None of us wants to think about what we will do when we lose a loved one, but the time will come when you have to decide how you will handle affairs after someone passes away. There are some important things to consider when a loved one passes away. Here are some steps you’ll want to take.
Give Yourself Time
Right after learning about a family member or friend’s passing is not the time to start making life plans. It’s important to give yourself some time to grieve and come to terms with the news. Trying to ignore what has happened and move on quickly will only delay the healing that needs to happen. Give yourself time to mourn for your loved one and accept your feelings.
There is no one right way to deal with grief since everyone experiences it differently. No one can tell you how long to mourn or how to mourn, so it’s important to give yourself time to consider how you are feeling and what will be healthiest for you right now. Take time to connect with your loved ones and get support from them. It’s also crucial to remember to take care of yourself during this difficult time and don’t forget to eat healthy food, drink water, and get an appropriate amount of sleep. Taking care of yourself will help you through the grieving process and the difficult task of taking care of what comes after the death of a loved one.
Decide How to Honor Your Loved One
After you have taken time to grieve, you’ll have to consider how to honor your loved one. Consider the deceased’s wishes and what he or she wanted for the funeral arrangements. If your loved one requested to be cremated, find a reputable local business like Legacy Cremation Services. This business will help guide you through the cremation process and will handle all of the additional services, such as obtaining a death certificate and completing social security forms. It’s important that you find an organization that will help you with the little things so you know everything is taken care of.
You will need to notify family and friends about your loved one’s passing and the funeral arrangements. Your funeral director can help you organize at service at their business. You might also want to organize a wake for after the service and enlist friends and family to bring food. Ask other people to help you with this entire process. This is a difficult time and the more help you can get, the better.
Settle Your Loved One’s Affairs
After the funeral and cremation of your loved one, you’ll have to think about the rest of his or her affairs. Your funeral director will likely notify Social Security for you, but you’ll have to see if your loved one had employment benefits or life insurance. You’ll also have to stop the deceased’s health insurance. The executor named in your loved one’s will handles the will and finding a probate attorney to help execute it.
You’ll also need to notify mortgage services, banks, credit card companies, and credit reporting agencies. Hopefully, your loved one has left a list of whom to contact, which will make it easier for you to notify the appropriate people. The credit reporting agency is particularly important because you want to make sure your loved one’s identity is not stolen now that he or she is gone. Similarly, canceling your loved one’s driver’s license and closing online accounts will help prevent identity theft as well.
Grieving for a loved one is a very difficult time. Knowing what you will need to do can help provide some peace of mind as you navigate this challenging event. According to Castle Wealth Management, the executor named in your loved ones will handle the will and finding a probate attorney to help execute it.
