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Table of Contents

The Funeral Is Just the Beginning: Everything You Need to Do When a Loved One Dies

•    Preface
•    Introduction
•    How to Use this Book
      o    Hire an Attorney
      o    Pace Yourself
•    Notifying Friends, Family, Employers, and Others
      o    Friends and Family
      o    Your Loved One’s Employer, Employees, and Colleagues
      o    Canceling Mail, Telemarketers, and Other Solicitors
•    Last-Minute Travel
      o    Bereavement Fares
      o    Retroactive Refunds
      o    Booking Tickets Online
      o    Airlines That Offer Bereavement Fares
      o    Airlines That Do Not Offer Bereavement Fares
      o    Car Service
      o    Car Rental Companies
      o    Baby Equipment Rentals
      o    Certified Child Care
•    Transporting a Body by Plane
      o    Using a Commercial Airline
      o    Using a Shipping Service
      o    Cost of Shipping Human Remains
      o    Human Remains Shipping Resources
•    Donating a Body to Science
      o    How It Works
      o    The Donation Process
      o    Where to Donate a Body
•    Cremation
      o    Cremation Process
      o    Planning a Cremation
      o    Cost of Cremation
      o    ID Viewing
      o    Cremation Paperwork
      o    Traveling with Cremated Remains
      o    Cost of an Urn
      o    Placement of an Urn
      o    Placing or Scattering Cremains on Land
      o    Scattering Cremated Remains at Sea
      o    Cremation Resources
•    Writing the Obituary
      o    First Sentence of the Obituary
      o    Second Sentence of the Obituary
      o    Additional Sentences
      o    Concluding the Obituary
•    Your Rights at a Funeral Home
      o    Appoint an Advocate
      o    Emotional Overspending
      o    Involving Your Church or Synagogue
      o    Purchasing a Casket
      o    Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule
      o    Overview of the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule
      o    An Exception to the Funeral Rule
      o    Violations of the Funeral Rule
      o    Paperwork Related to the Funeral Rule
      o    Further Reading
      o    Funeral Resources
•    Funeral Home Sales Tactics
      o    Appoint an Advocate
      o    Don’t Mistake Kindness for Trustworthiness
      o    Presentation of Caskets
      o    The Service Story
      o    Preying on Guilt and Grief
      o    The Term “Traditional”
      o    The Term “Average”
      o    The Term “Required by Law”
      o    ID Viewing
      o    “Who Is Paying for the Funeral Expenses?”
      o    Further Reading
•    Planning a Funeral
      o    One Step at a Time
      o    Funeral Planning Checklist
      o    Funeral Costs
      o    Creating the Funeral Program
      o    Safety Precaution
      o    Alternative Funerals
      o    Funeral Resources
•    Writing a Eulogy
      o    How to Begin a Eulogy
      o    Structure of a Eulogy
      o    Presentation of a Eulogy
•    Funeral Etiquette
      o    Before the Funeral
      o    Attire
      o    At the Funeral
      o    Offering Condolences
      o    Children Attending a Funeral
      o    Pallbearers
      o    Graveside Service
      o    Reception
•    Catholic Funerals
      o    Last Rites
      o    Embalming and Cremation
      o    The Wake
      o    Attire
      o    The Funeral Liturgy, or Mass
      o    Rite of Committal
•    Christian Funerals
      o    Before the Funeral
      o    Attire
      o    At the Funeral
      o    Funeral Procession
      o    Reception
•    Jewish Funerals
      o    Before the Funeral
      o    Attire
      o    Embalming and Cremation
      o    Preparing the Body for Burial
      o    At the Funeral
      o    Burial
      o    Shiva
      o    Unveiling
•    Memorial Services
      o    Before the Service
      o    Attire
      o    Planning the Service
      o    Choosing an Officiant
      o    Elements of a Memorial Service
      o    Memory Books
      o    Reception
      o    Memorial Service Checklist
      o    Memorial Service Costs
      o    Creating the Memorial Program
      o    Safety Precaution
      o    Memorial Service Resources
•    Memorial Options
      o    Online Memorials
      o    Online Memorial Sites
      o    Memorial Suggestions
      o    Memorial Resources
•    Mandatory Death Notifications
      o    Notify Newspapers
      o    Notify the Social Security Administration
      o    Notify Veterans Affairs
•    Death Certificate
      o    Included in the Death Certificate
      o    Acquiring Additional Copies of the Death Certificate
•    Grief Support
      o    The Five Stages of Grief
      o    How Long Does Grief Last?
