How to Dispute Deceased on Equifax?

Equifax will list a 'deceased' flag directly on the credit report you receive.

1. Request the report: log into your Equifax online portal, call 1‑800‑349‑9960, or send a certified‑mail request with the subject's name, SSN, and address.
2. Open the first page: look for a bold 'Deceased' notice under the personal information section.
3. Compare identifiers: confirm the name, Social Security number, and birth date match the individual you are investigating.
4. Capture evidence: print the page or save a PDF screenshot showing the flag; label it with the report date for later reference.

Once you have this confirmation, proceed to 'Collect documents Equifax needs' to build your dispute package.

Equifax will only accept a dispute of the deceased flag from the executor or personal representative named in the probate court papers, or from a surviving spouse or other family member who can show court‑issued documentation proving authority. A power of attorney ends at the principal's death, so a POA cannot be used to challenge the flag.

Gather the executor or personal representative appointment letter, the probate docket, and an ID copy for the authorized family member; these items satisfy the proof Equifax asks for before you move on to the 'collect documents Equifax needs' section. For more detail on the required paperwork see the Federal Trade Commission guidance on credit disputes.

Equifax typically requires these documents to process a deceased‑flag dispute.

• Certified death certificate (original or notarized copy) confirming the individual's death.
• Proof of authority to act, such as executor letters, power of attorney, or court‑appointed administrator documentation.
• A document that shows the Social Security Number, like a copy of the SSN card or a recent tax form.
• Probate or estate papers (letters testamentary or letters of administration) that name you as the fiduciary.
• A copy of the credit report that displays the deceased flag, linking the dispute to the correct file.

Attach a certified death certificate, a Social Security Number match, and the probate paperwork when you submit the Equifax dispute.

• Death certificate - Provide a clear, legible PDF of the original or a certified copy; the name, date of death, and issuing authority must be visible.
• SSN match - Include a recent Social Security Administration statement or a notarized affidavit showing the deceased's SSN aligns with the credit file.
• Probate documents - Upload the court's letters of administration, letters testamentary, or the docket showing you are the executor, administrator, or POA.
• File naming - Use consistent filenames (e.g., 'Doe_DeathCert.pdf', 'Doe_SSNMatch.pdf', 'Doe_Probate.pdf') to help Equifax's reviewers link each file to the dispute.

These attachments satisfy the evidence Equifax typically requires, paving the way for the dispute letter template in the next section.

Here's a ready‑to‑copy letter you can paste into an email, upload to the Equifax online dispute portal, or print for certified mail when you need to remove a deceased flag.

Template

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[City, State ZIP]

[Phone]

[Email]

Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]

Equifax Consumer Services

P.O. Box 740256

Atlanta, GA 30374

Subject: Dispute of Deceased Flag - [Account / Report Reference #]

To whom it may concern,

I am the [executor/family member/holder of POA] for the estate of [Deceased's Full Name], Social Security Number ***‑**‑####. I have attached a certified copy of the death certificate, the probate court order naming me as executor, and a government‑issued ID that matches the SSN on file.

Equifax's credit report currently shows a deceased flag that is inaccurate because the estate is still active and the credit file belongs to a living beneficiary. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act I request that you investigate this entry, delete the deceased flag, and correct the file within the statutory 30‑day period.

Please confirm receipt of this dispute and provide a written outcome. I will follow up if I do not hear back within the required timeframe.

Sincerely,

[Your Signature]

[Printed Name]

[Relationship to Deceased]

(Attach: death certificate, probate order, executor/POA documentation, government ID)

You can file the deceased‑flag dispute with Equifax online, by phone, or via certified mail.

• Online - Log in to the Equifax online dispute portal, select 'Add a dispute,' choose 'Incorrect personal information,' upload the death certificate, SSN match, and probate documents, then submit.
• Phone - Call 1‑866‑692‑0272, verify your executor/family/POA status, state the deceased flag error, and confirm that you will mail copies of the required documents within three business days.
• Certified mail - Send a one‑page cover letter describing the error to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348. Attach photocopies of the death certificate, SSN match, and probate papers. Use USPS Certified Mail with return receipt for proof of delivery.

