Many people do not realize that when a loved one passes away there is much more to be taken care of after the funeral has ended. As if the stress of the loss weren’t enough, there are still issues pending regarding debts, properties, health care and the estate.
As the person responsible for the deceased’s paperwork, you will want to make sure that you get certified copies of the death certificate just in case you need it later. After that, you will need to check and see if the person who passed left a will. To do this, you might need to contact the departed’s attorney and or the state will registry. To state the obvious, this is one of the most important things you will need to take care of because it stipulates how this person’s estate will be divided after they pass.
In some cases, a family member or lawyer may have been designated to assume the responsibility of executor. This person will oversee the sale of any property, division of estate and carry out the wishes of the deceased.
You will also need to do things like get that person’s mail redirected and cancel his or her health insurance coverage to make sure any related expenses stop immediately. You’ll have to determine which need to be paid and pay them, talk to his or her employer (if they had one at the time of their passing) and figure out which benefits get paid out upon their death and much more.
Completing all these things can seem daunting, especially with a loved one’s death still very clear on your mind. However, you can rely on other family members and friends to help you lighten this load. You shouldn’t have to complete all these tiresome tasks on your own.
For more details regarding a will and estate planning, check out our additional information on estate planning here.