Losing Spouse/Parent Article


Losing a Spouse or Parent

You may be overwhelmed with grief right now. You may want to leave the administrative matters for a later day. But there are notifications and legal steps that should not be postponed.

  • Make funeral and burial arrangements.
  • Obtain several copies of the death certificate.
  • Gather relevant documents, such as the will, insurance policies, trusts, and stock, bank account and annuity statements.
  • Contact the Social Security Administration (if the deceased was an eligible recipient).
  • Send a notification and death certificate to the director of health services (if the deceased was a AHCCCS recipient) within 90 days after the death.
  • Notify any life insurance companies of the death.
  • Contact the trustee of any trust and/or the attorney who prepared it.
  • Contact the executor of the will and/or the attorney who prepared it.
  • Call the administrator of the decedent’s pension plan.
  • Notify the decedent’s banks and financial institutions.
  • Contact credit card companies.
  • Be sure that insurance or Medicare claims have been processed before paying any medical bills.

Comments:

On 4/11/07
MARY said
WHERE DO I GO TO GET AN AFFIDAVIT OF SUCCESSORS RIGHTS PURSUANT TO A.R.S. 14-3901

On 1/18/07
Stew  said
Could you add link to self service forms for property transfer.

QUESTIONS

  • My mother passed away September 14m 2009. In her will she designated that I was to receive 75%, my sister the remaining 25%, upon the sale of her home. I need to transfer title to me, how? I reside in Pima county.
  • my brother and I are Coconino County Superior Court appointed guardian/conservator for my mother who has recently died. How do we terminate this arrangement with the court? It is also time for the annual report to the court. There is less than $60 in the estate.
  • my mother recently passed aay. her real estate deed has a joint tenancy w/ rights of survivorship, naming my aunt. my mothers wishes were that the home be sold and proceds devided between my sister and myself..i have lived and cared for my mother for the past 4 years, paying taxes, utilities and so forth. can my aunt list the house for sale at such a high dollar amount, that will never even be considered by buyers? can she make me move ( I am disabled ) when I have nowhere, and not enough income to purchase another dwelling? she (aunt) has already removed all of my mothers personal belongings (clothing,jewelry, cash car I don't understand please advise me, I don't know what to do. thank you so very much
  • Father was diagnosed with alteimers. My parents marriage lasted till his death .couple months after she remarried. I am his only child also have 2 half sisters. When my fathers will was made he had already began early stages of alteimers and dimentia. I was not included in the will. My half sister who put my father in jail prior to his last days is on his will as well as my mother. I wanted to know what rites I have being his only daughter.
  • Does the 13 yr old chose who to live with
  • Is there an agency that will assist with figuring out all the paperwork after the sudden death of my father?
  • need time limit in years to file medical malpractice in the state. need list of attorneys that can file for me
  • I have lost my mother on November 2018. I understand I need to file taxes for her. My accountant says I need to get her (deceased person’s) representation to file her last taxes. What forms I have to fill? Where do I apply to get the representation? Where can I get some help regarding this process?
  • My late husband suffered from Alzheimer's Disease when he borrowed money and signed documents that deeded his home to another person. That person refuses to return title of the home to my late husband's estate even though the loan was paid off in full. What are my rights?
  • Before my husband died in 2007 we took out a loan with citi financial. Our 2004 truck was used as collateral.My husband was the primary signer. I paid on this loan as long as I could but stopped 4 years ago. The truck was never repossessed and still sits in my yard. I contacted Citi as I was willing to give up the truck. They told me I had to send them a death certificate. But if they had repossessed it they would just come pick it up. They also said to get the title back I would need to send them an estate administrator document. According to the probate judge this would cost about $1,000. I cannot afford that. will I be able to ever get the title back?

STORIES

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FIND LEGAL HELP

  • Please select your county of residence below.

    County:
     

OTHER LEGAL RESOURCES

  • State Bar of Arizona
    www.azbar.org
  • Maricopa County Bar
    www.maricopabar.org
    Referral number 602-257-4434
  • Pima County Bar
    www.pimacountybar.org
    Referral number 520-623-4625
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline
    800-799-7233
  • Bankruptcy Court Self Help Center
    866-553-0893
  • Certified Legal Document Preparer Program
    Link

ORGANIZATIONS

RELATED ARTICLES

ARIZONA PROBATE FUNDAMENTALS

LINKS

Area Agency on Aging

Maricopa County Judicial Branch Self-Service Center Online

Arizona 2-1-1

Pima County Courts Self Service Center

LeadingAgeAZ

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