A Survivor’s Checklist

Immediately

• Get a legal pronouncement of death.
• If person dies at home under  hospice care, call the hospice nurse, who can declare the death and help facilitate transport of the body
•  Arrange for transportation of the body.  If no autopsy is needed, the body can be picked up by a mortuary or crematorium
•  Notify the decedent’s doctor or the county coroner
• Notify close family and/or friends of the deceased
•  Notify clergy
• Notify employer
• If deceased cared for dependents and pets make immediate arrangements for their care
• Look for records of the deceased person’s desire to donate organ or tissue.  Give this information to the deceased’s doctor or hospice
• Look for any written instructions for funeral or service arrangements, and burial or cremation arrangements.  Look to see if the deceased named a “Designated Agent” to take care of these arrangements.  Look for any prepaid services, such as a burial service or cremation

Within a few days

•  If “Designated Agent” meet with funeral director to arrange the funeral and prepare an obituary

  The funeral home will need the following information:

  • Deceased’s first, middle and last name
  • Deceased’s maiden name (if applicable)
  • Deceased’s home address
  • Deceased’s social security number 
  • Deceased’s date of birth
  • Deceased’s age
  • Deceased’s date of death
  • Deceased’s gender
  • Race/ethnicity
  • Marital status
  • Spouse’s first and last name
  • Deceased’s highest level of education attained
  • Deceased’s occupation
  • Deceased’s place of birth (city and state)
  • Deceased’s father ‘s name Birth city, Birth state
  • Deceased’s mother’s name, Birth city, Birth state

     

                                                    If the deceased was a veteran

  • Entered service date
  • Entered service place
  • Service number
  • Separated from service date
  • Separated from service place
  • Grade, rank or rating
  • Organization and branch of service

     

• If deceased was in the military or belonged to a fraternal or religious group, contact the organization.  It may have burial benefits or conduct funeral services
• Call the deceased’s employer, if working, and request information about benefits and any pay due.  Ask whether there was a life insurance policy through the company
• Order certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral director.  You will need one certified copy for each major asset (cars, land, bank accounts, insurance policies, veterans’ survivor benefits and annuities)
• Arrange for headstone
• Organize a post-funeral gathering

After Funeral

• Find the deceased’s important papers
• Locate safety deposit box to see if important papers such as Will, final Instructions or cemetery plot deed

  If there is a Will notify the executor (personal representative) named in the Will so that the Will may be entered into probate in the Surrogate’s Court of the county where the deceased resided.  Give the executor all of the important papers

  If no Will contact the Surrogate’s Court of the county where the deceased resided to see who has the first right to do an administration

• □ Locate other important papers and documents (this is usually the duty of the executor/administrator)
  • Deeds, Titles and Promissory Notes/Loans
  • Real estate property
  • Mortgage documents
  • Promissory notes
  • Vehicle titles/registrations
  • Membership certificates
  • Insurance policies   

    Life insurance

    Accidental life insurance

    Veterans’ insurance

    Employer or pension insurance

    Funeral insurance

    Mortgage and/or credit insurance

    Credit card insurance

    Health insurance

    Property insurance

    Workers’ compensation insurance

  • Financial accounts

        Bank accounts

        Investment/brokerage accounts IRA, 401k’s

        Stocks and Bonds

        Annuities

        Credit and debit card accounts

        User names and passwords for any online account

        List of safety deposit boxes with keys and names of authorized users

  • Other financial records

                                    Survivor annuity benefit papers

                                    Employer/retirement benefit plans, pension/profit sharing plans

                                    Veteran’s benefit records

                                    Disability payment documents

                                    Income statement for current year

                                    IRS income tax returns

    IRS gift tax returns

                                    Property Tax returns (for all years)

                                    Business interests held, financial statements and agreements and contracts

                                    Loan papers

                                    Investment records

  • Legal papers

                    Will and/or Trusts

                    Deceased’s final instructions

                    Prepaid funeral contracts

                                    Organ/tissue donation record

                                    Social security card

                                    Birth certificate (of all family members)

                                    Marriage license or certificate

                                    Military service papers

                                    Court documents for adoptions and divorce

                                    Community property agreements

                                    Driver’s license

                                    Passport, citizenship, immigration and/or alien registration papers

  • Personal Information

Names and contact information of closest family and friends

Names and contact information of lawyers, accountants, doctors

Family tree

User names and passwords for online accounts

Passwords to access computers, cell phones and other electronic devices

Practical Steps For The Executor/Administrator

•  Locate and review all unpaid bills

      Regular monthly bills

     Utility

     Electric

     Heating

     Telephone  

     Cable TV internet

     Cell phones

     Water

     Sewer

    Garbage

    Long term debts

     Home Mortgage

    Bank Line of Credit

     Car Loans

     Rental payments

     Home

     Apartment

     Assisted living

     Nursing Home

     Credit cards

     Insurances

     Health

     Long term care

    Homeowner’s

    Car                   

     Life insurance

     Property taxes

• Locate last 4 years of tax returns for tax return filings
• Access to Bank Accounts
• Get a EIN (Estate Identification Number) from IRS to open estate checking account and use for estate filings
• Check and take care of the deceased’s home  (removing perishables), property and cats
• Put valuables in a safe place
• Contact Post Office for forwarding information
• Stop all unneeded newspaper deliveries
• Cancel any appointments for doctors, dentist
• Cancel services that are no longer needed

          Cell phone

          Internet

          Cable TV

• Do not cancel utilities until no longer needed
• Give notice of death to all the above as soon as possible
• Check and apply for any death benefits or survivors benefits
• Contact social Security Administration and other government office
• Notify the Registrar of Voters
• Contact Motor Vehicles to cancel deceased’s driver’s license and transfer titles of all registered                  

          vehicles

• Notify all 3 credit reporting agencies and get copy of credit report
• Send acknowledgements cards for flowers, donations, food, kindness, pallbearers
• Organize and distribute decedents personal belongings according to Will or memorandum
• Contact a tax preparer.  Keep monthly bank statements on all individual and joint accounts that show account balance on the day of death.

Important Contact Information

Department of Veteran’s Affairs - 1-800-827-1000                       

Social Security Administration -1-800-772-1213

Credit Reporting Agencies

                                Equifax                   1-800-685-1111                  www.Equifax.com

                                Trans Union          1-800-888-4213                   www.TransUnion.com

                                Experian               1-888-397-3742                    www.Experian.com  

Mercer County Surrogate  (for Probate of Will or Administration of the estate)

* Decedent was a resident of Mercer County at time of death

609-989-6331                   www.mercercounty.org/government.county-surrogate 

Estate Identification Number (EIN)

                                            www.irs.gov