Urgent Details
Suddenly, you are faced with some very important, and often urgent, decisions. These first steps as a newly widowed person can seem frightfully difficult. The following list of the most urgent financial and legal decisions you must make following your loved one's death. Many of these tasks can also be handled by family members and trusted friends, so allow them to assist you.
Make funeral or memorial service arrangements
Find important papers: deeds, bankbooks or account statements, stock certificates or investment account statements, and insurance policies. View checklist of papers you may need.
Locate important certificates: marriage certificate, birth certificate, military discharge papers, Social Security card, tax forms. These records are needed to establish claims for Social Security, life insurance, or veteran's benefits. View checklist of papers you may need.
Ask your bank to release joint bank account funds to you. In some states, joint bank accounts are automatically frozen upon the death of one spouse.
If needed, set up a new bank account.
Secure an ample number of certified copies of the death certificate.
Notify the insurance companies (in writing) that insured your loved one of his or her death. Each company will need a statement of claim and a death certificate before the beneficiary can be paid. Keep copies of all correspondence.
Contact your Social Security office to find out if you are eligible for new benefits. Social Security benefits are not automatically paid out after a death; you must apply for them.
Write a formal letter to your loved one's employer, union, or any other group or professional organization with which he or she may have had an association. Many of these organizations have insurance policies. Also inquire about any 401(k), pension, or company stock benefits. If your spouse was a veteran, apply for veterans' benefits at the nearest Veterans Administration office. Keep copies of all correspondence. Learn more about benefits.
Advise all creditors in writing, including issuers of credit cards. If there were any loans, find out if they are insured.
Consult a lawyer. Your family may be very well meaning, but you may wish to consult with a legal expert. Discuss fees before you engage their services.
Postpone any decisions that can be put off until you feel better emotionally. Many have found that postponing major decisions for at least one year permitted them to experience all the stages of their emotions.
