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Notes about this process:The administrative process following the death of a loved one is not short. You should fully expect it to take at least one year and be relatively expensive. For instance, between obtaining all necessary documents (titles, birth certificates, death certificates), the possibility of paying for probate and funeral costs (generally more than $1,000), and the delay of some necessary documents (life insurance may take up to three months to activate, and social security benefits may not be immediate), the loss of a loved one can be fiercely compounded by the unforgiving process of administration. This book is not intended to give legal advice or serve as a legal document. This is simply a road map and some notes to give you thoughts, based on the Simpson experience.Before LossWrite a Will:Make sure the will is signed and notarizedIt is best to use a lawyer to determine if everything is done correctly. Some banks help with end of life planning; call your bank and ask if it offers this service to its membersConsider ownership of all important Real Estate or Personal Property. If you have questions, consult a lawyer:Types of ownership to consider:Joint tenancy with rights of survivorship:?When one owner dies, property ownership transfers to the surviving owner(s) through the right of survivorship. Probate may be avoided by jointly owning an account or property with another person––often, but not necessarily, a spouseTenancy by entirety:?This is similar to joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, except that it applies only to married couples, which would include married same-sex couples in some statesTenancy in common:?Unlike joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, with tenancy in common, when a joint owner dies, that owner’s interest in the property will become part of the deceased owner’s estate and will be passed on according to his or her will. A word of caution: Be careful establishing a tenancy in common account, because it will likely lead to? HYPERLINK "" \o "probate issues" probate issuesReal Estate and Personal Property to Consider:Retirement and Investment poolsBank Accounts (are they joint?)Life InsuranceSocial Security BenefitsCar Titles House DeedsLoans and debt that will be left to the spouse or childrenPersonal assets that may belong solely to the deceased: guns, jewelry, collector’s items, and other valuable personal itemsAre there any contracts the loved one is in that will affect the spouse/beneficiary upon death? Obtain necessary documents from your partner or relevant agencies:Birth certificates Social security number must be reported on the death certificateDeath certificates are needed when making changes to accounts, bills and more (though not all companies require a certified certificate, copies will often suffice)Request life insurance policies and retirement contracts for your recordsRequest car titles if you do not have themObtain official marriage or divorce paperworkObtain official W-2 forms Have last year’s taxes on hand (social security office may need it)Visit the Estates Office at your local courthouse to discuss PROBATE and forms that will need to be filled out validate the will:NOTE: The will is not immediately effective. A spouse will need to provide a copy of the will to the court house along with a death certificate and other documents (i.e. contracts, titles of ownership, and signature cards for all bank accounts); the court will need to affirm and provide Letters of Testamentary which will allow you to become the executor of the estateIf there is no will, a spouse or beneficiary can still receive a Letter of Administration. Visit the Register of Deeds for more informationWhat you may need to bring to the Register of Deeds: All signature cards for all bank accountsA death certificateObtain all relevant logins and passwords for necessary accounts:Social media accounts, in cases where you may wish to keep up with friends and family through the social media accounts of your loved one, or when you wish to memorialize the accountAccess to online bank accounts (joint), billing accounts (i.e. phone, student loans, health insurance, retirement, etc.) and email addresses and passwordsObtain a list of bills and how they are paid: Learn if they are automatic withdrawals set up from the bank account each month, which bills are paid directly from paychecks, which are taken from the bank account (and on which day), and which are paid manually each month. Do they come from specific accounts? Do any of these companies need to be notified following death?Change that payee name on bills, if necessary: water, electricity, trash collection, cable, internet, Netflix, phone billsCancel credit cards, obtain credit report if necessary (you should receive one free credit report annually, but it may take several weeks to obtain)Save several months’ salary to pay for administrative costs and in case additional funds, such as social security, are delayed.Hire a funeral home and discuss funeral arrangements:In addition to the service, discuss if the funeral home will notify the social security office of the death, and if they will obtain copies of the death certificate for youConsider how you desire to respond to visitors and well-wishers: Some considerations: have someone in charge of recording the name, address and details of each visit, call or gift before and after the death. This way, if you wish to reach out to anyone to thank them, return items (i.e. food dishes) or be in touch, you have the information accessibleHave a list of individuals who call and ask for details on funeral arrangements, and assign someone to call them back once details are finalizedAfter Loss:Obtain death certificate:Call Register of Deeds to determine when death certificate is available (unless the funeral home is handling this; discuss beforehand)It may cost up to $20 per certified copy; not all companies require a certified copy, copies may be acceptableNotify all relevant agencies of the death:Social Security Office (and apply for new benefits; the funeral home may be required to do this on your behalf, check with them)Any doctors of whom your loved one is a patientAny medical providers to come pick up equipment if necessary, and dispose of pharmaceuticals Hospice can help dispose of medicines; many police stations have medication drop-off points; some medicines can be disposed of in kitty litter, check with HospiceHospice may also provide grievance materials and a counselor for the spouse and children.Insurance companies (life, car)Credit card companies (cancel cards if possible)All banks at which an account is heldDMV to cancel drivers numberChange gun registrations if necessary/possibleChange bill names as necessary if not done before hand:City bills: Water, electricity, cable, etc.Cancel/change cell phone ................
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