The death of a loved one can be overwhelming. The following checklist can provide a starting point and direction. Hospice, mortuaries, your attorney and CPA can provide additional support and resources.
• Notify immediate family and loved ones
• Deal with donation of bodily organs to an “organ bank,” if requested by your loved one.
• Notify coroner and attending physician
• Find and review decedent’s expressed funeral and burial wishes
• Contact a mortuary to arrange for funeral services, burial or cremation, as appropriate
• Review veterans or fraternal burial allowances and other benefits, if applicable
• Prepare and arrange for obituary, if appropriate.
• Keep records of all payments for funeral and other expenses
• Arrange for care of dependents or pets, if any
• Cancel or rearrange home deliveries
• Have post office hold mail
• Remove perishable food from home
• Notify agent under power of attorney
• Notify social security (social security is generally notified when the death certificate is filed) and Medi-Cal.
• Locate safe deposit box(es), wills, codicils, trusts, amendments
• Locate life insurance policies and death benefit policies
• Review fire, vehicle, homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies
• Locate other important documents, accounts, investments
• Review social security benefits, union death benefits, employee benefits, retirement plans, deferred compensation, and IRA’s as applicable
• Retain and meet with attorney regarding estate matters
• Work with attorney to prepare inventory and valuation of assets, list of accounts and debts
• Review credit cards, charge accounts, auto-pays, and subscriptions. Cancel as necessary and appropriate.
• Review refunds on insurance or canceled subscriptions.
• Retain and meet CPA as to tax and accounting matters
This list is not comprehensive, but merely a starting point. Depending on the estate, there may be additional tasks. Hospice, mortuaries, the Law Office of Paula S. Hall, and your CPA can provide additional advice, support and resources.