Important Steps to Take Following a Loved One's Death

The passing of a loved one is one of the hardest parts of life, and regardless of how much we try to prepare ourselves, it's never easy to say goodbye. After their passing, you'd be left to deal not only with grief but also with other responsibilities, including funeral planning, making arrangements for their dependents, and financial issues. Many of these tasks can be hard to wrap your head around, and you may not even know what to do or where to start. This article provides information on crucial steps you should take after the passing of a loved one.

Obtain a Death Certificate

It is important to get a death certificate when you lose someone. A death certificate is a government-issued document that declares a person's death, the time, location, circumstances surrounding the death, and other personal information about the deceased. You shouldn't wait too long after your loved one's passing to get a death certificate. When you apply for one, it is usually available within a couple of days, but how long you'd need to wait would depend on the laws that apply in the state your loved one resided before they passed. 

After getting the death certificate, you should make several copies of it. The document serves as a permanent record and can be used for many purposes, such as settling estates, arranging for a funeral, claiming life insurance, and accessing or terminating government services. Also, if the deceased person's widow or widower is getting married, they may be required to prove that their previous spouse has passed.

Speak With a Probate Attorney

Many people think that they only need to open a probate estate if their loved one had a lot of money before they died. But that isn't the case. According to a probate lawyer in Palm Springs, "Probate is a court-supervised process in which a deceased person's assets are identified and beneficiaries are determined. The probate process is designed to ensure that potential creditors have an opportunity to pursue claims against the estate, as well as provide a forum for identifying the correct beneficiaries to receive the decedent's property." 

You shouldn't just distribute your loved one's assets and leave their taxes and debts unpaid. You don't want to be surprised when the IRS or a creditor knocks on your door looking to recover claims. Creditors can petition the court to open an estate and pursue recipients of the deceased's property. That's why you want to speak to an experienced probate attorney without delay to determine if there is a need to open an estate and how to go about it. 

Notify the Appropriate People and Agencies

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is hard enough on its own, but breaking the news to others is a huge responsibility that can be heartbreaking. Nevertheless, you want to inform the most important people about the death, including family members, friends, and co-workers. News travels fast in this digital age. You don't want close friends or family members to learn about the death from a social media post. You also want to let your loved one's employer, colleagues, and old friends know about the death.

After informing immediate friends and family, you need to notify the appropriate companies and agencies, such as banks, mortgage companies, credit card companies, insurance companies, and government agencies. This allows them to convert your loved ones' files to deceased status and prevents additional charges on their accounts. It may be challenging to track down your loved one's brokers and personal bankers. But when you go through their wallets, mail, and files, you might be able to determine them. Reach out as soon as you find any contact.    

Determine if There Is a Will

As a family of the deceased, you should try to determine if they had a written will before they passed. The will would outline your loved one's wishes concerning how their assets should be distributed. You may need to contact their attorney or check in secure locations where they may have kept sensitive documents, such as their home or a safe deposit box. If you're unable to lay hands on an original copy, your loved one's attorney, who helped prepare the estate planning documents, would have a copy that can still be used. 

The family should not distribute assets based on the will until the court admits the will to Probate. Also, family members, heirs, or beneficiaries stated in the will shouldn't assume the responsibility of paying off your deceased loved one's debts and taxes. That is the responsibility of the Probate.

Seek Support During the Grieving Process

While dealing with the formalities and responsibilities that come with losing a loved one, you shouldn't neglect yourself or deny yourself the space and time to process the grief. The loss may cause you to experience waves of intense emotions such as despair, shock, regret, guilt, sadness, emptiness, or even anger. You might find yourself angry at the circumstances surrounding your loved one's death, or you may even find it hard to accept that the person is really gone. Allow yourself to process those emotions through tears, telling stories, journaling, looking at pictures, or singing songs that remind you of your loved one. 

In addition to the emotional responses, grief can also trigger physical reactions including sudden appetite and weight changes, impaired body immunity, and physical aches. Take care of your body by exercising, getting enough sleep, and eating a well-balanced diet. Seek support from friends, other family members or a grieving counselor. The level of support you get after the loss can make a big difference. With such support, you would be able to choose healthier ways to come to terms with your grief.  

Make Funeral Arrangements

If your loved one had last wishes concerning the kind of funeral they would have wanted, the funeral arrangements might be more straightforward to execute since you would want to honor their wishes. But if their death was sudden, the process of making arrangements for the body might be slightly more complicated. 

There are various options for funerals, burials, services, and wakes. You and other family members can talk about basics such as whether or not there will be a wake, graveside burial, cremation, or open casket viewing.  Speak with a funeral home to know how to go about transporting the body or ordering a casket if needed.