What+to+Do+at+Death+of+Spouse

These instructions are for the survivor, or at the death of the survivor, for the adult children. You will want to highlight this list by left clicking and dragging through the list. Then go to Edit>Copy. Then go to your word processing program (Works, Word, Notepad). Go to Edit>Paste. Now you can fill in your information. Then go to File>Print. Margaret Ann 8253
 * WHAT TO DO AT DEATH OF SPOUSE**

IF YOU DECIDE TO HAVE A SERVICE AT LA POSADA, CALL LINDA LUCAS 648-8118 AND SHE WILL SET IT UP WHEREVER YOU WANT IT.
 * IMMEDIATELY**
 * If we die at home, an EMT or any doctor can pronounce the body dead--If at La Posada call 0 or leave phone off hook. La Posada personnel will help. If we die in a hospice or hospital, there is no need to call 911.
 * Call Funeral Home, _ Discuss organ donation and autopsy wishes and viewing wishes . The body will be picked up and transported to the funeral home.
 * Check on autopsy with medical examiner, primary physician, or hospital. Cost involved. It would be helpful for family to learn of hereditary conditions.
 * Please check with the family members, and if any member of the family wants a viewing for family only, there is an extra charge for minimum work and linens. Discuss with the family members and then inform funeral home right away. Sometimes people change their minds and need to see the body for closure
 * Call Donor Network of Arizona 1-800-943-6667 to arrange for eye, organ, and tissue donation. No cost to family. No age limit. Their decision based on medical history at time of death. If donation is accepted, they cooperate on transportation with autopsy and funeral home.
 * Notify family and friends. Do not take for granted that those living far away would not want to come for memorial service. Find out for sure. Lists of whom to notify in case of death are in- You can easily notify almost everyone with one message on email.
 * ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND IN THE _ in the _ and the _ in the _or on
 * Obituary should be in Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Citizen, and Green Valley News and Sun. Long obituaries are costly. Short obituaries and pictures can be found in_ Longer obituaries for the memorial service bulletin can be found in the same place. DO NOT GIVE BIRTH DATE IN OBIT BECAUSE OF IDENTITY THEFT--YEAR ONLY IS OK . CAN EMAIL PICTURE AND TEXT. SEE OBITS IN THE NEWSPAPERS FOR INFO. CAN USUALLY EMAIL THE DAY BEFORE YOU WANT IT PRINTED..
 * Call church/synagogue. First choice for speaker is Make arrangements for memorial service at and pre-paid scattering of ashes at _ or burial at There will be fees to be paid to personnel at church/synagogue.
 * To access funds, at survivor’s death,
 * You will also need (15 ) death certificates from the funeral home for all the various places they are needed. With these you should be able to access funds to pay death and memorial service expenses.

See the sample spending plan that has been worked out for each of us alone and use as a guide.
 * LATER**
 * Notify ( pension system ) at _, and Social Security, 800-772-1213. Our pension and social security numbers are _ When survivor has widow’s benefit if appropriate, then cancel deceased social security number. See sample letters in this book for official notification, but a phone call to each would facilitate the stopping of the electronic deposit to the bank for the next month
 * La Posada will adjust the monthly fee to the amount for a single person in the apt.
 * Insurance--See Insurance section of _. Policies are in _. We each have a life insurance policy with .Survivor should collect life insurance on spouse, and then cancel his/her own policy. We also have accident insurance with _. We use credit card for airfare which has accident insurance. Call to find out how to file a claim. Card will be in_ We also each have a long term care policy with Premiums are paid electronically. Notify company and they will refund any premium paid after the date of death.
 * The social security death benefit of $255 goes to the spouse only. The direct deposits of pensions and social security can be kept for the month of the death, but the payments must be stopped for the following month.
 * If one of us dies at the end of the month--and the automatic payment of pensions went into bank for following month, as soon as pension system and social security get word of death, they will debit the appropriate amount from our account. Therefore, we keep a $_ balance in the bank account to cover those debits.
 * Notify financial institutions (banks and investment companies)_. Survivor should change checking accounts to survivor’s name. Adding another name to account is risky in case that person were sued for any reason. When survivor dies, adult child will close the accounts as they settle the estate.
 * Survivor or adult child will have to do income tax return--use Turbo Tax Deluxe, or take the tax info to a tax office in Green Valley to have taxes done. All current year and past year receipts are in . A few past years returns are in and the rest are in the _.
 * Survivor should cancel spouse’s credit and debit cards. All cards are in . When survivor dies adult child will cancel all credit card accounts, paying any balance with available assets.
 * Survivor should stop or revise electronic payments of spouse’s insurance, long term care premiums, and any other as needed. You would have to call each company that electronically withdraws payments. (See list ) Also stop or revise spouse’s electronic deposits as needed. At death of survivor, adult child will stop all electronic payments and deposits. This information is in _.
 * Call homeowner/renter/auto policy insurance companies and make any required changes regarding those policies.
 * Inform 3 credit bureaus that deceased is dead, so that solicitations to deceased will stop.
 * Send death certificate to all 3 credit-reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, TransUnion and to all credit issuers to cancel accounts.
 * Get free reports at annualcreditreport.com. If anything suspicious, notify local police dept.
 * Keep all financial records at least 3 years--IRS legal statute of limitation for audits.
 * At Dept of Motor Vehicles, cancel the deceased driver’s license.