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- Health and Wellness at the Crossroads, July 30,1997
Page 2
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Checklist for when someone dies
From Report?
This is a check list of things to con
sider when a family member dies.
This list provided by members of the
Houston County Extension Service.
1. Contact the funeral director. Be
prepared to give the following infor
mation for the death certificate:
full name of deceased
date and place of birth
nationality
occupation
social security number
marital status
full name of parents of deceased
(including mother’s married name)
Make funeral arrangements with
funeral director
select casket
select calling hours
choose burial ceremony
Funeral expenses may include cof
fin, flowers, clergy, honorariums,
newspaper notices, use of church,
clothing and transportation.
Other charges may include funeral
home space rental, certified death
transcripts, opening the grave, ceme
tery plot, cremation and transporta
tion.
2. Contact clergyman
3. Contact attorney immediately so
he or she can
locate and probate will
advise you as to what to sign and
what not to sign
re-record deeds to real property
disperse estate assets such as
stocks, bonds, savings accounts, busi
ness assets
draw up will for you
4. Locate cash to take care of
immediate needs. Sources of cash
include:
cash on hand
savings accounts,
checking accounts
money market certificates
life insurance cash value
5. Likely places to search for
important papers are:
safety deposit bpxes
brief cases
strong boxes
office desk
lockers
safes
Locate:
Banker suggests preparing financial documents as soon as possible
By EMILY JOHNSTONE
Health ind Wellness Staff
Bank of Perry vice-president
Jimmy Faircloth encourages
people to think about what
would happen to their banking matters
in the event of death.
Keeping papers regarding insurance
policies, property titles and other simi
life insurance policies
accident and health insurance
policies
disability insurance policies
homeowner insurance policies
bankbooks
notes receivable and notes
payable
real estate deeds
security certificates
wills
income tax return forms
-2 forms and other records of
earnings
marriage certificate
social security number
birth certificates of all family
members to prove ages
military discharge papers
Veteran’s Administration claim
number
automobile registration
installment payment books
6. Obtain copies of these papers:
death certificate (need at least 15
copies from funeral director to claim
insurance, social security and veteran’s
benefits)
birth certificate
marriage certificate
social security card
7. Contact life insurance agents
file a claim using death certifi
cate or attending physician’s statement
for proof of death
supply information including
policy number/s and amount/s, full
name and address of deceased,
deceased’s occupation and date last
worked, date and place of birth, date,
place and cause of death, claimant’s
name, age, address, and social security
number. .
Your settlement options are:
lump sum: you may immediately
be paid a lump sum
interest only: principal stays
intact, interest paid periodically
good temporarily while you decide
what to do with the money
life income or annuity: beneficia
ry receives stipulated benefit on set
dates for the lifetime of the claimant
fixed installments: benefits are
paid in agreed amounts over a period
of time until the money is used up
8. Contact your nearest social secu
rity office to apply for spouse and
lar items in the same location as the will
is a smart move, he said.
This cuts down on the confusion sur
vivors can run into when attempting to
locate all the assets of the deceased.
When a loved one dies, it is a good
idea for the administrator of the per
son’s estate to contact the proper bank
ing facilities, Faircloth said.
dependent benefits. Bring the follow
ing information:
certified copy of death certificate
deceased’s social security number
proof of age of deceased
marriage certificate
approximate earnings of
deceased in year of death
deceased’s employer’s name
record of deceased’s earnings in
year prior to death (use W-2 forms or
self employment tax return)
social security number of spouse
and dependent children
proof of age of spouse and
dependents (birth certificate, baptism
certificate or grade school records if
no birth certificate)
Note: Railroad Worker Benefits are
available to the beneficiary rather than
social security, if the person was
employed more than 10 years.
For veteran’s benefits, you should
contact the VA office and take along
service discharge papers, serial num
ber, branch and dates of service. Also,
the death certificate, marriage certifi
cate and birth certificates of depen
dent children.
9. Contact employer and or busi
ness associates to find out about:
group life insurance
pension fund contributions
accrued vacation and sick pay
terminal pay allowances
gratuity payments (tips)
service recognition awards
unpaid commissions
disability income
credit union balance
check to see if you and other
dependent are still eligible for hospi
talization and health insurance
10. Contact organizations deceased
belonged to
1L After property title changes are
complete, contact the insurance com
pany that insures your property to
inform them of changes in ownership
12. Notify state and federal tax
authorities
13. Notify anyone connected with
family finances such as your banker,
stockbroker, accountant or financial
planner
14. Gather and list all current bills
deceased owes and money owed
deceased.
If that person has a safety deposit box
within the bank, the beneficiary named
on the deposit box contract must bring
a copy of a death certificate in order to
gain access to the deposit box.
Beneficiaries or administrators will
also be able to handle accounts held by
(See BANKER, Page 5)
Hospice provides
home-based
health services
By PAULINE LEWIS
Health and Wellness Staff
Hospice of Houston
County is an
interdisciplinary
team of professionals and
volunteers who help the
family and friends be the
caring unit in the terminally
ill patient’s own home. They
enable the patient to live an
alert and pain-free life and
they promote the quality of
life for the patient and fami
ly unit.
The goal of Hospice of
Houston County is to work
closely with the existing sup
port systems to encourage
and support their efforts, to
help free the caregiver for
errands, to be a friend and a
loving, unbiased listener.
Confidentiality is a pledge of
the Hospice volunteer to
patient and family.
Hospice will serve the
patient during the last six
months of life, as they are
needed. Bereavement care of
the family will be provided
as long as'needed.
Bereavement care includes
individual and family coun
selling. Resources include a
lending library of
audio/video tapes and books,
care notes, and handouts for
grief work
Other services include a
monthly newsletter, an
annual memorial celebration,
referrals from the communi
ty, special programs and out
ings for bereavement groups,
support groups.
Emily Dennis is
Bereavement Services
Coordinator; Carolyn Pike is
Bereavement Services
Counselor. Call 922-1777
between 8:10 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday - Friday, to
make an appointment.
Dennis said the following
grief support groups are
offered by Hospice of
Houston County: They pro
vide services to everyone
who contacts them. Dennis
said persons who are inter
ested in becoming volunteers
can call the Hospice Office
at 922-1777.
We Care Bereavement
Support for Women - first
Tuesday of month, 10 a.m. -
noon, Hospice Office, 2068
Watson Blvd., Warner
(See HOSPICE, Page 5)