![]() ![]() The attorney will prepare any documents necessary to confirm the authority of the successor trustee of the trust. They each need to know and will each have a role in helping you. You will probably be able to obtain reimbursement for these expenses from the decedent's estate or trust, and some of these expenses will be deductible for estate tax or income tax purposes.ĩ._Contact the deceased person's financial planner, CPA and estate planning attorney. _ Locate the original copy of the will or trust, if there is one.Ħ._ Locate all the legal and financial documents that pertain to the deceased person's assets such as deeds, vehicle titles, stocks, bonds and insurance policies.ħ._ Locate and secure important personal documents such as driver's license, social security card, passport, birth certificate, divorce decree, legal separation agreement, marriage license, military separation papers, citizenship and retirement documents.Ĩ._ Maintain a detailed list of all expenses relating to the final care and/or death of the decedent. Military, check the website and search for information on Military Honors available at burial such as US Flag and Military Representative.Ĥ._ Check with the decedent's banks to see if they have any safe deposit boxes.ĥ. _If your loved one has served in the U.S. ![]() and review them for possible instructions about disposal of the body and funeral arrangements.Ģ._ Locate any papers relating to prearranged funeral services or pre-purchased burial plots.ģ. _Locate any health care powers of attorney, advance health care directives, funeral and burial instructions, etc. Get yourself through this time and process. You can spend your time dealing with the doctors, funeral homes and immediate family members. Do not be rushed into any decisions. At the immediate time of death, there is nothing that needs to happen from a legal standpoint. Recognize that you are going through a grieving process. If you are a named executor, you will have to wait for court appointment for access to funds but you should be able to retrieve the individual's original will from his/her safe deposit box. If you are a Trustee, the estate planning documents will give you immediate access to funds possibly needed for funeral and other expenses related to the death of the individual. Since each estate is unique, your own legal and accounting professionals should guide you through the overall process. This financial checklist is in no way meant to be legal recommendations. It can provide some structure during a time that can seem overwhelming. My clients often request a checklist when someone they know has passed away. No one likes to think about death, and yet we all have to face it sooner or later.
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