Seven Steps to Handling Your Loved One’s Estate

We are never fully prepared for the loss of a loved one—how can we be? However, you can be more prepared for the tasks you will need to take care of by getting a copy of our free booklet, Seven Steps to Handling Your Loved One’s Estate. Whether you are planning ahead or are in the midst of a loss, this easy-to-follow guide will take you step by step through the process of closing out an estate.

What You Will Find in the Booklet

While we provide a list of the most important things you will need to take care of when a loved one dies, there may be additional tasks you need to complete, depending on the specifics of your loved one’s estate. You may need to contact a probate attorney to help you at this difficult time, but our free guide gives an overview of the following steps you will need to take:

  1. Take an inventory of property and important documents. We provide a checklist of the documents you should locate and property the deceased may have in his or her name.
  2. Notify the Social Security Administration. Find contact information here to take care of this task.
  3. Keep property safe from vandalism and theft. Removing valuables and securing the home will make sure they are safe, but be sure to keep a record of what you remove. We tell you how.
  4. Address outstanding debt. Debts are not forgiven when a person dies, so we tell you how to figure out what your loved one owed to whom.
  5. Open claims for insurance benefits. Identify any life insurance policies or retirement accounts and inform the providers of the death.
  6. Research additional benefits from employer. You should contact the deceased’s employer to see if there were additional benefits with named beneficiaries.
  7. Contact a probate attorney. An attorney can do many of these things for you and will also be able to take care of any other issues with your loved one’s estate.

Contact Miller Law Office, PLLC, in Plano

If you have lost a loved one in Texas, our free guide is a great way to get an idea of what you will need to do. If it feels overwhelming to you, please contact our office to find out how we may be able to assist you. You are coping with a lot right now, and shouldn’t have to take on more than you can handle. The Miller Law Office, PLLC, is here for you!