      o    Common Grief Reactions
      o    I Can’t Do This
      o    Coping With Grief
      o    Don’t Judge Your Grief
      o    When It All Falls Apart, Go Back to the Basics
      o    Seek Support
      o    Helping Someone Who Is Grieving
      o    Online Grief Resources   
            ⁃    General Grief Support
            ⁃    Loss of a Child
            ⁃    Loss of a Parent
                ▪   For Children and Teens
                ▪   For Adults
            ⁃     Loss of a Sibling
            ⁃     Loss of a Spouse or Partner
            ⁃     Loss of a Grandchild
            ⁃     Loss Due to Suicide
            ⁃     Sudden or Violent Death
            ⁃     Military Loss
            ⁃     Find a Mental Health Practitioner
      o    Further Reading
•    If There Is Not a Will
      o    Intestate
      o    Partial Intestate
      o    Determining Next of Kin
      o    Settling an Estate
      o    A Word of Warning
      o    What Goes Through Probate
      o    Order of Estate and Probate Payment
      o    Procuring a Lawyer
      o    Estates Worth Less Than $50,000*
      o    Safe Deposit Boxes
      o    Surviving Spouse
      o    Guardianship and Power of Attorney
      o    How Long Does It Take to Settle an Estate?
      o    Further Reading
      o    Additional Legal Resources
•    If There Is a Will
      o    Testate
      o    Partial Testate
      o    Contesting or Challenging a Will
      o    Personal Representative
      o    Responsibilities of the Personal Representative
      o    Executing a Will
      o    A Word of Warning
      o    Order of Estate and Probate Payment
      o    What Goes Through Probate
      o    Procuring a Lawyer
      o    Safe Deposit Boxes
      o    Surviving Spouse
      o    Guardianship and Power of Attorney
      o    How Long Does It Take to Settle an Estate?
      o    Further Reading
      o    Additional Legal Resources
•    If You Are the Personal Representative of a Will
      o    Administration Fee
      o    Open a Bank Account for the Estate
      o    Personal Representative’s Fiduciary Duty
      o    Responsibilities of the Personal Representative
      o    How Long Does It Take to Settle an Estate?
      o    Further Reading
•    If You Are the Trustee of a Trust
      o    Administration Fee
      o    Responsibilities of the Trustee
      o    Taxes on a Trust
      o    Further Reading
•    Probate Overview
      o    Who Oversees Probate
      o    Formal vs. Informal Probate
      o    The Probate Process
      o    Appointment of a Personal Representative
      o    Responsibilities of the Personal Representative
      o    What Goes Through Probate
      o    What Doesn’t Go Through Probate
      o    Estates Worth Less Than $50,000*
      o    Those Who Have Legal Standing in Probate
      o    How Long Does It Take to Complete Probate?
      o    Advantages of Probate
      o    A Word of Warning
      o    Probate Attorney Fees
      o    Expenses to Expect
      o    Guardianship and Power of Attorney
      o    Further Reading
      o    Probate Resources
•    Children Under 18: Custody and Guardianship
      o    If One Parent Dies
      o    If Both Parents Die
      o    Petitioning for Guardianship
      o    Foster Care
      o    Types of Guardianship
      o    Supervision of Guardians
•    Finding a Lawyer
      o    Evaluating a Lawyer
      o    Locate a Lawyer in Your Area
•    What to Bring to a Lawyer
      o    Checklist of Documents to Bring to a Lawyer
•    Property, Accounts, and Debts
      o    Before You Begin
      o    Property
      o    Leased Apartment
      o    Canceling Utilities
      o    Bank Accounts
      o    Investments, Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, 401K, IRA, and Roth Accounts
      o    Guardianship and Power of Attorney
      o    Outstanding Debts
      o    Buy-Sell Agreements in Business
•    Credit Cards
      o    Who Is Responsible for the Deceased’s Credit Card Debt?
