Things to remember after losing a child

• Hospitals and care providers send information about a patient's death to the population information system maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, and for instance Kela and the pension providers obtain the information from the system.
• In case of a sudden death somewhere else than in a hospital or care facility, the police should be notified. If needed, the police arranges an investigation into the cause of death and forwards its findings.
• Kela receives information about the child's death from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and on the basis of the information sends you a decision letter stating that payment of the child benefit will end.
  • You can also yourself notify Kela of the death. The notification should be made as soon as possible since benefits must be paid back if they have been paid after the month of death.
• If your child died in or soon after childbirth, Kela will pay you  pregnancy allowance and parental allowance for a while.
• If your child had assets or a bank account, you should notify the bank in writing of the death.
• Also notify the insurance company if your child had a life insurance policy or some other insurance policy.
• You can arrange the funeral (suomi.fi) yourself or ask an undertaker to arrange it.
• An estate inventory (vero.fi) meeting must also be held after the death of a child even if there are no assets.
• Remember to close all your child’s accounts in social media and other online services.
• The website of your insurance company can also provide useful information.

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Death of a close family member (suomi.fi)