What to do When a Family Member Dies

Did you know that at the moment, about 57 percent of people are struggling to grief the loss of a loved one is the last three years?

The loss of a loved one is one of the hardest things humans have to go through. If you recently lost a loved one, there are many things you have to take care of before you start the grieving process.

Read on to learn what to do when a family member dies.

Immediately After Your Loved One Dies

When a loved one passes away, it can be extremely stressful to think about everything you need to sort out. To make the process a little bit less hectic, it’s important you only worry about what you must do immediately after their passing.

Official Declaration of Death

Before you can make any arrangements and notify anyone, it is crucial you get an official death pronouncement. If your loved one passed away in a hospital, hospice, or nursing home, they would take care of the paperwork.

However, if your loved one died at home, you will need to call 911 as soon as possible. They will transport them to the emergency room where they can be declared dead by a medical professional.

Once they have been declared, they will be able to be transported to a funeral home.

Getting an official death declaration is essential before you obtain a death certificate. Without an official declaration, you won’t be able to plan the funeral or handle any of their personal affairs.

Inform Friends and Family

One of the hardest things to do after your loved one has passed away is to inform those closest to the person. Because this is a really difficult time, you should choose the most convenient way to inform everyone.

If you don’t feel ready to inform everyone you know via phone call, you can always send a group text or email. Once you have informed family members, you need to take care of informing your loved one’s contacts.

Pre-Existing Funeral and Burial Plans

Before you start making funeral arrangements, you should learn if there are any pre-existing plans. Some people make funeral and burial arrangements when they create their will.

A Few Days After Death

Once you have processed the initial shock, took care of obtaining the declaration of death, and notify all of your family members, you can start taking care of the more official things. There’s a lot of paperwork involved when it comes to planning a funeral.

Take Care of All of the Funeral Arrangements

If your loved one left specific plans for their funeral, all you will have to do is follow their wishes. However, if your loved one didn’t leave specific plans, you need to decide whether your loved one will be cremated or buried.

Choose a funeral home where the service will take place, a cemetery, or arrangements for cremation. Whatever decision you make, you will have to find a burial place, order a tombstone, or order an urn.

Secure Their Property and Valuables

The next thing you need to do is secure their property and lock away any valuables. Before reading the will, you should go to your loved one’s house to secure their belongings.

Make sure you lock up any jewelry, money, and other valuables in a secure place. You should also lock up the house, car, etc.

If your loved one had pets, you should secure a caretaker until permanent arrangements can be made.

You should also get the post office to forward your loved one’s mail to your house, so you don’t have to go pick it up.

A Few Weeks After Death

Once you have put your loved one to rest, your work is not done. A few weeks after their death, you will need to handle the more official things.

Get Copies of the Death Certificate

Once you have obtained the death certificate, you will need to make certified copies of it. You will need the copies whenever you need to close out any of their bank accounts or when you visit a government agency.

Will, Executor & Estate Attorney

If your loved one left a will behind, you would have to get in touch with the executor and estate attorney. They will ensure the last will and testament of your loved one gets honored. The will executor picks the estate attorney.

Make a List of Bills & Cancel Subscriptions

The next thing you need to do is make a list of all of their bills. Any outstanding bills should be paid in full before you cancel them. However, you should share a list with the will executor, so the estate pays for these expenses.

This is also the time to notify the Social Security Administration, banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, credit agencies, department of motor vehicles, etc.

Before you close any of those accounts, you will need to have their account number in hand and a copy of their death certificate.

You should also cancel any subscriptions they might have, such as internet, cable, or streaming services.

Choose whether you want to keep their social media accounts active and keep them as a memorial.

Deal With the Grief

After you have dealt with all of the arrangements, you might still struggle to deal with your grief. For many people, the loss of a loved one makes them wonder whether their loved ones are still out in the universe.

Those struggling with grief might feel the presence of their loved ones, see signs in nature, and dream about them. One of the best ways to put those thoughts to rest is by seeking an expert that can tell you if your loved one has gone to a better place.

This is What to Do When a Family Member Dies

Now that you know what to do when a family member dies, you can take care of the arrangements and deal with the grieving process.

When your loved one dies, you have to take care of the funeral arrangements and handle official documents, but you especially have to deal with your grief.

Are you struggling with the loss of a loved one? Do you want to know if your loved one has gone to a better place? Contact a physic today to help you get peace of mind.