Paperwork to gather

• 2 or more certified copies of the death certificate
• Birth certificates for spouse and dependents
• Social Security Number for spouse and dependents
• Original Will
• Marriage certificate
• Recent tax returns
• Military Discharge Papers (if applicable)
• Insurance policies
• List of property (if not included with will)
• Current Financial Statements
• Annuity Contract
• Copies of Trusts

Actions
to take

• Determine current sources of cash
• Control spending
• Have bank release joint account funds to you
• Pay bills
• Apply for Social Security Survivor benefits
• Review Will

People / organizations to contact

• Spouse's employer
• Your financial institutions — banks, credit cards, etc
• Spouse's insurance companies
• Lawyer; tax advisor

Actions
to take

• Create an Emergency Budget
• File for life Insurance benefits
• Postpone charitable giving
• Review your own will and Power of Attorney
• Transfer assets into your name only

Actions
to take

• Review your investments
• Settle the Estate
• File final tax return for spouse
• Organize financial records
• Create long-term budget
• Revise or create your Financial Plan

People / organizations to contact

• Your financial advisor
• Your Lawyer

Paperwork to Gather

Unfortunately, nothing happens in this world without the accompaniment of paperwork. Not even saying goodbye to a loved one. Here are the documents you'll probably need — and where to find them.

A. local Government Documents

Death Certificate — You'll need a copy for many different financial and governmental organizations, so be sure to get at least a dozen certified copies from your funeral director or county health department.

Birth Certificate — You'll need this for the deceased and any dependent children in order to prove relationship and eligibility for any death benefits. They're available from the state or county public records office where the person was born.

Marriage Certificate — You need this to prove your relationship and eligibility for any benefits. It's on file with the county clerk where the license was issued.

B. Federal Government Documents

Social Security Numbers — You'll need these for the deceased, yourself and any dependent children for accurate identification and to prove eligibility for any benefits. If you do not have these, contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. Live help is available 7am — 7 pm Monday — Friday.

Recent Income Tax Returns — If you can't find these, fill out IRS form 4506 (Request for Copy or Transcript of Tax Form). You'll need to attach proof of authorization to act on behalf of your spouse, such as a letter from the probate court or signed Power of Attorney.

Military Discharge Papers — (if applicable) You'll need these to prove eligibility for any benefits. If you do not have them, contact the National Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200, attention branch of military in which the deceased served.

C. Personal Documents

Original Will — You'll need this to show disposition of assets. It may be at the office of the lawyer who wrote it, or in a safe deposit box. Some banks have special procedures for giving access to safe deposit boxes, so be prepared with Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate and Social Security Numbers for you and your spouse. Also - you may need copies of any Side Instruction Letters that handle any specific requests of your spouse outside of the will.

List of Property — To make an appropriate financial plan and ensure property mentioned in the will is properly accounted for, you'll need a complete accounting of assets. You may need to do a little searching as you'll be trying to compile a complete list of all real estate, stocks, bonds, bank accounts, deeds and personal property.

Insurance Policies — You'll need these to determine what benefits you may be eligible for. If you believe there is coverage, but you cannot find the policies, look in the checkbook or financial records for names of Insurance companies the deceased has written checks to and contact them. Also try the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Life Insurance Company Location System https://eapps.naic.org/orphanedpolicy/.

Current Financial Statements — You will want to gather the latest statements for all of you and your spouse's bank accounts as well as all other investment and retirement plan accounts. If you and/or your spouse has an annuity, is party to a trust, or if you have gifted assets, you will also need to gather Annuity Contracts, Copies of Trusts, Lists of Previously Gifted Assets (as the 3 year rule may trigger estate taxes), and Gift Tax returns.

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Actions to Take

It seems there's a never-ending list of things that need doing at a time when you probably feel like doing nothing at all. Some may find comfort in the action of putting affairs to rest, but if you're not one of them just do the most important items and leave the others for later. You may also delegate some of the less sensitive tasks to family and friends who wish to help.

Have Your Bank Release Your Funds — In some states banks put an automatic hold on accounts when the account holder passes away — even if it a joint account. You will probably need paperwork to prove your identity and relationship to your spouse, so be sure to have that with you.

Apply For Benefits — It can take a while to process the paperwork, so file right away if you think you are eligible. Surviving spouses and dependent children may be eligible for Social Security Survivor Benefits. You may also be entitled to benefits through your spouse's employer or Life Insurance.

Settle the Estate — You have nine months to handle all the paperwork and legal issues. Generally it is a good idea to have an Estate Planning attorney and/or tax professional's help. Form 706 — the Federal Estate tax Return — must be filed and the tax liabilities will be due within nine months of the decedent's death. Also — all debts of the decedent must be paid within nine months.

Postpone Charitable Giving — Until you have a better idea of how the passing of your spouse will impact your income, it's a good idea to suspend all non-critical expenses. You can continue your donations once you have created a budget and are sure you can still afford it.

Review Your Investments — While it is not critical to review your investments immediately, you may want to do so no more than perhaps three to six months following the death of your spouse. The only reason to change how your assets are invested right away is if they are too risky for your comfort. Or you have imminent deadlines on CDs or other instruments.

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People/Organizations to Contact

It's important to notify the right people and organizations right away to speed the receipt of benefits, guard against Identity Theft and protect your credit rating.

Employer — If your spouse was still employed at the time of his or her death, it's important to let the employer know so that you can transition your health coverage to COBRA or individual coverage so that you don't lose it. There may also be survivor benefits in the benefits package your spouse was receiving through work.

Funeral Home — Not only will you need someone to collect, transport and prepare your loved one for burial or cremation, the Funeral Director will also handle informing the appropriate government officials of the passing.

Financial Institutions — In order to ensure uninterrupted access to your assets and guard against fraud, you will want to alert banks, investment houses and credit issuers of your spouse's death.

Financial Advisor — If you're working with a financial advisor, contact them to make sure there aren't any issues that need attention immediately. If you aren't working with a financial advisor, you may want to consider seeking professional advice to help determine if anything needs to be done quickly�and to assist with decisions about possible life insurance benefits or investments. Either way, you may want to consider waiting on any major financial or investment decisions until you are able to focus better. It's important for you to actively participate in all financial choices, even those recommended by professionals.

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Things to Organize

You and your spouse have been well organized, and your income is from investments rather than employment, there may not be anything that needs immediate attention. However, it may be a good idea to take a close look at some matters to make sure you're all set.

Financial Records — What kind of shape are you in financially? The only way to know is to comb through your records and see. While you're at it, make sure everything is arranged in ways you understand so that you remain in control.

Long-Term Budget — Whether you created an Emergency Budget directly after the death of your spouse or not, you may find it valuable to create a long-term budget that you'll use to control spending moving forward. Be conservative, but you may also want to allow yourself some money for fun. You should review your budget every few months, or when your circumstances change.