Whether sudden or expected, death can be an emotional experience for those that were close to the deceased. However, as you grieve the loss of a loved one, you will also have to complete several steps to finalize the death and make funeral plans. To help you through this period, here are five important steps to take.  

Tasks to Complete When a Death Has Occurred

1. Register the Death

As soon as you are aware of your loved one’s passing, the proper authorities must be notified to declare and register the death. If the death occurred in a hospital or a hospice environment, these facilities will be able to take care of this. However, if it happened in a home or other location, you should call 911 or a preferred funeral home to walk you through the declaration process.

2. Notify Others

Next, you will need to contact others that were close to your relative to inform them of the death. Since breaking this news can be difficult, it’s best to keep your messages short and say you’ll follow up with details as soon as funeral plans are made. In addition to contacting family and friends, you should also inform any parties that had business with the deceased—such as employers, attorneys, and banks.  

3. Make Funeral Plans

When pre-planning instructions are available, most of the costs and decisions will already be made. If they are not available, you and your family will need to speak with a funeral director to make important choices regarding what to do with the body and any services you may want to hold to honor the deceased.  

4. Obtain & Review Legal Documents

Apart from funeral instructions, you will need to locate other documents that offer instructions on what do after the individual passes. Some documents—such as a will—are typically held by attorneys. Other important items may be filed away in your loved one’s home. Important papers to look for include those that pertain to military service, employer benefits, and life insurance companies.  

5. Secure Death Certificates

Death certificates will be required by several parties to confirm that an individual has passed. For example, utility companies and banks typically need proof to ensure that an individual’s accounts are handled appropriately. In most cases, you should be able to order these important documents from the funeral home.

Although making funeral plans can be overwhelming, it is not something that you have to do on your own. If you need to make arrangements in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, turn to the compassionate specialists at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home & Cremation Center. Serving the community since 1953, this funeral home understands how to handle the aftercare process and will be with you every step of the way. To learn about all of the ways they can assist, visit this provider online. You can also call (715) 423-5460 to speak directly with a funeral director.