Which organizations you'll need to notify after the death of a loved one?

Experiencing the loss of a loved one is never easy. It is painful as well as depressing, says Michael Scarpaci.

No matter what you feel, there are a few things you need to take care of after the death of your family member. Besides funeral and memorial arrangements, you also need to notify certain organizations about the death of a loved one.

If it's your first experience dealing with the loss of a loved one, then you might not be familiar with the organizations that you need to notify. Therefore, to help you, Michael Scarpaci, share holder at Scarpaci Funeral home in Staten Island, has given below a list of organizations that should be notified about the death as soon as possible.

Banks - Although each bank has a different process of closing the accounts of a decedent, a copy of or a death certificate is a must. However, you shouldn't close the bank accounts of your deceased loved one immediately after death. To withdraw money from the decedent's account, the nominee needs to show a death certificate to the bank.

Employer - If your loved one was still working, do notify their employer about the death and find out any death benefits, retirement funds or life insurance that the deceased is eligible for. You can ask the human resources department of your family member's company about any funds and how to collect them. Do not forget to take a copy of a death certificate when visiting the employer.

Insurance company - Apart from the banks and employer, you should also notify the insurance companies with which your deceased loved one had policies about the death. Make sure you have policy numbers and copies of a death certificate when the insurance companies call. You will be guided by the insurer about the next steps.

Besides this, the other organizations you'll need to notify about the death of your family member, include credit reporting agencies, Social Security Administration, loans, subscriptions, Medicaid and Medicare, social media, taxes, and more.

The bottom line

We understand reaching out to these many organizations after the death of your loved one can be overwhelming and stressful. But by taking these steps you can have peace of mind that the decedent's estate is safe from unnecessary charges by banks and other organizations.