What to Do With a Deceased Person's Phone Number and SIM Card

Losing someone is always difficult, and the mobile phone they relied on can hold essential digital keys. A phone number often controls access to banking, email, cloud storage, and social media accounts. If it is disconnected too soon, family members can lose the ability to receive two factor codes, unlock accounts, or prove their authority when closing services.

This guide explains how to secure a deceased person's phone, SIM card, and device while you manage the rest of their digital estate. You will find timelines, documentation checklists, and privacy tips that prevent permanent lockouts or unexpected identity risks.

Why the phone number still matters

A phone number is more than a contact point, it is a recovery tool. SMS codes, automated alerts, and account notifications all depend on the line staying active. Before you cancel anything, confirm which accounts rely on the number for security and communication.

If you are just starting to audit digital accounts, pair this checklist with Do This First When A Loved One Dies: Managing Digital Accounts to make sure you capture every service tied to the number.

Keep access to two factor authentication

Major platforms such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and most banks still rely on SMS to deliver multi factor codes. If the number is disconnected, you may be locked out while trying to close or transfer accounts. Maintain service until every critical login has a new recovery method in place.

Protect password recovery options

Password reset links and security alerts often arrive by text message. Monitor the phone for at least several months, and update recovery numbers on each account as you work through your checklist. This patience prevents you from losing access to email, photo libraries, or financial dashboards.

Stay available for contacts and services

Friends, care providers, or financial professionals may still call the familiar number. Keeping the line active ensures important updates are not missed while you coordinate legal tasks, memorial services, and account changes.

Track financial and subscription alerts

Many banks, credit card issuers, and subscription services rely on text notifications. Canceling the number too early can trigger declined payments or service interruptions that make it harder to inventory the digital estate. Review every alert before making changes.

When you spot payment reminders or suspicious transactions, capture them in the tracking log you build while following How to Secure a Loved One's Online Banking and Subscription Accounts. Aligning both checklists keeps financial notifications, autopay settings, and cancellation deadlines in sync.

Fort Legacy recommends: keep the phone, SIM card, and number active for a minimum of six months. This window gives you time to update credentials, receive verification codes, and avoid costly mistakes while you close or transfer services.

Confirm your authority before contacting the carrier

Carriers will only discuss account changes with someone who can prove legal authority. Review the estate paperwork so you know whether you are acting as an executor, next of kin, or authorized representative. If you are unsure what documentation you need, our guide How to Access a Deceased Person's Online Accounts explains how to request and organize credentials securely.

Coordinate with the mobile carrier

Each carrier follows its own deceased account policy, yet most require proof of death and documentation that shows you are authorized to act. Preparing paperwork in advance helps support fast decisions about whether to keep, transfer, or close the line.

Gather essential documents

• A certified copy of the death certificate.
• Your government issued photo ID.
• Proof of your authority, such as executor papers or next of kin documentation.
• Account references like the phone number, account number, or billing details.

Contact the carrier's specialized team

Call customer service or visit a retail location and request the deceased account process. Explain whether you need to keep the number temporarily, transfer it to another line, or close it. Submit your documents and ask for written confirmation of any actions.

While you wait for changes to process, update the voicemail greeting so callers know how to reach the estate. Many families record a brief message that shares a new point of contact and directs friends to memorial pages such as Memorialize or Close a Facebook Account or Memorialize or Close an Instagram Account.

Document every conversation

Record the dates, names of representatives, and next steps from each interaction. Detailed notes help when banks, email providers, or social platforms request proof that you control the number for verification purposes.

Decide whether to keep, transfer, or close the line

Once you understand the connected accounts, choose the approach that keeps access available without wasting money. The right option depends on how long you need the number and whether other family members should receive calls or texts.

Keep the number active temporarily

Continue paying for the line or move it into your own name while you finish account administration. Ask the carrier whether you can transfer billing responsibility, enable a temporary suspension with access to SMS, or forward calls to another trusted phone.

Port the number to a new plan

If the line belongs to a family plan, consider porting it to a trusted relative. You will need account authorization, proof of death, and a new SIM card or device. Porting prevents the number from being reassigned and keeps verification messages within your family. It is a practical way to maintain control while limiting extra costs.

Close the account when every service is secured

After you update recovery details on every important account, ask the carrier to cancel the line. Request written confirmation that the number will remain inactive before reassignment, and store the SIM card in a safe location in case verification issues appear later.

Protect the device and SIM card

The physical phone contains sensitive data, from photos and notes to authenticator apps. Handle it carefully before you recycle, donate, or store the device.

Assign a single trusted person to manage the device so that passcodes, location, and backups stay organized. If you are creating a longer term plan for family devices, see How to Create a Digital Estate Plan for templates that document who should inherit hardware and cloud access.

Back up irreplaceable content

Check for photos, videos, and documents that should be preserved. Confirm that cloud backups in services like iCloud, Google Drive, or OneDrive are complete before you make changes to the device or the account.

Review authenticator and security apps

Apps such as Google Authenticator, Authy, or Microsoft Authenticator may hold codes you need. Transfer the tokens to another device or disable them within each service before you wipe the phone.

Secure and store the SIM card

Remove the SIM card and keep it in a safe location even if you port the number. Text messages, contacts, and future verification codes may still arrive, so wait several months before destroying or recycling it.

If you discover that the phone number controls email logins, follow the steps in How to Close or Transfer a Deceased Person's Email Account to preserve messages and reroute sensitive correspondence before wiping the device.

Erase the device when you are ready

Once backups are complete and you no longer need on device data, perform a factory reset. For iPhone, open Settings, choose General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, and select Erase All Content and Settings. For Android, open Settings, choose System, then Reset, and tap Erase All Data. Remove the device from associated cloud accounts afterward.

Consider storing the phone for at least six months. If an unexpected verification prompt appears, you can power it on and respond immediately without waiting on the carrier.

Guard against identity theft

Phone numbers are a common target for fraud once carriers release them back into circulation. Take preventive steps while the estate is still open.

• Update every major account with a new recovery phone number or email address.
• Enable app based multi factor authentication instead of SMS whenever possible.
• Maintain a list of accounts tied to the number and confirm each one has been updated.
• Monitor credit reports and financial statements for new activity in the deceased person's name.

For additional context on discovering linked services, review Do This First When A Loved One Dies: Managing Digital Accounts and the verification steps in How to Access a Deceased Person's Online Accounts. These guides work together to protect the broader digital estate.

A secure and respectful transition

Managing a deceased loved one's phone number is about more than canceling a plan, it safeguards vital access to their digital life. Maintain the line while you update accounts, document every carrier conversation, protect on device data, and watch for fraud. Once every service has a new recovery method, you can close the account with confidence.

Fort Legacy is here to help you through each step. For personalized assistance, visit Plan Your Digital Legacy or connect with our specialists through Support for Next of Kin.