When a loved one dies, grief is to be expected. Sometimes, however, you may also feel panic about what to do next. Some decisions must be made immediately, while others can be put off for a while, but how do you know what to do and when to do it? Here are some helpful tips:

1. Contact the funeral home or mortuary immediately. Funeral home personnel will assist your family in making arrangements for your loved one’s body and funeral service. The funeral home will also usually notify the Social Security Administration of your loved one’s death.

2. Look through your loved one’s belonging to see if there was a safety deposit box, a Will, funeral instructions, funeral or burial insurance policies, or other important information regarding the funeral or burial.

3. After the funeral is over, begin making phone calls and sorting through papers. If your loved one received Social Security benefits, VA benefits, or other pension benefits, you should notify those agencies as soon as possible. You should also contact any life insurance providers to obtain more information about those benefits.

4. If you are handling your loved one’s final affairs, you should have their mail forwarded to your home or to a post office box. Over the next several months, keep an eye out for the following types of mail:
-Bank or investment account statements
-Correspondence regarding certificates of deposit, certificates of stock, or bonds
-Medical bills
-Other bills

5. If there are assets which were held solely in your loved one’s name, consult a probate attorney to advise you on opening a probate estate.

The attorneys of Kennedy, Kennedy, Robbins & Yarbro, LC are experienced in assisting grieving families in times of loss. Please contact us at (573) 686-2459.