OT: What happens when someone dies?

[hallerb]

DONT BE A EXECUTOR EVER!!!!!

UNLIMITED GRIEF!

[DerbyDad03]

you've

re: DONT BE A EXECUTOR EVER!!!!!

Execution is illegal in many states.

Please check with your local authorities before proceeding with any executions.

[Peetie Wheatstraw]

I've been doing lo-level "estate planning" for months. Amazing what a PITA it can be.

"What happens when someone dies?"

Specifically, what chain of legal and other events takes place?

Theoretical scenario:

Mr. X, single and living alone, has a massive stroke in his home and is found stone-cold dead by a neighbor, who notifies a relative.

Relative calls ambulance which transports remains to hospital where doc registers death with state?

How long does it commonly take to get a death certificate?

Etc, etc, etc.

Mr. X lives in Missouri, if anyone has specific knowledge of that state.

I can say, with quintessential authority, that you've not *LIVED* until you've spent an hour or 2 perusing several pages of fine print in what may well be your own pre-need contract for cremation.

"Whotever you do in this life, don't never EVER get old!" :-)

Cheers, Peetie

[trader4]

l you've

Unless there are some unusual circumstances, a death certificate should be obtainable within a day or two. The bigger issue is making sure the person has a valid will to specify any details of the funeral, burial/cremation, how any assets of the estate are distributed and who is appointed executor to carry out the above. Absent a will, states have a pecking order established by law that determines who gets what.

[dpb]

[e-mail] wrote: ...

That would be quite quickly ime...it took closer to a month before the State of KS issued the actual certified death certificates that will be needed for the details of supplying to whomever will need copies to handle the transfer of any assets, life insurance, bank accounts, etc., etc., etc., ...

That's two normal passings of parents in the last 8 years experience. Other states may vary...

Amen...

--

[Peetie Wheatstraw]

Without a death cert.?

I eschew the worm, and embrace the flame. :-)

So, if covered by fully paid pre-need contract, the funeral home can issue a DC as soon as they've brought you in and determined you're dead/kaput/pues- muerta?

Thanks, Willie

[gfretwell]

The biggest thing you can do is be sure you have the people who you want to get your stuff on the title or account with clear rights of survivor. In Florida banks can add a person to an account as Payable on Death. They can't take your money until you die but then it is available immediately. That is handy to handle the costs of getting your dead ass in the ground. When my last parent died the accounts were all set up that way and there wasn't any hassle at all. (no will, no lawyers and no taxes). I was surprised that we didn't even have a problem retitling the car. DMV just wanted a copy of the death certificate. That comes from the funeral home ... as soon as you pay the bill. Social Security gets notifiied by the funeral home but they won't stop sending the paymernts for a while ... don't spend that money! Sam will want all that money back. They EFT it right out of the account if you direct deposit. If not, I suppose the IRS comes after your heirs. Keep at least one joint account open for a year or so to flush any extra payments, checks or other things you come up with through.

[hallerb]

a doctor must pronounce you dead, at least in pennsylvania.

just to make certain your really dead.............

[Zz Yzx]

"The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, the worms play Pinochle on your snout....."

-Zz

[Not]

Some people seem to think the funeral director issues the death certificate. I know of nowhere where that is true. The death certificate is issued by a government office, and how long it takes depends mostly on whether the death is suspicious. If you die I a hospital and a doctor signs the certificate, it should be issued within days; if they just find you dead, they may have to do an autopsy (as would they if you were plainly the victim of an attack) and that can take months. The funeral director handles getting the certificate from the government, since he needs it before he can inter.

If its your death you are plann> I've been doing lo-level "estate planning" for months. Amazing what a

[Doug Brown]

Well where I live both are true.

The funeral director issues a document titled "Proof of Death Certificate". This is good for about 90% of what you need a death certificate for, and this can usually be issued within a day or two of death. Some agencies require the official government death certificate and yes, there can be some delay involved in getting this one.

[dpb]

[e-mail] wrote: ...

...

...

Must sign the certificate and then it's filed w/ the State. All the funeral home can do is to facilitate your getting copies from the state which is the only one who can provide the authorized copies any legitimate organization will need.

That takes a variable amount of time, depending on the State...it seems like the first we requested from the funeral home (as part of their service package, nothing really they do except submit the request to the State for you at the time) were available in about a week but it took quite a while for request for some additional to be processed which is what I was thinking about in an earlier response.

Each state will undoubtedly be somewhat different in the details but generalities are the same...

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[KC]

I am going through that now with the recent death of a parent. Here's what I've run into so far:

- Funeral was prepaid (mostly). There was additional expenses of the obituary ($1 per word) and cost of death certificates (get at least

6).

- Cemetary plot, marker, grave opening & closing were not prepaid in this case. ($4k)

- Plan for casket flower sprays. ($200-$500ea.)

- Plan on $1k-$5k for a lawyer to probate the Will if it needs it. Not all Wills have to be probated in court.

- Death certificates arrived in about a week.

- There was a Will, but one child was specifically left out. Big problems with probating due to the possibility of that child contesting the Will. Always leave each heir something even if it's a minimum amount. Saves trouble for the rest of the heirs.

- Make sure there is at least 1 joint/trustee banking account so that bills can be paid and checks received after death can be deposited.

- Social Security withdrew the last check issued. They will not reissue it to the estate if there are any surviving kin, but will reissue it to the spouse, if any, or divide it between the surviving children.

- Scrutinize bills carefully. There are those who will take advantage of the situation.

KC