If a loved one dies in Finland - yhteiskuntaorientaatio.fi
There are many matters to be arranged when a loved one dies
When a person dies, despite the sorrow, the family must arrange many matters. If the death occurs at home, you usually need to call the emergency services who then direct the matter to the doctor or police. The doctor affirms the death and decides whether the cause of death is clear or whether an autopsy has to be done. If the death is sudden or it happens at night or during the weekend, the death is usually reported to the police.
The doctor enters the information of the death into the population information system
Death is always confirmed by a doctor. The doctor gives the family a burial permit. The doctor also sends the information about the death to the population information system. Authorities such as Kela and the deceased's bank and pension insurance company receive this information from the population information system, but often it is good to contact these operators. The family should report the death to the deceased's employer, building manager and landlord, as well as to their electricity company and phone company.
A report on family relationships must be ordered
The death certificate is a document stating the cause of death. Sometimes the doctor writes this certificate months after the death. The family does not need the death certificate when dealing with authorities. The death certificate is mainly needed when the family needs to manage the deceased's life insurance matters.
However, for example, for managing banking matters, a report on family relationships (sukuselvitys) may be needed. This is ordered either from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency or the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran or Orthodox congregation if the deceased was a member of one of these. If the deceased has lived abroad, certificates of the deceased must be ordered from the authorities of the country in which they have resided. Before receiving the report on family relationships, the information from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's population information system may suffice to manage some matters.
The autopsy investigates the cause of death
If the cause of death is not clear, an autopsy must be carried out. In an autopsy, the doctor finds out why the person died. The body cannot be buried before the cause of death has been cleared. An autopsy can be clinical (lääketieteellinen) or forensic (oikeuslääketieteellinen).
A clinical investigation for the cause of death is conducted by a doctor. This is done if a person's death is caused by an illness. In such a case, investigating the cause of death benefits healthcare generally. The family must consent to a clinical autopsy. This cannot be done without permission.
A forensic investigation is the responsibility of the police. The police order a forensic autopsy if the death is not caused by an illness, but has happened suddenly or if the death is connected to an accident, a crime or suicide. The police do not need the consent of the family and the family cannot forbid the autopsy.
Organ donation can save a life
Organ donation means that a person donates their organs and tissues for other people to use after their death. Donated organs can save another person's life or improve another person's health.
According to Finnish law, every person is an organ donor unless they have opposed this while living. If organ donation is considered, the doctor strives to find out what the will of the deceased would have been in the matter. The assumption is that the person would have agreed to organ donation unless it is known that they have objected to this. If a person wants to, they can write up an organ donation will before death. This clearly states their wishes. The family cannot deny organ donation if the deceased has wanted to donate their organs.
The funeral can be arranged according to the wishes of the deceased
In Finland, it is common for the funeral to be arranged weeks after the death. Managing practical matters and organising the funeral take time. There can also be a queue for funeral services. It is possible to bury the deceased faster than this if the cause of death has been investigated and the doctor has granted the burial permit.
Funerals can be organised however you wish, but if the deceased had wishes, these should be respected if possible. People belonging to different religions have different types of burial traditions. There are many different types of funeral homes in Finland which can help. Funeral homes are businesses which arrange funerals. You can also arrange the funeral yourself.
The burial can be a coffin burial or cremation
In Finland, the deceased or the family decide what happens to the body after death. The deceased can be buried in a coffin or the body can be cremated. Coffin burials are common in Finland. A person can only be buried in a coffin in a cemetery with appropriate permits.
Cremation has become more common in recent decades. This is the cheapest form of burial. When the deceased has been cremated, the ashes are taken in an urn to the cemetery to be buried. Cemeteries have separate areas for burying urns or for scattering ashes.
If the deceased or the family so wishes, the ashes can also be scattered elsewhere, for example, on the family's own land or at sea. If the family wants to scatter the ashes on someone else's land or water, the owner of the land or water area must be asked for permission. Ashes must be scattered in one location and they cannot be separated.
Different faiths have separate cemeteries
In Finland, most cemeteries belong to the Evangelical Lutheran church. However, people belonging to different faiths can also be buried in these cemeteries. In many cemeteries, there are separate areas for those who have been members of some other faith or have not been members of any faith.
Municipalities can also have their own cemeteries for different faiths, for example Orthodox, Muslim or Jewish cemeteries. Different religious communities or non-religious associations can have their own private cemeteries. Your own religious community or funeral home can provide information about burial sites and practical matters.
The body of a foreign national deceased in Finland can be transported to another country
If a foreign national dies in Finland and the family wishes to transport the body or the ashes to another country to be buried, they should contact the destination country's embassy in Finland. The embassies of some countries assist the family in the transport of the body. The family pays for the transportation.
The property remaining from the deceased is inherited by the heirs
When a person dies, they often leave property behind, for example, money or a home. The property of a dead person is called inheritance. The inheritance is distributed according to the law among the heirs. According to the law, primarily, the heirs are the children of the deceased, or if their children have died, their grandchildren, their children and so forth. If there are no children, the heirs are the spouse, parents, siblings, children of siblings, grandparents, and ultimately aunts and uncles. Cousins of the deceased are not heirs.
Before death, a person can write up a will to define how their property is distributed. Finnish law states that the children of the deceased should always have a minimum of half the amount that they would legally inherit without a will. This is the case even if the deceased has imparted their property to someone else.
Finland has had equal rights to inheritance since 1878. This means that men and women have equal rights to inheritance. If the deceased has no heirs and they have not written a testament, their property goes to the state.
The estate inventory lists the deceased's property and debts as well as heirs
When the inheritance is distributed, an estate inventory is organised. The estate inventory is an event to find out the deceased's property and debts. This is usually organised by the widow or children of the deceased. This must be done within three months of the death and all the deceased's heirs must be invited.
At the estate inventory, a list of the deceased's property is written. The list of the deceased's property is called the estate inventory deed (perukirja). The estate inventory deed can be written up by a hired person, for example an attorney, or one of the heirs. The estate inventory deed reports the deceased's property and debts, information on their heirs and the content of their testament, if there is one.
Inheritance tax must be paid if the inheritance exceeds a certain limit
Ultimately, the property of the deceased is distributed to the heirs, meaning they receive an inheritance. The heir must pay inheritance tax if the value of the inheritance is over 20,000 euros. There are two different inheritance tax classes in Finland. The closest relatives to the deceased, meaning the children, grandchildren and spouse, pay less tax for their inheritance. If the heir is a more distant relative or is not related to the deceased at all, the tax is higher. The tax percentage is higher the larger the inheritance.
The heirs are not responsible for debts remaining from the deceased, as long as the debts have been appropriately marked in the estate inventory deed.
- More information about matters to manage when a loved one dies: Death of a close family member (suomi.fi)
- More information about matters relating to death: When a close family member dies in Finland (infofinland.fi)