A certified copy of the death certificate is generally available from the funeral director who handled the deceased’s funeral arrangements, or from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the applicable state, county, parish or territory. It’s a good idea to obtain multiple certified copies of the death certificate; you’re likely to be asked for one by various institutions as you go about settling the deceased’s affairs. The complexity of the estate and the number of institutions with which the deceased conducted business will help you determine the number of copies you need.