A neighbor died this week. As in our house, he did so much of life's organization: insurance, investing, household maintenance and all things not fun as far as I am concerned.
I worked at a church for 13+ years and worked on many funerals during that time. The local mortuary gave me a list of things the loved one would need to attend to following the death. I called yesterday to request that list so I could put it in our end of life folder.
Here it is:
When a loved one passes, it can be difficult to manage the associated logistics. Below please find a check list to help organize your process of making final arrangements and caring for the estate.
- WILL:
□ Locate the deceased’s final will and testament. Check the will for any special requests. - FUNERAL HOME:
□ Call funeral home to make arrangements for final disposition and services. - SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE: □ Contact Social Security Office - Hood Mortuary will notify social security of your loved one’s passing through Colorado’s electronic death registry. You need to contact the Social Security Office in order to determine existing benefits.
- VETERANS:
□ Contact your local Veterans Affairs Office for benefits, if your loved one was a veteran. You will need a copy of the certificate of honorable discharge - DD214.
□ Veterans are entitled to burial benefits including a flag, grave marker (plaque, emblem, stone), and burial in a national cemetery. Communication with necessary offices is required to receive these benefits.
□ If you would like graveside military honors, the local VFW must be contacted. - INSURANCE/PENSIONS/EMPLOYMENT:
□ Find copies of life, health, home mortgage, accident, and other insurance policies. (Most will ask for death certificate, policy number, your name, age, address and Social Security number, deceased’s name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, and date, place and cause of death)
□ Apply for pension/retirement benefits of the deceased (may require death certificate).
□ Contact the deceased’s employer, if applicable, to see if you qualify for any death benefits.
□ Check your insurance policies’ beneficiaries and make needed changes. - JOINT ACCOUNTS, ETC.:
□ Contact utility companies and remove the deceased’s name from all accounts. If the deceased lived in the Durango area call La Plata Electric Association and see if you qualify for capital credits.
□ Remove deceased’s name from all joint accounts (may require death certificate).
□ Provide written notification of death to all credit and loan issuers (check to see if any accounts have credit life insurance which pays off outstanding balances in the event of a customer’s death).
□ Close any email and social media accounts held by the deceased.
□ Contact medical and dental insurers to stop coverage of deceased.
□ Contact the County Recorder’s Office where property is owned to remove the deceased’s name from any property deeds (may require a copy of the death certificate).
□ Bring a copy of the death certificate to the local Department of Motor Vehicles in order to remove the deceased’s name from titles of vehicles, motor and mobile homes, and boats. - TAX RETURNS:
□ Send a copy of the deceased’s death certificate with your next tax return if necessary.