Dealing With Finances After the Breadwinner Passes Away
Priority one is deciding which member of the family will coordinate issues relating to the estate of the deceased The very first priority will be assigning responsibility for coordinating all matters relating to the estate of the deceased. Normally the mantle falls on the surviving spouse. If the spouse also happens to be terminally ill or physically unable to discharge the role effectively the responsibility may fall on the younger generation, and in all probability the choice would be the senior-most among the siblings. At this point the family begins consultations with bankers, lawyers and creditors and a whole Appoint an executor for the estate of the deceased and identify beneficiaries noted in the will or other documents It is important to understand that financial firms only give credence to legal entities as defined by law. There will be an executor for the estate, a beneficiary in all the insurance policies, bank deposits, stocks, bonds and savings accounts, the question of joint ownership of bank accounts, the power of attorney holder for a checking account, the co-signer of a safe deposit locker or a guarantor to a loan; all these legal signatories will be carefully listed when the estate of the deceased is on the table for legal scrutiny. Only these signatories will have the power to unlock the proceeds of individual accounts or assets. If, for example, the spouse is not the co-signer on a safe deposit article, he or she will have to produce a court order to access the asset. Procure the death certificate for releasing various benefits to legal heirs and other beneficiaries The death certificate is the final document that seals the fate of social security, pension and any other life benefit the deceased has bequeathed. Such certificates are normally issued by the coroner, attending physician, or medical examiner, or in some instances by the justice of the peace. You will need a number of copies of the death certificate because it virtually becomes the passport to access various deceased accounts. Banks will insist on them to close bank accounts and pay their balances to the legal heirs, insurance companies will need them to pay claims, and properties or any other type of asset can't be transferred in your name unless you present proof of Release the notice of death in the print media and set the timeframe for initiation of claims The moment that a person is appointed as the executor of the estate it becomes his duty to collate all assets and liabilities and arrange to pay every outstanding debt to each of the creditors, and then to disperse the balance outstanding to the beneficiaries that are mentioned in the will, or to the beneficiaries that are specifically mentioned in bank and company records. As per Federal and state law a notice has to be published in a local paper announcing the death and giving a specific time to members of the public to raise claims against the estate, and once this is exhausted there is no further legal remedy available to the public. Claim the Life insurance benefits and make arrangements for securing company and workers compensation Life insurance is simpler and claims are usually settled and released within a fortnight of the death. Usually these payments are sufficient to cover funeral expenses, mortgage payments, and utilities. If the deceased was a company worker or manager at the time of his death and he had an individual life insurance policy, there could be a company benefit attached. If the death occurred in the performance of duties such as in an industrial accident there will be company benefits in addition to the insurance company payout and that must be confirmed from the company HR department. Many companies maintain a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and retirement funds that can be claimed by the surviving spouse. Consider the tax implications prior to claiming spouse's IRA benefits Taking over an Individual Retirement account like the 401k may not be as straight forward as it may seem. If the surviving spouse rolls out her husband's 401k and merges it with her own retirement fund that could be a monumental mistake. By allowing the fund to remain in her husband's name (like an emergency fund) the lady could postpone payment of a big withdrawal penalty. Important lesson: Never leave your family in the dark regarding any aspect of your estate It would be a tragedy beyond all reckoning if your surviving spouse and children have to ferret out the details of your estate from the mountains of paper that you will leave behind. The situation worsens if you die intestate (without creating a will listing the beneficiaries) and leave your estate to be bitterly contested by your children or outsiders looking for lucre. In any case, if you happen to be the surviving spouse your first duty will be to check your husband's personal belongings and the home thoroughly to ascertain that no crucial document goes undetected. An informal discussion with legal luminaries known to your husband may also uncover any will or testament or trust deed that he may have entrusted before death. Confirm whether there is any written record or diary listing assets information Many people love to maintain a diary or black book detailing all their assets and financial transactions to be used as a ready reckoner in case of need, a sort of one stop reference manual to turn to in an emergency. It will list all types of personal information, business details, and contact numbers of their attorney, personal physician, consulting medical specialist, friends and business associates. There could be one section devoted exclusively to credit cards and bank accounts and stock market shares and other money market instruments. It could also act as a checklist informing where insurance policies, car title papers, personal identification documents, and property deeds are stored, and the name and number of the bank safe deposit locker where gold or other valuables are stored. Like the famous black box (or flight data recorder) that helps the airline retrieve information after a mishap, your spouse's black diary could be your ultimate source of confidential family information, and it pays rich dividends to locate it (assuming such a book is available) as soon as possible before the estate planners get to work. What to do if the deceased has a running business concern that needs new leadership This presents a dicey situation and it can't wait even for the funeral to be over. A running business concern is a living breathing entity and it won't work on life support or auto pilot. You have to immediately lay your hands on the Memorandum & Articles of association and company bye-laws, power of attorney documents, buy-and-sell or lease agreements, balance sheet and profit and loss statements, bank account statements and net worth appraisals so that you can smoothly implement the instructions recorded in the will document, if that is available. Many of these crucial decisions need to be taken in the hours or days or weeks following the death when you will also be busy arranging the funeral and many other ceremonies organized by your husband's friends, company workers and well-wishers. It's a depressing and fearful time for the bereaved family members and it takes a lot of grit and determination to emerge from the shadow of the deceased and carve out their place in the sun. You can pay funeral and legal expenses with timely help from an auto collateral loan What catches the family unawares is the suddenness of the death of its beloved one and its circumstances that leave them facing a short period of uncertainty and fear. There will be a funeral ceremony to coordinate, lawyers to be consulted, creditors to be satisfied and business associates clamoring for your attention and advice, and your spouse's estate to be organized. This is the time when money will be desperately needed to fund domestic, funeral and legal expenses. This is the time to unravel the power of the loan for vehicle title. The pink slip loan approves 60% of the equity in your car, at very short notice without onerous formalities, and without probing your bad credit record. The pawn car title loan can be availed simply by submitting your car title documents as collateral. The interest will be affordable at 25% APR. If you desire you can request extended repayment terms to reduce the strain on your existing income.