Surviving a Spouse’s Death:
The Practical Side
By Glenna Wilson
After the death of a spouse, the survivor may feel at a loss about how to
cope and may feel overwhelmed by all the things that need to be tended to.
As a survivor, with all the grief you’re experiencing, in the days following
your spouse’s death you may want to do nothing.But Eric Londeen, a funeral
director in Manhattan, Kan., says that certain things must be accomplished
as the days go by.
One of the first is to call your local Social Security office. The funeral
home will notify Social Security of the death with Form SSA 721. But Social
Security may still want your Social Security number and that of your spouse,
and may want a death certificate and perhaps a copy of your marriage
certificate.
Another task, Londeen says, is to visit your bank. Ask whether changes are
needed to any accounts. Some banks will tell you to leave the accounts as
they are for the time being; others will suggest removing the name of the
deceased now. Then ask about certificates of deposit (CDs), IRAs, or other
investments in the deceased person’s name. The bank’s customer service desk
can tell you what to do with these.
If your spouse had life insurance, contact the company. The insurance
company also will probably ask for a death certificate and a copy of your
marriage certificate to proceed with a claim.
It’s wise to talk with an attorney, who can advise you regarding other tasks
needing to be handled. Terry Arthur, a Manhattan, Kan., attorney, points out
that your property may need to be appraised to determine whether the estate
is subject to estate taxes. An attorney can also give advice regarding
income taxes and can help if changes are needed in titles to real estate,
cars, or other possessions. The attorney will also advise if a will needs to
be admitted to probate or how a trust should be administered.
Arthur says the surviving spouse needs to be sure that all final bills are
paid. Contact credit card companies to notify them of the death. If a card
is held jointly, find out what is needed to change it into your name.
If the deceased had retirement funds other than Social Security, check to
see whether any benefits are due you.
Be sure to look at your mail every day. You may receive information you need
or forms to fill out relative to your spouse’s employment or other matters.
As time passes, you may see the need to plan ahead to make things easier for
your heirs. Arthur and Londeen suggest talking with family members about
your wishes for end-of-life care. You can prepare a living will to express
your wishes about how much care you would want in case of complete
disability. Or you can designate power of attorney to someone who can make
these decisions if you are physically or mentally unable to do so.
Another thing you may want to do, Londeen says, is look at furniture and
other objects in your home, considering who would like them or ought to
receive them. You can talk with heirs about which things they eventually
will receive, make a list, or put labels on the undersides of items.
Glenna Wilson is a retired journalist who lives near Manhattan, Kan. Her
husband died in November 2004.
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