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Steps To Take When A Family Member Dies - Non Muslims

Losing someone you love is a sad feeling, and it takes quite some time to grieve their loss. Amid all the pain, the last thing you would...

Losing someone you love is a sad feeling, and it takes quite some time to grieve their loss. Amid all the pain, the last thing you would want to hear are the legal concerns which involve the estates of the deceased. Estates are basically assets the decedent leaves behind. However, for the family to get its rightful inheritance, it is vital to equip yourself with basic knowledge concerning family law. It is at such times that having a family attorney helps, they not only help you with the legal proceedings but also offer emotional support.

Below are a few steps to take after finding out that your close family member has passed away.

1. Contact other family members and friends
As hard as it may be to relay the information that one of the family members has died, it is necessary to do so. If you have family chat groups, it would be the best place to inform the rest with a single message. If you have the numbers of close friends to the deceased, you can also let them know at this stage. If the emotions take a toll on you, you could request another person to pass the information. While at it, you need to know that people react differently to sad news, and you need to be prepared for all sorts of emotions.

2. Protect the assets
It is quite unfortunate that sometimes when someone dies, instead of people mourning, they focus on what they will inherit from the deceased. It is at this point that you will need to be strong enough and let everyone know that the assets are not to be touched by anyone before legal procedures take place. If there is a will, it might just be time to go through it to find out who the executor is. The executor is the only person who has power to decide what assets are to be shared and to whom specifically.

3. Obtain the pronouncement of death and death certificates
The pronouncement of death has includes how and where the decedent died. The pronouncement is only to be issued by a doctor or state officials depending on how the person died. For example, if the decedent dies while undergoing treatment in the hospital, then the doctors are the ones to issue the pronouncement of death. On the other hand, if the person was stabbed on their way home, it is best to contact 911 and find out how you can get the pronouncement.

The death certificate is a document often given by the state to show that the person has passed on. It comes in handy when dealing with financial matters of the decedent. No bank will agree to your allegations of the death of a family member without presenting them with a death certificate. You also want to make copies of the same in case you will be required to present them in more than one financial institution.

4. Plan the funeral
When it comes to setting a date for the funeral, you need to involve all family members. There is a lot of budgeting that needs to be done when it comes to the burial of the decedent. In cases where the burial has to take place at a far location, you will need to cater for transportation fees beforehand. To help you with getting the funds, you can hold meetings in the home of the deceased where people could come in and give their contributions towards the same. Ensure that you send of the decedent as per how they stated on the will.

5. Get back to estate settlement
It is after the burial that you can get back to matters to do with the will. At this juncture, it is crucial to have the family attorney help you with the proceedings. For families that need financial support to be represented in court, they can opt for family lawyers who accept legal aid. This will, in turn, ensure that the process is seamless and that the executor rightfully shares the assets as instructed on the will. After the executor does his due diligence, they can officially close the estate by presenting a report to the probate court for approval.