Arizona Bilingual News

The Best Of Two Worlds

Loss of a long term partner / coping with grief and loss of a loved one

What to do when someone passes away 

The emotional aspect of dealing with a bereavement can be devastating, but the practicalities of what to do next can become even more stressful. The steps below outline the main areas you’ll need to cover. 

Step 1 – Where Do I Start? Find paperwork with funeral wishes or requests for organ/body donation. Documents, like the will, birth and marriage certificates, pension certificates and medical card, will be useful when you register the death.

Step 2 – Registering the Death. The hospital will contact you to arrange the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Make an appointment register the death in the county where the person died, not where they lived.

The registrar will give you various documents, the main ones are:

  • Death Certificates – all certified copies of the original entry which stays with the Registrar. If anyone asks you for an original Death Certificate, this is what they mean.
  • Certificate for Cremation or Burial – referred to as the “Green Form” allows the Funeral Director to officially go ahead with the funeral arrangements.

Step 3 – Making the Funeral Arrangements. Once the “Green Form” is handed over, a contract for payment with the Funeral Director is settled. If a Will or Letter of Wishes is found, this gives you an idea of how to arrange the funeral, but if requests are unrealistic, these aren’t legally binding to be followed.

Step 4 – Building a Picture of the Estate. Check through paperwork for banking details. Look for a debit or credit, a bank statement, utility bill or even a memory of a conversation about going to a certain bank or building society. 

Step 5 – Letting Everyone Know. Make two lists, one personal and another for professional organizations/insurance accountant/financial. Use them to make additional notes of what you have done and what is left.

Step 6 – Working Out if You Need Probate. Just because a Will hasn’t been made or because the total value of the estate seems high are not the only reasons to need a probate, there are exceptions to this rule so get informed.

Step 7 – The Final Step. Once you’ve obtained Probate, then you can arrange for any sole assets to be sold or transferred. Before you hand over anything to the beneficiaries, you’ll need to make sure any debts are settled, and Inheritance Tax has been paid. 

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