PRE MORTEN ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST PDF

Health insurance (including Medicare or Medicaid, “Medigap” insurance, private health insurance, dental, and Long Term Care insurance)

Life insurance (including premium payment records)įuneral insurance (or other death-related benefit plans) Vehicle titles and registrations (car, boat, RV, etc.) Other Promissory or Loan notes (including loans owed to the deceased) Mortgage documents (including promissory/loan notes) Real Estate Property deeds (including any recent appraisals) For other resources about wills, estate administration, probate, and other legal help, see the listings under Estate Administration, Safe Box Access, and Other Legal Help in the Resources section at the end of this checklist.ĭeeds, Titles, and Promissory Notes / Loans See the “Probate and Estate Administration” section of the Dealing with Death chapter in the Handbook for Washington Seniors: Legal Rights and Resources for more information. If there is no valid Will, the court will administer the estate according to Washington State law. If there is a Will and/or Trust, give all of the important papers to the Personal Representative and/or Trustee as soon as possible. This is an extremely important step to complete if there is a Will.

In Washington, a valid and signed Will must be filed with the Superior Court, usually in the deceased’s county of residence, within 30 days of the death. Sometimes the Personal Representative is called the “Executor” or “Executrix”. The Personal Representative is responsible for taking care of the deceased’s estate and for following the terms of the Will, while the Trustee is responsible for managing the Trust. If there is a Will, notify the Personal Representative named in the Will (and the Trustee, if named in a Trust) right away. Also, look for any pre-paid services, such as burial services or cremation. If not found, ask close friends, the deceased's doctor or the deceased’s lawyer if they know where to find these instructions. Also look to see if the deceased named a 'Designated Agent' to take care of those arrangements (sometimes this is included in the deceased's Advance Directive documents such as in their Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, or in a Living Will). Look for any written instructions (sometimes called a “Letter of Instruction,” “Final Instructions”, or 'Disposition Authorization') for funeral or memorial service arrangements, and burial or cremation arrangements. If the deceased cared for dependents (for example, grandchildren), make arrangements immediately for their care. Contact close family and/or friends of the deceased, the deceased’s doctor (if a hospice is not involved), and the deceased’s lawyer, if any. Most deaths occur in hospitals and other places such as nursing homes. If a death is expected to happen soon, call the doctor or hospice to discuss what to do when or if a death happens in your home. If the deceased was receiving hospice care, call the hospice. The medical team will help you figure out the next steps. Specific chapters in the Handbook are referenced for more information throughout this checklist.Ĭall 911 right away if there is an unexpected death in your home. This checklist is an excerpt of the Handbook for Washington Seniors: Legal Rights and Resources, by Legal Voice. The words “deceased” and “decedent” mean “the person who died.” “Estate” is the property belonging to the person who died. It is also helpful to keep all your important information in one location and tell someone where you keep it. It is a good idea to read this checklist before a death occurs, in order to plan and understand the practical steps of this difficult process. This can be a very overwhelming and emotional time.

PRE MORTEN ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST PDF

(See the PDF link at the top for a printer-ready version of this checklist.) Here is a checklist of important things to do when someone close to you dies in Washington State.

Pre morten estate planning checklist