. Review mail, email, and files for any contracts — home improvement, loans, service agreements, leases. The estate must honor or properly terminate contracts. Some contracts have termination rights at death — read each one.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county help for coroner contacts, vital records, cost tools, and paperwork.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.