When a Family member passes away, all you want to do is hide away and mourn. Unfortunately, however, as the age-old saying goes, life goes on. You might want to shut down and grieve, but there are still important things that must be done at this time to ensure that your loved one gets the respect he or she deserves.
To find three of the most important steps you must take following the Death of a family member, be sure to read on.
Contact immediate family
Informing your immediate family members of the passing should be your first port of call. In this instance, you have to consider treating people exactly the way you would expect to be treated — you wouldn’t want to be left in the dark about such an important death in the family, would you? You must, then, pluck up the courage to spread the news about the passing, no matter how difficult it might be for you to do so.
Taking this action will not just provide you with an opportunity to comfort one another regarding the death. When you all gather together, you and your family members will also be able to discuss plans for the deceased’s Bequeathal Instructions and, more importantly, how you are all going to carry them out.
Gather important information
As soon as it is realistically possible for you to do so after the passing, you need to start gathering important information pertaining to the deceased. Without the proper documentation at hand, you’ll find it difficult to confirm your loved one’s death, settle any outstanding debts they owed, free up any remaining funds they may have been sitting on, and ultimately push forward with organizing his or her funeral.
The documents that you need to gather immediately after the death include:
- Death certificates (make sure you get a few of these)
- All of the deceased’s insurance policies
- Deeds and titles to their home
- Bank passbooks
- Recent proof of income
- Social Security card
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate
Carry out bequeathal instructions
Carrying out bequeathal instructions is never going to be a straightforward task. No matter how close your family may be, tensions will be likely to rise as the last will and testament of the deceased is read out. In the end, everybody clambers for what they feel they deserve, even if it means stepping on a few toes…
Out of respect for your deceased loved one, you must try to remain focused on their requests at all times. To help you to retain a clear head and make the right moves during this highly stressful time, especially if the will is hotly contested, then you should be sure to align yourself with an inheritance act specialist. This kind of professional, the likes of which can be found at the-inheritance-experts.co.uk, will seek to make the process as easy and as transparent as it can be for all those involved in it. This will ensure that the will is disputed both amicably and fairly.
Before you can even consider the burial, you must take the three crucial steps laid out above.
