Things to do when a spouse dies

It can take up to 500 hours to wrap up the average estate, and when it is your spouse, you have to face the additional challenge of having lost your life partner.

Here are the first and most important tasks to complete in the wake of a spouse’s passing. For a comprehensive guide, please use our dashboard, or schedule time with our end-of-life concierge for specific concerns.

1. Collect and secure the most important documents: Gather the will, marriage/birth certificates, financial accounts, advance directives, pre-paid funeral contracts, etc., for processing future paperwork

2. Get death certificates: We recommend getting 15-20 copies of this document, as you will need it to tackle many steps of working through an estate.

3. Notify Social Security to collect a $255 benefit: Call 800-772-1213, or visit your local Social Security office.  You can also ask the funeral home you use for help.

4. Perform a credit check and freeze: Scammers browse obituaries and try to open accounts in the names of the deceased. For more on how to avoid identity theft, click here.

5. Tell close friends and family: While this can be a difficult conversation, it’s an important step on the path to growth. For help on what to say and how to say it, click here.

Of course, one of the most important things you should do is take the time to mourn your loss. For more on the importance of grieving, and mourning, please click here.