After submission, Equifax typically has 30 days to investigate and will contact you with the outcome; the next section explains what to expect and how to follow up if needed.

Equifax typically sends a written decision within 30 days of receiving your dispute, and you should monitor the same contact method you used to submit.

While you wait, be ready to act fast if you get a partial answer or no reply:

• Check your email and postal mail daily; Equifax often follows up with a request for additional proof.
• If the decision arrives, verify that the deceased flag is removed and that the credit file reflects only living consumers.
• Spot any lingering errors (misspelled name, wrong SSN) and file a second dispute referencing the original case number.
• Keep copies of every correspondence, including certified‑mail receipts and phone call logs, for at‑least two years.

If Equifax denies the removal or fails to respond after 30 days, move on to the escalation steps outlined in the next section.

If Equifax refuses to delete the deceased flag after you've submitted the certified dispute, file a complaint with the CFPB or your state consumer‑protection agency.

The CFPB route lets you lodge an online complaint at Consumer Finance Bureau complaint portal, attach the same documents you sent Equifax (dispute letter, death certificate, probate papers), and receive a tracking number. The bureau forwards the case to Equifax, monitors the 30‑day response window, and may impose enforcement if the creditor fails to comply.

State regulators vary by jurisdiction, so start with your state attorney general's consumer division (see state consumer‑protection contacts). Most require a mailed or emailed complaint that includes copies of your dispute package and a brief timeline of Equifax's denial. The agency can conduct its own investigation, issue a cease‑and‑desist order, or refer the matter to a local court. Both paths provide an independent audit of Equifax's decision and often prompt a faster resolution than repeating the internal dispute process.

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• No death certificate? Submit alternative proof like a funeral‑home affidavit, hospital record, notarized family/POA statement, recent obituary, or Social Security Administration death‑verification letter.
• Obtain a funeral‑home statement on official letterhead that lists the decedent's full name, date of death, and funeral date.
• Request a hospital or medical‑facility discharge summary that confirms the death and includes the patient's identifying details.
• Have the executor, next‑of‑kin, or POA sign a notarized affidavit stating the relationship, date of death, and that no death certificate is available.
• Provide a newspaper obituary or online death notice that includes the full name, date, and location of death.
• Include any probate documents that reference the death, such as letters testamentary or small‑estate affidavits, to reinforce the claim.

If TransUnion blocks your rental application, add a co‑signer or offer prepaid rent to meet the landlord's requirements.

• Choose a co‑signer with a clean TransUnion tenant report and a rental score above the typical 650 threshold; their strong profile can offset yours.
• Provide a signed co‑signer agreement before the landlord runs the tenant report, so the co‑signer's information appears in the same pull.
• Offer one to three months of prepaid rent; this demonstrates financial stability and often convinces landlords to waive the score requirement.
• Include proof of the prepaid amount (bank statement or money‑order) with your application to make verification quick.
• Inform the property manager that the co‑signer or prepaid rent is a mitigation strategy after reviewing the earlier 'dispute errors' and 'evictions' sections, so they understand your proactive approach.

Identity theft can falsely flag a living person as deceased, so you must file an identity‑theft dispute rather than a standard correction. Start by obtaining an FTC Identity Theft Report and a police report, then gather proof that the individual is alive (recent utility bill, passport photo page) and proof of your authority to act (executor, family member, or POA).

Compose a dispute letter that states the deceased flag resulted from identity theft, cites the FTC and police reports, and explicitly requests removal of the flag and restoration of the credit file. Attach the identity‑theft report, police report, your government‑issued ID, the authority document, and the live‑status evidence, then submit to Equifax via the online portal, phone, or certified mail with a return receipt.

Equifax must investigate within 30 days and report the outcome. If they deny the removal, follow the escalation steps in the next section by contacting the CFPB or your state regulator, attaching the same documentation again.