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Paying For Death - Checking Benefits

Dying can be a complicated business and finances are at the forefront. How is the funeral paid for and who handles the paperwork? Is there insurance that can help pay? What about Social Security benefits? Is it possible that the deceased prepaid for their funeral arrangements? There are quite a few things to think about financially to ensure that not only are the funeral costs covered but also incoming bills as well. Of course, there is also the matter of settling the estate.

Checking death benefits is an important aspect that should be covered among the many duties that you as the surviving family member are in charge of. Is your dead loved one a veteran of a war? They could be eligible for death benefits through the Veteran's Administration. However, the only way to know that is if you follow up on it.

Social Security may cover a part of the death benefits but only if the individual was covered. The death benefit payment would only be paid to the current surviving widower, widow or child. However, don't count on much if anything from this resource. If your loved one was killed or died as a result of their job, you may be able to collect some type of benefit from your state's labor department or even through the insurance carried by the employer. You owe it to the surviving family members to check it out.

If the death was a result of any criminal act, your state may have a special fund to compensate victimized families. Check with the local police department or social work office to find out more about this option. They may even be able to suggest counseling services, particularly if the death was a result of a crime.

Some people take out insurance just for the purpose of paying for their funeral. Peruse through the paperwork of your deceased loved one to see if they may have paid out funeral insurance. In addition, if they were a member of a trade union, civic organization or even a regulated employment group, they may be eligible for benefits upon death. There are many options in this area to pursue and follow up.

Prepaid funerals are also a possibility. Some people pay a predetermined amount so that their funeral from the burial plot or cremation to headstones and caskets are taken care of. Typically, all but 5 to 10 % of the prepayment is placed in a trust account which is insured. That 5 to 10% is used for administrative fees and taxes. If the funeral was paid for a while ago, chances are that the trust has earned dividends. Usually the dividends cover the cost of some of the inflation that is likely to occur.

When a loved one dies, it is important to get a few copies of the death certificate. These are important in proving your death when it comes to trying to pay off bills, obtain insurance payments and other duties that are a part of settling the estate. Typically, the death certificate is filed through the local county courthouse and you should be able to obtain a copy there for a nominal fee.

All in all, there is a lot of paperwork when a person dies. However, if your loved one's files are organized and clearly labeled, then you would have just a minimum of fuss in dealing with the administrative aspects of their death.