Back to directory
Card issuers
Official route and working notes

American Express

A practical starting point for gathering what you need and contacting the right team. Confirm the current account-specific requirements with the institution.

Also known as: Amex, American Express card, Card Member

A gentle note on scope

Paperwake provides administrative guidance, not legal advice. We help you find practical next steps after a death; please confirm requirements with the official institution or a qualified professional when you need legal advice.

Have ready
Documents and details
Gather what you can before you start. The institution will confirm what it accepts.
  • Be ready to provide the date of death, your relationship and contact information, and executor, trustee, or attorney contact details if applicable.
  • American Express may request additional documents after reviewing the circumstances.
Suggested order
One step at a time
Use this as a working sequence, then follow the institution’s written instructions.
  1. 01Notify American Express; its page says anyone may report a Card Member’s death.
  2. 02Provide the requested date-of-death and representative information.
  3. 03Ask about cancellation, any payment arrangement, and whether a takeover application is available.
  4. 04Submit only the forms or additional documents American Express requests.
Typical timing
What to expect
Timelines can depend on the product, documents, and circumstances.

Not confirmed; ask the institution for current timing.

Needs human review
Details to confirm
These points are not confirmed by the linked official guidance.
  • Eligibility to take over an account and any additional document requirements depend on the account; confirm them with American Express.
  • Typical processing time is not published in the cited official guidance; confirm timing with the institution.
Review context
Last reviewed
This date tells you when Paperwake most recently checked the guidance below.

September 30, 2026

Requirements can vary by account, location, and circumstance. Confirm the current process with the institution before sending sensitive documents.

What changed
Review notes
A plain-language record of updates to this family-facing guidance, newest first.

  1. September 30, 2026

    Reviewed the linked official US guidance and recorded account-specific details that still need confirmation.

Contact route
Call 1-800-266-7064, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET. Anyone may notify American Express of a Card Member’s death.

Start with the official source below and keep a note of any case number or documents the institution requests.

Open official route
Contact channels
Use the official route and ask what applies to the account.

Keep the next steps in one place

Paperwake’s free checklist helps you organize calls, documents, and follow-ups across accounts.

Start the free checklist

Sources for this guidance

Last reviewed September 2026. Confirm current requirements with the institution before sending sensitive documents.