Organizations to Notify After a Death

By Jennifer O'Neill

The death of a loved one is something that most of us will experience in our own lifetime. It can be a time of bereavement, remembering and, at some point, fulfilling tasks to bring closure to the life of the deceased person. The death of a loved one requires organizing and planning, and you might not be in the frame of mind to do so. However, there are a few places that are essential to notify to ensure that there are no pending issues, such as business, financial or legal.

If your loved one was receiving Social Security benefits, it is important to notify the Social Security Administration office at (800-772-1213) that he has passed away to ensure that his benefits stop. If you are a spouse or child (minor) of a deceased person who received benefits, be sure to see what extended benefits might apply to you. Failing to notify the Social Security Administration office could result in overpayment, which the family will have to, in turn, repay.

Contact the health insurance company to inform it of the deceased person and to terminate his coverage. Other members who are on the policy can continue to receive coverage, but make sure you are aware of the terms and limits of the coverage. Be sure to contact all other insurance companies, including the life insurance company. You will need to fill out a form and show a certificate of death to receive benefits you may have from this form of insurance.

If you are going to continue to utilize credit cards of the deceased person, or if you want to cancel a credit card, contact the credit card company(s), and send a copy of the death certificate. There might be a balance that needs to be paid on the credit card, which you can discuss with the credit card company.

If the deceased person was employed, be sure to contact his employer to find out information about pension plans, employer accounts and other benefits. For every possible transaction, you will need a copy of the certificate of death.

If you have not chosen a funeral home already, contact one. To find one, you can go to your state’s directory of funeral homes, found at FuneralNet.com (click on the link in the Resource section).

If your loved one was a veteran, it is likely you are entitled to benefits through the Veterans Affairs Administration at 800-827-1000. You can also go online to find your local Veterans Affairs Administration to obtain discharge papers (click on the link in the Resource section). You will most likely need to send a copy of the death certificate.

http://www.lenderva.com