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Dallas and Fort Worth after-loss support

What to do after losing someone in Dallas and Fort Worth

A clear, compassionate starting point for the paperwork, accounts, benefits and practical decisions that may follow a death.

See what to do nextExplore the free guide

The metroplex spans two large counties with separate courts and records offices, so the first question is which county the person lived in.

Dallas County and Tarrant County each run their own probate courts and their own vital records offices. A family in Arlington and a family in Garland follow the same Texas law but file in different buildings, and mixing them up is the most common delay we see across North Texas.

Dallas County has three statutory probate courts, and filings go through the Dallas County Clerk. Tarrant County has two probate courts with the county clerk handling filings in Fort Worth. Both counties publish their own local rules, filing fees and self-help material.

Certified death certificates come from the county clerk of the county where the death occurred, or from the City of Dallas vital statistics office for deaths inside city limits. Ordering locally is normally faster than going through the state office.

North Texas has an unusually deep bench of free grief support, including one of the oldest children's bereavement centres in the country, and a regional 211 that covers both counties.

Requirements can depend on the estate and the circumstances. Consider confirming the applicable process with the relevant state agency or a qualified professional.

Dallas and Tarrant Counties resources

County records and courts

Confirm the county of residence first, then use that county's clerk for records and probate court for estate matters.

Community and aging support

The Dallas Area Agency on Aging and the Area Agency on Aging of Tarrant County both offer free benefits counselling and caregiver support. 211 North Texas covers the whole metroplex.

Grief support across the metroplex

The WARM Place in Fort Worth provides free grief support for children and their families, and Journey of Hope Grief Support Center serves the Dallas side. Hospice bereavement groups run throughout both counties.

Veterans in North Texas

Dallas–Fort Worth National Cemetery serves the region, and Texas Veterans Commission staff assist survivors with claims at no cost.

Starting points that apply anywhere

  • Take care of urgent personal and family needs. Sleep, food, childcare, pets, medication. Nothing on any checklist matters more in the first day, and almost no paperwork is genuinely urgent.
  • Locate important documents. A will, insurance policies, deeds, titles, recent statements, military discharge papers. Gathering them in one place removes most of the later scrambling.
  • Identify who is legally responsible. Usually a named executor or personal representative, or a surviving spouse. Knowing who signs saves weeks of stalled requests.
  • Request certified death certificates. Most organizations want a certified copy, not a photocopy. Ordering the right number at once is cheaper and faster than going back.
  • Notify relevant organizations. Social Security, employers, pensions, insurers, banks, utilities, landlords. Some can wait weeks. A short list has real deadlines.
  • Secure property, accounts and digital information. Lock an empty home, redirect mail, stop autopay where it makes sense, and note which phones and email accounts hold everything else.
  • Create a manageable action plan. One list, ordered by what actually needs attention this week, shared with the people helping you so nothing is done twice.
Texas statewide guidanceFree tools and checklistsFind support near Dallas and Fort Worth

How AndWithYou helps

Understand what may need attention

A plain-English picture of what follows a death, sized to your situation.

Keep the next steps organized

One ordered list instead of sticky notes, browser tabs and half-remembered calls.

Find important documents

Prompts for the paperwork each step needs, so you gather it once.

Track accounts and responsibilities

What has been notified, what is waiting, what is closed.

Coordinate with family members

Share a task or a whole plan, with control over who sees what.

Discover relevant providers and public resources

Local courts, vital-records offices and services, with the reason each one matters.

Questions families ask

Do I file in Dallas or Tarrant County?
File in the county where the person lived at the time of death, not where they died or where the funeral is held. Dallas and Tarrant run separate probate courts with their own local rules.
How do I get a death certificate in Dallas?
Order certified copies from the Dallas County Clerk, or from the City of Dallas vital statistics office for deaths within city limits. Funeral homes usually order the first batch.
Is there free grief support in DFW?
Yes. The WARM Place in Fort Worth and Journey of Hope in the Dallas area both offer free peer support, and hospice bereavement groups across the metroplex are open to the community.
What if the person owned property in another Texas county?
The main administration happens where they lived, but property records are updated in the county where the land sits. Consider confirming the transfer process with that county clerk or a qualified professional.

AndWithYou provides organizational information and educational guidance. It does not replace legal, financial, medical or mental-health professionals. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health crisis support in the US, call or text 988.