My husband and I recently moved from Maryland to New Mexico. My 97 1/2 year old mother lives with us. She is doing very well but we still want to be prepared for when she passes, especially if she dies unexpectedly at home, i.e. in her sleep. She wants to be cremated. I imagine cremation service, body transport service, Social Security Administration, but don't know who else needs to be contacted, and who we should call first? What other companies/agencies should we be lining-up? I would like to talk with them ahead of time, get pricing, etc. It will be sad, stressful and disturbing enough when the moment comes, so I think having a checklist ready to go will help make a smoother transition.
FYI: I have health & financial POA, and am a co-signer on her checking & savings accounts; She has no assets and lives on her monthly Social Security check. Thank you!!!
1. You wrote that she has no assets, but just think over these suggestions to ensure that nothing is missed: any real property owned, vehicles, household items (including any that are valuable, such as antiques), stocks, bonds, annuities, insurance policies, and/or anything that generates or could generate income.
2. Same for her liabilities: any credit cards, taxes on real property, monthly, quarterly or annual payments on anything ranging from services to insurance.
I mention these b/c I found that even though I had lists, I missed a few things which I hadn't thought of as assets.
3. Another important notification if appropriate are her other relatives, friends, acquaintances, your neighbors, Senior Center staff if she gets any assistance from them, i.e., people outside of the list of agencies and companies that might be providing support.
4. Something else to consider is whether or not to draft an obituary, and if so, whether or not you want to allow it to be printed in a newspaper, or want to keep the death private. I chose the latter, for a variety of reasons arising from security. One thing I didn't want is for strangers to know that the house could be vacant, nor did I want to be pestered by realtors, or wannabe flippers. (I was anyway.)
After my sister died, the realtors literally converged on the possibility of getting a listing; there were well over a dozen and a half sending junk mail to me.
And remember that if you post an obituary in a paper, it's highly likely to be uploaded to some website listing deaths. I didn't want to be pestered by any scroungers trying to get a house listing, host an asset sale or anything else.
In my area the Funeral Home director sets up cremations. But I know in Florida they are separate entities and the body can go directly there bypassing the Funeral home.
Since she is living with you, then you know what debts she has or doesn't so a plus there. TG my Mom had no credit cards and lived within her means. Any outstanding doctor bills were handled before she entered the NH.
Kurt Grubes book "Please don't Die, but if You Do, What Do I DO Next".Very simple and straightforward.
https://newmexico.networkofcare.org/aging/library/article.aspx?id=131
I was just looking over the check list provided in my province. They generally are very comprehensive.