If you’ve recently lost a loved one or been appointed as a Personal Representative or Executor of a loved one’s estate, your grief and the tasks ahead and the Probate Process can be overwhelming. It’s important to take care of yourself during this emotional time. Here’s a checklist of crucial details to help you handle the “business” end of things and make the trip to an attorney’s office easier. Some of these tasks have deadlines, so reach out sooner rather than later.
Legal Checklist after death
Immediate Actions
- Secure Personal Property: Protect the deceased’s vehicle, home, business, and other assets.
- Notify the Post Office: Redirect their mail to your address.
- Get Copies of the Death Certificate: You’ll need them for various tasks.
- Notify Social Security: Inform them about the death immediately to avoid over-payments and legal issues.
- Handle Medicare Details.
- Contact the Employer: Find out about benefits and final pay.
- Manage Insurance: Stop unnecessary health insurance and notify relevant insurance companies. Terminate any policies after officially taking over the estate.
- Cancel Identifications: Cancel the deceased’s driver’s license, passport, voter’s registration, and club memberships.
- Close Online Accounts: Close email and social media accounts. Shut down any websites.
- Contact Your CPA.
- Contact an Estate Planning Attorney.
Read my recent article to see what NOT to do.
The list provided is just a start, it is crucial to speak with an experienced Probate Attorney to know all of your responsibilities.
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