Hello,
Even though I don't know the person very well, but my good friend is a friend of this lady. I'd love to help so she doesn't need to waste her time researching and have time to grieve her husband. I'm reposting my post from the Bogleheads in order to pull more brain power.
Her (either a GC holder or has the US citizenship) DH died of heart attack yesterday morning. He was 37 y.o. He's American. They have a 3 y.o. girl and a 3-month baby. He's gone now and she's totally alone with little children, just went back to work after her FMLA. Her MIL came from OR and will stay for 2 weeks. It's an awful tragedy and I'm sure she feels lost. He served in the military, so she's planning to do cremation and some kind of military service. Hopefully MIL can help with that.
Could you be so kind and list what steps to take NOW when a spouse passes away suddenly? And then what steps to take a bit later anything financially related, what gov't institutions should be informed, what forms to obtain, etc., etc. to move with her life further?
I don't know if he had life insurance outside from his work. But will his company automatically contact its life insurance company re their employee's death or does the wife have to do it?
If he had a 401k and IRA, what steps does she need to make? I hope he had assigned beneficiaries on both of them. If the person doesn't do, leaves blank, what happens in such cases?
Anything else? If it matters, they live in NC.
Thank you so much.
PS. I've heard that banks freeze joint account when one dies. How do banks learn about the death? Does the spouse have to tell or do the banks get info via other channels? Anyway, I told to withdraw cash so she can pay bills for the next month or so, because she won't be able to get it as soon as the banks know. Was it a good advice?
Even though I don't know the person very well, but my good friend is a friend of this lady. I'd love to help so she doesn't need to waste her time researching and have time to grieve her husband. I'm reposting my post from the Bogleheads in order to pull more brain power.
Her (either a GC holder or has the US citizenship) DH died of heart attack yesterday morning. He was 37 y.o. He's American. They have a 3 y.o. girl and a 3-month baby. He's gone now and she's totally alone with little children, just went back to work after her FMLA. Her MIL came from OR and will stay for 2 weeks. It's an awful tragedy and I'm sure she feels lost. He served in the military, so she's planning to do cremation and some kind of military service. Hopefully MIL can help with that.
Could you be so kind and list what steps to take NOW when a spouse passes away suddenly? And then what steps to take a bit later anything financially related, what gov't institutions should be informed, what forms to obtain, etc., etc. to move with her life further?
I don't know if he had life insurance outside from his work. But will his company automatically contact its life insurance company re their employee's death or does the wife have to do it?
If he had a 401k and IRA, what steps does she need to make? I hope he had assigned beneficiaries on both of them. If the person doesn't do, leaves blank, what happens in such cases?
Anything else? If it matters, they live in NC.
Thank you so much.
PS. I've heard that banks freeze joint account when one dies. How do banks learn about the death? Does the spouse have to tell or do the banks get info via other channels? Anyway, I told to withdraw cash so she can pay bills for the next month or so, because she won't be able to get it as soon as the banks know. Was it a good advice?