This year, more people than ever have been made aware of how fragile life is. And while no one wants to think about someone they love dying, the fact of the matter is that death is a part of life.
Especially if the person who has died is someone close to you, you will likely have some kind of responsibilities to and for them following their death. But amid your grief and shock, it can be hard to know how to navigate this unchartered water. So to help you with this, here are three things to take care of after the death of a loved one.
Plan For Laying Your Loved One To Rest
One of the first things that you’ll have to consider after a loved one dies is how you’ll go about laying them to rest. The options for this vary, so you’ll likely want to look back at what your loved one would have wanted for themselves or speak to other loved ones to get their opinion on the matter.
According to Consumer Reports, a burial or cremation should take place within a few days after the death has taken place. While it can be longer, getting things taken care of quicker is usually advised. Once you pick a mortuary, they can assist you in figuring out the details of everything. And because you can be given a lot of information and requested to make a lot of decisions, it can be helpful to have someone come along with you to help.
Figure Out The Will With Probate Court
After your loved one has been laid to rest in whatever way you decide, you’ll then have to deal with more of the administrative side of having a loved one pass away.
Depending on the type of assets your loved one left behind, the extent of handling their will will vary. According to Leanne Potts, a contributor to AARP, unless you’re the executor of the estate, you will likely be taking a back seat in this process. But if you are the executor, you’ll likely need to contact an attorney, a CPA, and deal with probate court.
Contact All Necessary People Or Entities
As you go about taking care of things for your loved one after they have passed away, you’ll find that you’ll need to make a lot of phone calls and contact a large number of people or entities to inform them of the passing. Some of the people you’ll need to call, according to Angela Morrow, a contributor to Very Well Health, include your loved one employer, the social security office, life insurance companies, creditors, any household utility providers, the IRS, and more. This can take a lot of time and energy, so try to delegate certain tasks if you can.
If you’re going to be handling things after the death of a loved one, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you take care of things.
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