Transitions: When a loved one passes away

The first time I lost a dear one, and had to handle all the paperwork, I didn’t know where to begin.

Learning how to deal with the mountain of paperwork to officially complete a life is stressful and it comes at a time when you are already dealing with the emotions that come with losing someone.

Today’s question: “Is there some kind of a checklist of things to do for a survivor? Things like dealing with the power company, bank accounts, Social Security, etc?

The answer is provided by attorney Kate Schilling, GWAAR Elder Law & Advocacy Center, Madison. Shilling is happy to share her suggestions with us:

“When a spouse or loved one passes away, it can be a very difficult time for the family. Here is a non-exclusive list of actions that may help a family get started on finalizing the decedent’s affairs:

• Look for a will in the person’s home, a safe deposit box, or filed at the county Register in Probate office. 
• Consult an attorney about the need for probate and payment of outstanding debts. A Transfer by Affidavit may be an option for estates of less than $50,000.
• Consult the preferred funeral home and find out if the person had advance burial planning in place. 
• Notify a landlord in writing that the person has passed away. This limits the rental liability to two months of rent past the month of notification. 
• Notify utility companies if cable or phone can be stopped. 
• Notify Social Security Administration so that benefits are not overpaid, and so that dependent and widow’s benefits can be properly paid out.
• Notify the life insurance company. Usually a death certificate is needed to pay out the beneficiary of record. 
• Notify a POA agent or guardian that his/her authority has ended. 
• Close out credit cards. 
• If there is a surviving spouse and property is jointly titled, complete a HT-110 form to notify the county Register of Deeds office that one spouse has passed away. A death certificate must accompany this request. 
• Notify Medicaid Estate Recovery if the person received Medicaid benefits. 

*Note that many of these actions will require a person who has authority to act on behalf of the decedent, meaning the executor or personal representative of the estate. This is a very important role and GWAAR recommends that a personal representative consult with an elder law or probate attorney to ensure the estate is handled properly according to state statutes as paying creditors in the wrong order could cause personal liability on the part of the personal representative.”

This from Jean: What a great list to cut out and save. Don’t make your heirs play “hide and seek.” With a little bit of planning, you can make this rough time easier for your family. By putting many of these items in one location and then sharing the location with your executor or personal representative, you will make their job so much easier. What a blessing.

Jean Long Manteufel, senior move manager and CEO of Long’s Senior Transitions in Appleton, can be reached at 920-734-3260 or Jean@TransitionsWithJean.com. Manteufel’s book, “Transitions: Stories of how to help Mom and Dad with their stuff”, can be found at Atlas Coffee Mill, 425 W. Water St., Appleton or at www.TransitionsWithJean.com.