      o    A Word of Warning
      o    Notifying Credit Card Bureaus
      o    Sample Letter to Credit Bureaus
•    Listing Assets
      o    Valuing Assets
      o    IRS Regulations
      o    Real Estate
      o    How to List Assets
             ⁃    Real Estate
             ⁃    Vehicles
             ⁃    Bank Accounts
             ⁃    Investment and Brokerage Firms
             ⁃    Bonds
             ⁃    Mutual Funds
             ⁃    Stocks
             ⁃    Limited Partnerships
             ⁃    Employee Benefits
             ⁃    Life Insurance
             ⁃    Miscellaneous Benefits
             ⁃    Outstanding Amounts Due to the Deceased
•    Filing Taxes   
      o    Income Tax
      o    Inheritance Tax
      o    Trust Tax
      o    Estate Tax
      o    Which Assets Are Counted?
      o    Valuing Assets
      o    IRS Regulations
      o    Deductions
      o    Attorneys and Accountants: Assistance with Valuing Assets
      o    Additional Resources
•    Appraising Personal Property
      o    An Item’s Value
      o    Choosing an Appraiser
      o    Fees for Appraiser
      o    Contingency Fee
      o    Appraisal Report
      o    Further Reading
      o    Additional Resources
•    Estate Sales and Brokerages
      o    Estate Sale Process
      o    Conducting an Estate Sale
      o    Hiring an Estate Sale or Brokerage Professional
      o    Further Reading
      o    Additional Resources
•    Claiming Employee Benefits
      o    Death Benefit
      o    Annuity, Insurance, and Retirement Plans
      o    Pension Benefits
      o    Wages Due
      o    Other Employee Benefits
•    Claiming Life Insurance
      o    Four Types of Life Insurance
•    Claiming Social Security Benefits
      o    Death Benefit
      o    Survivor Benefits
      o    Social Security Administration: Application Information
      o    Documents Required to File for Social Security Survivor Benefits
•    Claiming Military (Active Service) Benefits
      o    Military (Active Service) Benefits vs. Veterans Benefits
      o    Families Applying for Active Service Benefits
      o    Families Applying for Veterans Benefits
      o    Overview of Military (Active Service) Benefits
      o    How to Begin the Application Process for Military (Active Service) Benefits
      o    Privacy Act and Authorization for Disclosure of Information
      o    Documents Required to Apply for Military (Active Service) Benefits
      o    Funeral Arrangements for Military (Active Service) Benefits
      o    Transporting a Fallen Soldier’s Body by Air
      o    Military Branch Survivor Benefits
      o    Additional Military Resources
•    Claiming Veterans Benefits
      o    Veterans Benefits vs. Military (Active Service) Benefits
      o    Overview of Veterans Benefits Available
      o    Required Documents to Apply for Veterans Benefits
      o    Request Military Service Records
      o    Veterans Benefits: Application Information
      o    Veterans Affairs Offices
      o    Survivors Assistance
      o    Funeral and Burial Benefits
      o    Funeral Honors
      o    Claiming Funeral and Burial Benefits
•    Cleaning Out a Residence
      o    Sorting Personal Belongings
      o    Shredding Documents
            ⁃    Mobile Shredding Companies (will come to you)
            ⁃    Stores That Offer In-House Shredding   
      o    Donation Resources
      o    Sell Items Yourself
      o    Shipping Services for Smaller Items
      o    Moving and Shipping Services
      o    Portable Storage and Moving Containers
      o    Storage Facilities
      o    Senior Relocation Services
      o    Cleaning Services
      o    Recycling and Waste Services
      o    Realtors
      o    Further Reading
•    Vehicles
      o    Transferring a Vehicle’s Title at the DMV   
      o    Car Insurance
      o    Selling a Car
      o    DMV Directory
      o    Car Brokers
      o    Car Shipping
      o    Donate a Car
•    Relocating Pets
      o    Vet Certification
      o    Transporting Animals by Air
      o    Companies That Transport Animals by Air
      o    Companies That Transport Animals by Ground
      o    Airlines That Allow Pets as Carry-On
      o    No-Kill Animal Shelters
•    Checklists
      o    First Things First
      o    After the Funeral
      o    With the Lawyer
      o    In Your Own Time
•    Acknowledgments
•    About the Author

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© 2012 Vienna Woods, LLC  | All rights reserved
© 2013 Vienna Woods Media, LLC | All rights reserved
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