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What Needs to be Done When a Loved One Dies?
Once the initial shock has subsided, there are many tasks to be done when a loved one dies. Unfortunately, a number of them are time sensitive and cannot be delayed. Most of these tasks fall to the surviving spouse, unless a trustworthy and well-organized sibling or adult child can help. They include:
- Making funeral arrangements, if they have not been done previously.
- Contacting family members and close friends.
- Securing the home or apartment.
- If there is a pet, finding someone to care for them, even if it’s a short-term arrangement.
- Locating the will and estate planning documents.
- Contacting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Administration.
- Contact the U.S. Post Office to have mail forwarded.
- Obtain ten (10) original death certificates.
- If the decedent was working, notify their employer.
- Unless you had joint accounts or POD accounts, notify financial institutions.
- Notify the CPA, financial advisor and any attorneys.
- Notify credit card companies and freeze the cards.
These are the more immediate tasks. In the weeks and months to come, there will be many more. In the early weeks, you will need to submit the decedent’s will to the court, known as probate, identify all assets and liabilities, pay utility bills and create a list of personal effects. Find the most recent tax returns, so you can prepare the last tax return. Tax filings contain a wealth of information about assets, accounts and property.
You’ll also need to notify the life insurance company. Find out how policy proceeds will be distributed and if there are any outstanding premiums that can be returned.
The Department of Motor Vehicles needs to be notified to cancel the driver’s license, and you may want to notify the local Board of Elections.
It can take a year from the time a person dies until their estate is settled. A complex estate can take several years, especially if there is no estate plan.
What If You Need Help?
Unless you have done this before, it’s hard to imagine just how difficult it is. There are seemingly endless boxes of documents, and often directives for funeral planning and disposition of personal effects are buried in paperwork.
For some people going through a loved ones’ documents offers a window into the details of the past and can be comforting. But for most, it’s a painful, long and frustrating process. Today, this is further complicated with online accounts, which are harder to identify and often protected by passwords, two-factor identification and facial recognition.
If you need help, ask a trusted family member or professionals who worked with the deceased.
What Can Be Done in Advance?
Just as estate planning is a kindness for loved ones, so is planning for the practical side of death. While it may not be admissible in court, a detailed description of the person’s wishes for their funeral, instructions for care of their animal companions and the location of important documents are a great help to surviving spouses and family members.
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