Essential Checklist: What to Do After a Spouse or Parent Passes Away

Losing a spouse, partner, or parent can be a devastating and overwhelming experience filled with grief, confusion, and a sense of loss. In the midst of processing your emotions, you may also find that you need to open an estate and decide what to do with your loved one’s assets and personal property.

After making funeral arrangements, there are specific actions you can take to help you know what to do after a loved one dies and move forward after losing a loved one.

Here, we provide a checklist for when someone dies so you can better understand what to do after a loved one dies.

Estate Planning Checklist When Someone Dies

In the aftermath of the loss of a parent, spouse, or loved one, it can feel difficult to think about anything other than your grief. To help you navigate this difficult time, it can help to have a checklist for what to do after a loved one dies. Knowing the next steps can help you and your family meet important deadlines and provide a plan for what to do next to address important legal and financial matters to protect your loved one’s estate.

Locate the Will and Identify the Estate Executor

Locate your loved one’s estate planning documents, including their Last Will and Testament and any trust documents. These documents identify the estate executor and describe how your loved one’s assets should be distributed. You may need the original documents, and some may be filed with the probate court and will serve to guide the estate administration process.

Secure the Home, Vehicles, and Other Property

As soon as possible after the loss of a loved one, make arrangements to secure their residence, vehicles, and other property. Consider changing the locks to prevent unauthorized access.

Secure vehicles inside the garage, and do not allow anyone to remove jewelry, documents, clothing items, or other property. You need an opportunity to take an inventory of your loved one’s assets, and these items will be distributed in accordance with the probate procedure.

Gather Other Important Documents

In addition to your loved one’s Will and estate plan, locate other important documents like:

• Their Social Security card or number
• Account statements
• Deeds and titles to real estate
• Vehicle titles
• Storage space keys and agreements
• Bills and credit card statements
• Digital passwords, including login credentials for banks and financial institutions, as well as social media passwords and other online access information

Some people will have created a letter or a list of instructions, such as a computer printout or a digital file that contains login and password information. It may also provide more personal information regarding their estate. This letter is not a legal document, but may help you better understand their wishes and where they stored important documents and information.

Request Certified Copies of the Death Certificate

You will need certified copies of the death certificate. You can request these from the funeral home. Request between 10 and 12 certified copies, as you will need to provide them to the probate court, insurance companies, and financial institutions.

Notify Interested Parties

If your loved one was still working, contact their employer’s HR department to notify them of the death. You will also need to contact banks, credit card companies, financial advisors, the Social Security Administration, Veteran’s Affairs, and other interested parties to notify them of your loved one’s passing. This ensures no one will be able to withdraw funds or incur charges on these accounts. The accounts will be closed as part of the probate process.

Prepare and File Necessary Paperwork with the Appropriate Probate Court

If your loved one had worked with an attorney, contact the lawyer to advise them of their passing. The attorney may know the location of some of this information and can guide you through the probate process.

If your loved one did not have an attorney, you should consider speaking with one now. A qualified and experienced probate attorney can provide valuable advice and guidance to help you navigate the probate process effectively.

Nevada probate attorney Natalia Vander Laan can help you locate and gather the necessary documents, prepare and file the paperwork to open the estate, handle the probate process on your behalf, and close the estate once probate is complete.

Contact the Vander Laan Law Firm for Comprehensive Probate and Estate Planning Services

Nevada probate attorney Natalia Vander Laan serves clients from her offices in Minden and Carson City. She is proud to work with individuals and families throughout Douglas County, Carson City, and Lyon County. Discover what makes her approach to estate planning unique, then call (775) 461-2897 or contact our law office today to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your needs and how Natalia can assist you.