In addition to coping with the grief of losing a loved one, family members are often responsible for the various financial and administrative tasks that must be done on behalf of the deceased. Death of a loved one can be overwhelming and may result in family members spending months digging through drawers and file cabinets trying to locate important documents and waiting for statements and bills to be received in order to figure out what’s going on.

The following checklist provides a summary of what to do upon the death of a family member, followed by recommendations to alleviate this burden for your loved ones in the future. Some of these tasks are the responsibility of the executor of the decedent’s estate, so if that is not you, then it may be helpful to pass the information along and help with the items that you can.

Prior to death

Immediately after the death

Within a few days after the death

Within a few weeks after the death

Organizing Important Documents

With some careful planning and organization, families can relieve loved ones of facing this future burden by helping your family easily settle your estate, pay required taxes, and quickly receive the benefits they need.

Creating a binder of essential information and documents and letting key family members know where they can find this information is an essential part of financial planning.  Organizing this information and storing it in a safe place can also be helpful in the event of an emergency.  The financial planning documents should be reviewed annually to ensure that it is up to date and includes the essential information and documents that your family would need in the event of a death or emergency.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes and is not intended to be legal or tax advice.