What do you have to do when a person dies?
When a person dies there are so many things to think about that it can be overwhelming. One of the most common questions we get asked when a friend or family member dies is “what happens next?”
We have outlined some facts below to help you if you find yourself managing a deceased person’s estate:
- The person with authority to deal with estate matters is the Executor/s of the will or if a person dies without a will then this will usually be the job of the spouse or children of the deceased
- There is no hurry in finalising a deceased’s person’s estate – the family can take all the time they need to grieve before they need to start the estate’s administration
- Once a bank finds out a person has died they will usually freeze the deceased person’s accounts, but most banks will release money to pay for the deceased’s funeral
- If a person dies owning real estate or a large sum of money then the Executor/family of the deceased need to see a lawyer to make an application to the Supreme Court to have the assets released
- An Executor or person in charge of finalising a deceased person’s estate usually has one year in which to finalise the estate
- The lawyer who is dealing with a deceased person’s estate will need the original will (if any) and the original death certificate to finalise the estate
- The funeral home will usually order a death certificate for the deceased person
An Executor/family members are free to choose their own lawyer to finalise a deceased person’s estate and do not have to use the lawyer who holds the will. f you are an Executor of a deceased person’s will, or you find yourself taking charge because someone close to you has died, contact us with any questions you have. We will happily speak with you on the phone free of charge.
