Once you have done the few things I lined out in The Day(see link if you are confused), we can now start the new checklist for the business that is death.
Week 1-Funeral Homes and burial preparation.
On The Day, you called a funeral home to come collect your loved one. If they are a good funeral home, they gave you directions on when to arrive at the home to discuss preparations.
My dad was very orderly. He had taken great pains to organize and prepare his burial some 18 years prior to his death!
We can do this too, but that is the subject of another post.
Dad and grandson Hunter. Goofballs is the only way to describe them!
Just in case your loved one didn’t prepare, let’s assume that it is up to you.
Your funeral director has plans relating to this to help you decide what is best for you.
You will decide on everything from cremation or burial, to casket and clothing.
Take it slow. Understand none of this is a rush. Remember, take your time.
Death is also expensive. Plots and caskets plus the service or memorial can run into the thousands of dollars.
Check this website for help-www.funeralplan.com.
By the time this first week is over, you have likely had a funeral, a Wake and visited all family and friends. Give yourself some time to breathe…then it is time to get down to business.
Week 2-Getting Everything Ready
This is going to take some effort.
- Go online to www.usps.com and change your loved one’s address to yours. You will be handling everything now so you need to get all pertinent information that would come through the mail for the deceased.
- Weed through all the documents, files and received mail from your loved one’s home.
- Hire a probate attorney.
You need to find-
a)Bank statements
b)Tax records for the last 3 years
c)Property documents
d)Vehicle information
Don’t worry if you can’t find all of it right away. I ended up calling the County assessor and the DMV.
About hiring that attorney.
I know, the mere mention makes your eyes water. But what about the cost??
You really can’t do all of this without one, I hate to say. You want to make sure you are doing everything right for your lost loved one.
Even if you just make one appointment to get some guidance, you are far better off.
The attorney and paralegals will have a list of things they want you to locate so you can bring them to your first appointment.
Visit www.probate.com to find an attorney in your area.
This stuff is going to take some time. Again, I want you to know that it is going to be finished soon. Keep up the good work.
My Dad Died 
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