re: End of life checklist

I finally used my VA loan.

Dear friend of mine lost 6 fam members within two years. She had the foresight to write it all down for me. Sharing her wisdom here.

Check list for the death of a family member

Immediate info to keep on hand:
• Deceased full name
• Deceased address
• Social security #
• Date of birth
• Date of death
• Email address accounts, passwords.
• Account numbers and passwords for bills paid online. Automatic withdrawals?
• Locations and entry credentials to safe deposit box(es)

Needed for funeral and burial
(Average funeral cost: $7K-$10K + Average burial cost: $7K-$10K = Total $14,000-$20,000)
• Name of funeral home
• Name of church for service, or minister to go to funeral home service (payment)
• Clothes for the deceased, photo for viewing preparation
• Obituary copy, photo
• Copy of burial policy/deed
• Required to make payment in advance
• Type of funeral and /or wake (one day or two)
• Type of burial (cremation or full burial, viewing or closed casket)
• List of 10 pallbearers (if full funeral and burial)
• Request 10 certified copies of death certificate
o Deceased full name
o Deceased address
o Social security #
o Date of birth/date of death (Parents names, place of birth and death)
o Place of death
o Reason for death
o Spouse(s) name, age, addresses
o Children(s) names, ages, addresses
• A person to stay at the deceased’s home during funeral
• Location for reception after funeral
• A person to manage food at reception
• Van/SUV to take home flowers/plants
• Remember to ask for jewelry before burial
To do week after death
• Social Security
• Any Medicaid supplements: Humana/Blue Cross
• Life Insurance companies
• Credit cards: account # (will need deceased DOB, Address, SS# to access)
o MasterCard
o VISA
o Debit Cards (to which checking account)
• Bank (only if you are not listed on account)
• Stop all automatic withdrawal payments
• Cease cell phone account
• Memorialize social media accounts
• Close email accounts
• Change locks on house, if deceased was the only person living in home
• Thank you notes for pallbearers, flowers, food, etc…
• Pull credit reports to see what accounts are open. Will need SS# and other personal information. (Experian, Transunion and Equifax will need a hard copy of death certificate. Ask them to amend files so new accounts can't be started under that name.

Needed for succession of estate with attorney
(Average total costs: $1500-$2000)
• Original copy of the will (keep several copies on file)
• Death certificate (10 certified copies)
• Deceased full name
• Address
• Social security
• Date of birth/date of death (Parents names, place of birth and death)
• Place of death
• Reason for death
• Spouse(s) name, age, addresses
• Children(s) names, ages, addresses
• Name of two individual who can sign an affidavit of death, domicile and heirship at an attorney office (affidavit stating simply that they knew the deceased, there were married x amount of time, and had x children, died on this date, etc.)


List of all moveable assets:
(Life Insurance policies, annuities with a named beneficiary are NOT included)
• Bank Accounts:
o Place/Bank:
o Account number:
o Value at time of death:
• Certificates of Deposit
• Stocks, IRAs
• Retirement accounts
• Vehicles : boats, cars, trailers, 3-wheelers
o Year
o Vin #
o Value
• Guns:
o Serial number
o Value

List of immovable assets: (Real estate)
• Home address
o Full property description (typically in mortgage documents)
o Value (mortgage statement)
• Any other real estate( full property description and value)

List of debts:
• Funeral costs:
• Credit card balances:
• Mortgage balance:
• Car balance/note:

NOTE: All of this takes a lot of time, estimate 2 months for final completion. Particularly the succession of the estate, if transferring to a new person not currently named on the mortgage and involves extensive family members.

quote:

---

max out a couple credit cards.

---

Always wondered if you were going to die and decided to max out some credit cards “in your name only” would your wife be responsible for the charges after you die?

How do they settle up credit card debt after death on cards that are in the deceased name only?

Go on a heroin bender.

In your case it might go okay without a will. Comment to OP was more general about the need for a will without getting into his details about family, kids, real property, car titles, taxes, etc...

Two chicks at the same time

quote:

---

Always wondered if you were going to die and decided to max out some credit cards “in your name only” would your wife be responsible for the charges after you die?

How do they settle up credit card debt after death on cards that are in the deceased name only?

---

They can absolutely go after his "estate"

quote:

---

Well I am a difiant prick so I would fight as hard as I can to prove them wrong and live another year…..

---

Your prediction skills are difiant too.

And your spelling ability as well.

I’d get my revenge on riverside towing

Sky diving, Rocky Mountain climbing 8 seconds on a bull or something like that