Three big steps have now been taken to make administration around estates easier for the relatives of the deceased.

• District Commissioner's now receive electronic death certificates.

This results in the electronic issuance of a death certificate by a medical doctor, which is automatically and at the same time to the District Commissioner, the Directorate of Health and the National Registry. In addition, family members of a deceased individual no longer need to access the certificate in a healthcare institution and take it to the District Commissioner's office. This saves many steps for family members and other public institutions. Six health care institutions have implemented the program and more are expected soon. It should be noted that the District Commissioner's still receive death certificates on paper.

• The next of kin may now report death of a relative electronically.

Shortly after the District Commissioner has received an electronic death certificate, a family member is notified in the death certificate, a notice in his/her digital mailbox in Ísland.is that he/she must report the death to the District Commissioner. He or she can either do this by filling in an electronic death notice or attending the District Commissioner's office. Further instructions on reporting deaths can be found at the website of the District Commissioner's.

• Tax returns are automatically sent to the District Commissioner.

Tax returns of a deceased individual are now automatically submitted directly to the District Commissioner if an electronic death certificate is issued. In such cases, heirs no longer need to call for this documentation from the Directorate of revenue and customs in order to send it to the District Commissioner's.

What is coming soon?

• All forms regarding estates will be electronic.

• Information on the assets and liabilities of the deceased is automatically sent directly to death cases, as is the tax returns. The assets and liabilities of a deceased individual will then be mostly pre-registered in the forms that heirs have to fill in for the exchange of an estate. In addition, family members no longer need to travel between places to gather this information except in exceptional circumstances.

• Stakeholders can obtain information on death estate transactions through web interfaces, instead of the need for family members to obtain information from the District Commissioner and to take it to specific stakeholders.

• All documents in death cases issued by the District Commissioner will be electronically sealed or electronically signed. There will no longer be a need to print and sign the documents and/or stamp them.

Electronic handling of estate affairs is a collaborative project between the District Commissioner's, Digital Iceland, the Directorate of Health, the National Registry, the Directorate of revenue and customs and various other stakeholders.