Decide who should receive personal items, and learn tax rules on gift-giving

There are many items that one may choose to gift to their family members or friends after they die, including, but not limited to, property, money, items of sentimental value, and other expensive items such as jewelry.

getting organizedJennifer GoodJuly 16, 2020financial and property, legacy and funeralComment

Identify legal next steps

The steps you should take to handle estate matters, from distributing assets to dealing with real estate, are determined by whether or not your deceased loved one left a will, a trust, or neither of these.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJuly 16, 2020medical and legalComment

Next steps if the deceased left a will and a trust

If your loved one left a will and a trust, there are a few ways to proceed.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJuly 16, 2020medical and legal, legal next stepsComment

Next steps if there is a will but no trust

Legally speaking, your primary goal may be to avoid probate, which can prove arduous and carry a hefty estate tax. It is possible that your loved one wrote a will that covered everything and/or did what was necessary to avoid probate.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJuly 16, 2020medical and legal, legal next stepsComment

How to administer a trust

While there are many different steps that go into administering a trust, this guide aims to cover the more general steps.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJuly 16, 2020financial and propertyComment

Things to do when a spouse dies

Here are the first and most important tasks to complete in the wake of a spouse’s passing.

Transfer or sell home

After a death, the real estate may be inherited by an individual or sold. Here’s how to handle the process.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJune 22, 2020financial and propertyComment

Cancel upcoming appointments, travel, prescriptions, memberships, and unneeded services

After a death, you may want to cancel any unneeded plans and services to avoid additional charges, get refunds, and let people know.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJune 21, 2020financial and property, medical and legalComment

Cancel or change person on insurance policies

You will need to switch the insurance policies over to continue to be protected. If no one is using the insurance anymore, you can cancel the policy to save money. You usually have 30 days to do this.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJune 18, 2020financial and property, medical and legalComment

Find a permanent caretaker for dependents

Check if care instructions were included in the will. If not, you can think through the best options.

settling affairsJennifer GoodJune 18, 2020financial and propertyComment

Peacefully