Dealing with bereavement and accounts...
Discussion
I'm soon to lose my father and my mother is already worrying about all the things that go with it. (I guess a lot of it is shock).
To try and make it as easy as possible I'm just trying to think of all the people we will need to contact.
I've thought of obvious things like bank accounts and pensions, his car and insurance, what/who else do I need to think ? Anybody have a list ?!
Does the house have to be changed in name to just my mother's at Land Registery ? Or does it not matter.
I'm not trying to take my mind off things by burying my head in tasks and jobs - just trying to make a smooth transition through a raft of paperwork which will inevitably come.
Thanks in advance.
To try and make it as easy as possible I'm just trying to think of all the people we will need to contact.
I've thought of obvious things like bank accounts and pensions, his car and insurance, what/who else do I need to think ? Anybody have a list ?!
Does the house have to be changed in name to just my mother's at Land Registery ? Or does it not matter.
I'm not trying to take my mind off things by burying my head in tasks and jobs - just trying to make a smooth transition through a raft of paperwork which will inevitably come.
Thanks in advance.
There are a number of books around about what to do when someone dies. I've been an executor seven times and in most of these I've been through the entire process by myself. There have also been deaths where I have decided to use a solicitor, usually where property is involved and needs to be disposed of.
I am not saying that using a book is the way to go...it depends on complexity and also whether or not you feel up to the job.
Maybe you could get a book and go through it get the answers to all the issues that you have raised.
R
I am not saying that using a book is the way to go...it depends on complexity and also whether or not you feel up to the job.
Maybe you could get a book and go through it get the answers to all the issues that you have raised.
R
Ensure that your Father has left a will, and that it is recent and hopefully professionally drawn up. This will make dealing with his affairs much easier.
Perhaps difficult to ask at the moment but finding out his exact wishes for a funeral will help enormously, because any decision making will be taken out of your and your mother's hands.
Perhaps difficult to ask at the moment but finding out his exact wishes for a funeral will help enormously, because any decision making will be taken out of your and your mother's hands.
Thanks for the answers so far. He has an up to date will and everything is simply going to my mother so that should be straight forward.
As my mother has had a lot to do with the local church funeral arrangements and things are going to be straight forward. She is on first name terms with the funeral directors !! As my mother has worked with the church for many,many years they have a reserved space in the graveyard !! (Apprantly me too when my time comes, strange the things you find out !)
So it's just accounts/things held in his name/odd things you never think of until years later when you get a letter from some department asking why you haven't been in touch !!
As my mother has had a lot to do with the local church funeral arrangements and things are going to be straight forward. She is on first name terms with the funeral directors !! As my mother has worked with the church for many,many years they have a reserved space in the graveyard !! (Apprantly me too when my time comes, strange the things you find out !)
So it's just accounts/things held in his name/odd things you never think of until years later when you get a letter from some department asking why you haven't been in touch !!
Edited by SimonTheSailor on Saturday 12th August 11:02
Surprisingly for a government department, the tell us once service is very efficient, I received a tax refund on behalf of my late mum with minimal fuss, although 3 months on I am still waiting for the reclaim of her overpaid state pension.
https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you...
https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you...
SimonTheSailor said:
I've thought of obvious things like bank accounts and pensions, his car and insurance, what/who else do I need to think ? Anybody have a list ?!
There are loads of checklists around - ie MSE's page, although it probably has too much detail: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/what-to-do...Bear in mind on the car insurance, especially if your Mum needs to continue to use the car, that strictly speaking the policy ceases on the death of the policyholder. You'll need to speak to the insurer and some are more flexible than others.
There's not really any panic - some people try and do everything almost instantly but there's no need.
Very sorry to read of your sad situation.
Just one point, but you have probably dealt with this anyway.
Many of us now have numerous accounts, shareholdings etc.
Before we go, a complete list of all financial assets, together with where the documents are kept, must be helpful to our executors, because otherwise it would be so easy to completely overlook some. This must be one of the reasons, why there are such enormous sums in unclaimed, dormant accounts.
SimonTheSailor said:
What do you mean original copies ? You just mean the 1st copy from the original ?
Not the 1st copy copied again ?
When you Register the Death they ask you how many death certificates you want. I think they're £4 each. I got 6 when my Mum died recently but in practice I found everyone I needed to send it to sent it back, apart from Barclays and it turned out she'd closed that account a few years ago. Her main bank (NatWest) I just took it in as they also wanted to see the original Will and they took a copy of both and gave them back to me.Not the 1st copy copied again ?
Private pension providers varied - one was happy with an email of a scan, the other wouldn't speak to me at first until they seen the death cert, and they sent it back. She had an old life assurance policy and they sent me a cheque based on me ringing and answering a few questions.
You can get more certified copies of the death cert later either from the Registrar or a Solicitor, and I've heard of banks doing them as a courtesy.
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