We all hope that we won’t have to deal with the emotional process of closing the final chapter of someone who we love. However, death will knock on the door for us all and our loved ones are not excluded. Initially, you will be hit with a massive shock and sorrow will consume your mind and body like fountain ink spreading through water. However, you must not allow the grief of losing a loved one to cloud your duty to them.
The final chapter in their life can only be closed, once you have finished with the legal and financial side to their last will and testament. Focus on doing right by them, adhering to their last wishes on earth. It’s not going to be easy. No doubt that if they have left a written will, you will get a clearer picture of the duties they have left in your hands. Be strong and be diligent. Try to keep the grief under control, think clearly and do the best you can to perform the tasks they want you to complete.
This is a contributed post and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Meet The Harris Family.
Acquiring the will
Reading the will and the scenes that go along with it are well-known; so much so that most of us understand that process due to what we see in movies and tv shows. However, the directors of those shows make it easy for us to cut straight to the entertaining part. First, you actually have to find the will. It’s not just suddenly given to you by a member of the funeral company or anybody else close in the family. You must contact the solicitor of the now deceased as they might have the will in their legal possession. It may be in the hands of a storage facility which offer the service of holding onto the will.
If you have a probate registry in your state, they could also have the will ready and waiting. Even the bank might have the will if they offer that service to their customers. Regardless, you have to find the will from one of these companies. Then, you’ll have to take it to an executor and have it read legally. It’s wise to not open the will yourself. As a party that is mentioned in the will and who will possibly be given assets of lump sums by the deceased can accuse you of tampering with it. So only allow the executor to read it for the very first time and in front of multiple witnesses whether involved directly or not.
Begin dividing it up
When the will has been formally read out by the executor and everyone is informed, the next step will be to divide up any assets and financial gifts the deceased has chosen to give. For this phase, you will need a legal team like Edmonton Probate Lawyers. The probate process is quite easy to understand. The early phase will be to recognize the assets, money, and any and all liabilities such as outstanding loans etc. The next will be to legally pass on such property and monies to whoever they have been given. This means adhering to the laws of the state, such as inheritance tax, property tax etc.
If the deceased would like to liquidate their assets then those shall be done. The probate lawyer will carry out the necessary proceedings for property to be sold. The documentation that needs to be signed by the new owners of properties and recipients of cash sums will need to be drawn up. Next, they are drafted and changed if need be. Then finally, acknowledged and confirmed by government institutions and relevant companies.
The little things
With the larger things out of the way, it’s time for the little things. Broches, clothes, jewelry, photo albums, music records and more are all things that vary in value. A ring that is pure gold, may mean and be worth less to you than an item of clothing. These are the things that harbor sentimental value and must be treated with just as much care as assets and money left behind.
There may be family heirlooms that are hundreds of years old which look as if they wouldn’t be sold for double-digits at auctions. Therefore legal services should be used to make sure all items given are confirmed to be in the new owner’s possession. These things can be brought to the individuals or they can be present at the time of retrieving them. This could be done at a safety deposit box in a bank, or simply at the home of the deceased.
Taking care
Now that you own pieces of the deceased person’s life’s work, it’s time to take care of it. If they have entrusted you with taking care of something, honor them by doing so. Now, it’s time to mourn at your leisure and remember that whatever it is that was given to you holds a special value that the deceased wanted for you to have.
It’s going to be difficult to control your emotions when a loved one dies. But someone needs to take charge and do right by their final wishes. Assets and money can all be distributed as wished by a probate lawyer. Making sure the little things are also taken care of can be done in the same manner. All you have to do is keep it together until you have the time to reflect back on their life.
