When a loved one passes away, it is an understandably stressful time. It can be even more stressful and/or traumatic trying to remember all of the details that must be taken care of related to a person's death. If you are in charge of handling the affairs of the decedent (the person who has died), this checklist provides some of the more important considerations.
Now that you have completed your planning documents, what do you do with the documents? Which documents should be kept at home and which documents need to be given to other professionals? Find out in this helpful guide.
When a loved one passes away, his or her estate often goes through a court-managed process called probate or estate administration where the assets of the deceased are managed and distributed. Probate/Estate Administration can be overwhelming at first, but can be done in a straight-forward manner once one is aware of the responsibilities and duties. "Administering a Decedent’s Estate" provides a brief overview of these duties and a list of frequently asked questions and answers. For more information, find a helpful guide by clicking this link: A Guide to the Administration of a Decedent's Estate in Virginia
What questions should you be asking if the estate of a loved one is going through probate? The Estate & Elder Law Center of Southside Virginia lists some initial questions to consider in this guide. For a more comprehensive guide to the probate process, read or download a copy of Probate in Virginia written by the Virginia Court Clerks' Association by clicking here: Probate in Virginia (Administration of Estates General Overview)
NOTE: If you are administrating an estate, a good resource for any remaining questions you may have after reading through this guide would be the Commissioner of Accounts in your respective area. For larger and more complicated estates (for example, in the $250,000 and up range,) It is best to consult with a Certified Elder Law Attorney in this area. If you have questions, please contact us!
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