Everyone goes through countless events during their life. While many of these depend on the life you lead, some of them are common for everyone. One of the more notable is when your parents pass on. It happens to everyone, as unfortunate as it is. As natural as this is, it is not something most people are prepared for.
It will be an emotionally devastating time, and it is easy to see why. Then there is the fact there are countless things to do once they are gone.
Despite the fact they need to be done, you might not be sure of what you need to do. It is easy to see why, considering the emotions you are experiencing. Then there is the fact it is not exactly something you think about planning for.
When your parents pass on, however, it is worth making sure you take the right steps afterward. Some of these are worth focusing on, especially once both have passed.
Parents Pass On: Seven Steps To Take
1. Obtain Legal Documentation
Once someone passes, there are multiple legalities to sort out, even when it is down to natural causes. Make sure you get started on these as soon as you are able to. This starts with getting legal documentation of your parents’ death, with this usually being a death certificate.
You can get this from either a funeral director or a medical examiner. You should receive this in a few days, although the exact timeline can depend on where you live. It should not have to be a time-consuming or complicated process, but it is vital you make sure it is done.
2. Notify Necessary Parties
With legal documentation of your parents’ death in hand, you can start notifying the appropriate parties of their passing. There are more than a few people you will need to tell, and this goes beyond friends and family. If your parents work, then employers will need to know about it, for example.
Then there is their insurance provider, bank, the social security office, and multiple other parties. This is where the legal documentation of your parents’ death is vital. While this could take a little time to get done, it is vital you sort it out as soon as you can.
3. Make Arrangements For The Body
You will already know you will need to plan a funeral after either of your parents pass on. As part of this, you will need to make arrangements for the body. In some cases, this is relatively straightforward, because you would have been able to talk to your parents about it.
For something unexpected, it gets more complicated. Take the time to consider what they would have wanted. Do not overlook a death cleanup after they have gone if they died in the home. It could be part of the grieving process, and it is always something to consider.
4. Sort Out Any Pets
If your parents had any pets before they passed on, then you will need to figure out what to do with them. Most people decide to keep the pet in the family and bring it home. This could be the best approach to take, especially if you are an only child, but keep your circumstances in mind.
If you have siblings, then it could be worth talking to them about who wants to take the pet. Keep their circumstances in mind, too, so you can make sure they are in a position to actually look after the pet once they bring it home.
5. Secure Their Assets
One often overlooked step to take after parents pass on is securing their assets. A lot of this revolves around making sure their home is locked if nobody’s living there. The same can be said of their car and any other assets they might have had. Make sure all of their assets are as secure as possible.
There could also be a few other tasks related to this that are relatively mundane. Checking the mail a few times a week until their death is registered is a great example of this. Take the time to make sure all of these are done.
6. Settle The Estate
Now you have secured your parents’ assets, it will be time to settle the estate. In most cases, this is a relatively straightforward process. Your parents’ will outline exactly how they want their assets to be dispersed, and it is a legally binding document you will need to follow. If they have a will, find it and enact it.
Usually, you will need someone to execute the will, and this person will usually be named in the will itself. There are also legal professionals that can help with this. If there is not a will, then divide your parents’ assets as fairly as you would think, keeping what they would have wanted in mind.
7. Celebrate Their Life
It is natural to focus on the fact your parents are gone once they have passed on. You will be filled with emotions, and these are not exactly going to be positive. You will be going through the grieving process. When you are doing this, it is often worth considering celebrating their life.
This can help with the grieving process a lot better than you would think. It lets you and your family remember the good times you had with your parents while focusing on positive memories. There will be countless memories to focus on with this, and there is no reason to forget about them.
Parents Pass On: Wrapping Up
Countless events in a person’s life can be traumatic, and these can be more common than you would think. Perhaps the most common is when your parents pass on. It happens to everyone, and it is emotionally devastating when it does. It is easy to get caught up in your emotions.
Then there is the fact you will need to sort out quite a few things after the second of your parents passes on. Many of these steps could be vital.
Despite how important they can be, it is natural not to know what to do. You would not have planned for your parents passing on, and it is an emotional time. By focusing on certain steps, however, you should make the process more straightforward.
