4 Steps Every Family Has To Make After A Relative Passes Away
The death of a loved one can be a tough thing to process. When a family member passes away, it will bring up many different emotions and memories.
You should prepare yourself for the grieving process by understanding that there are four steps you need to go through in order to make sure you are properly grieving.
Let’s explore these four steps.
1. Determining Inheritance
The first step your family will need to take after a relative has passed away is determining the inheritance.
Your family member may have left a will, so you may know who inherits their assets. You can determine this by contacting the Gold Coast lawyers for help.
If they didn’t leave a will, then you’ll have to do some digging through their personal belongings and past conversations to figure out if your deceased loved one made any bank transfers or transferred assets into another person’s name before they died.
Also, be aware of any debt your loved one had so you know who might be on the hook for it.
Contact an Attorney
After you’ve determined who inherits your family member’s assets, the next step is to contact an attorney.
You should find an estate lawyer in your area who can help you understand the process of administering the will and how you plan on paying for it.
Many people don’t think about how much it costs to administer a will until they are faced with doing it themselves after their loved one passes away.
Notifying The Bank
The next step after a relative has passed away is notifying the bank and getting all of their financial affairs in order.
You may want to start with speaking with the bank about what will happen to their accounts, whether they have life insurance policies, and if any outstanding debts need to be addressed.
If you aren’t sure how to get in touch with the bank or can’t find your deceased family member’s banking information, then make sure you let the executor of their will know this so they can assist you in figuring out what needs to happen next.
2. Make Arrangements For Their Memorial Service
The third thing a family has to do after a relative dies is make arrangements for their memorial service.
This decision is usually made by or with input from those close friends and family who have been around since the beginning of the deceased’s life.
This may be where you start exploring what type of funeral or memorial service your relative may have wanted and where they would like the ceremony to happen.
After you’ve made arrangements for their service, you can finalize and purchase all of the remaining details such as urns, a guest book, flowers, etc.
Finding a reputable memorial monument supplier will be essential in making sure the service is special and memorable.
Make sure to find one that reflects your loved one’s life and personality.
3. Selling Your Loved One’s Belongings
One of the tougher steps after a relative has passed away is selling their belongings.
However, it might be necessary to ensure that your family member’s financial affairs are in order and that debts have been settled.
If you aren’t sure how to go about selling your loved one’s belongings, then you’ll want to hire a company that will know exactly what needs to happen so nothing gets lost or forgotten during this difficult time.
To do this, take a look at the inventory of your loved one’s belongings and find items that could be worth something.
After you’ve found the items, contact a reputable auction company to get an estimate on what they might be able to sell each item for.
Also, let the executor of your loved ones know about their belongings so they can determine what needs to be done with them.
4. Grieving And Moving On
The final step after a relative has passed away is grieving and moving on with your life.
This can be an incredibly difficult thing for someone to do, but putting yourself first before others during this time will help you heal faster.
If you are worried about moving on after losing someone close to you, then consider checking into grief counseling for some extra support.
To make this process easier, it’s essential to be as informed as possible before, during, and after you lose someone.
Losing a loved one is incredibly difficult. It’s important that you take this time to remind yourself that it was their time to go and you shouldn’t be angry or wish them back.
Rather, you should focus on being grateful for the pleasure they brought into your life while they were here because there are never any guarantees in life.
If you follow these 4 steps after a relative passes away, then hopefully they can help lead you through what can undoubtedly be an extremely difficult process.