Because the death of a loved one is stressful, it's important to be prepared and have a clear plan to make it easier for all involved. It's essential to get organised quickly and efficiently, so you can concentrate on supporting loved ones instead of the details.
Getting your affairs in order
The death of a loved one is possibly one of the most traumatic experiences we face as human beings. While it is something that no one likes to contemplate, it is inevitable that we will face this at some stage in our lives. A death usually brings confusion and frustration because we have to take care of their estate and funeral, all whilst grieving the loss. Being prepared and having a clear plan for the funeral and estate will make the event a lot easier for everyone concerned.
Coping with death has two facets. Firstly, you should make sure your own house is in order. Going through the process yourself will make it easier to assist others.
Get organised
Many documents need to be collected when someone passes away. Make copies of the following documents and give them to a trusted family member or friend along with your contact list: ID book, a certified copy of your passport, birth certificate, death certificates of family members, divorce documents, insurance policy and investment documents, short term insurance policies, medical aid, loans, employer contract. If you have ageing family members suggest that they do this too but don’t limit it to older people a mishap can happen to anyone.
If the death is expected
If possible try and get the paperwork in order. Be aware that the bank accounts of the deceased will be frozen so if the family needs money this should be taken into consideration. Make sure that they have a Will in place and assist them if possible. While it is not the most pleasant question to ask at this time you need to establish if they have a funeral plan or a life policy. They also need to appoint an executor to wind up their estate, if they have dependent children, it is vital that a guardian is also appointed.
The funeral director will collect the deceased on your behalf. The funeral director will have the deceased moved to a suitable mortuary and acquire a Death Notice / Notification of Death and a BI-1663 Medical Certificate. This is different from the 'Death Certificate' you get from Home Affairs.
If a person dies in the hospital after illness the doctor will issue a death notice. You will then be required to contact the funeral director immediately to collect the deceased. However, some State Hospitals may have mortuary facilities and the body will remain there until a death notice is issued.
If the cause of death was unnatural there will have to be a compulsory post-mortem and in this case, the state mortuary will then issue a death notice. Depending on the circumstances of death you may need to contact the police, if foul play is suspected the police will organise the removal of the body to a State Mortuary where a post-mortem will be performed.
Planning a funeral
Hopefully, you will have discussed hey type of funeral the deceased would have preferred i.e. a burial or cremation and the location. Once you have appointed a funeral director you will have to set up a meeting.
You will need to take the following documents:
- A copy of the deceased’s Identity Document
- Your Identity Document if you are arranging the funeral
- Funeral Policy details and contact numbers
- Marriage certificate (required by the insurance company)
- Clothes for the deceased
A funeral director will usually handle almost all aspects of the funeral. They will get the death notice from the medical facility, register the death at Home Affairs and collect the death certificate.
You will usually receive a Death Certificate from Home Affairs within a few weeks of the death being reported. If you are the Executor you will need to take the original Death Certificate with at least 10 copies to a police station to be certified. As an executor, it will be your job to close all the deceased accounts and the institutions will require a copy of the Death Certificate.
The will
An executor is a person responsible for making sure the deceased wishes are carried out, their accounts and affairs wound up and their possessions and money distributed to the correct people. If the person dies the without a will The Master of the High Court will appoint an executor.
If you are appointed as an executor you must feel confident that you can carry out the obligations because it can take a lot of time and effort. It is advisable to appoint an attorney or an accountant to assist you. As an Executor, you are entitled to a fee of 3.5% of the gross value of the assets.
It can take ten months to three years to finalise an estate and this is why a good funeral plan and life policy is such a valuable investment. It can tide over the heirs until all the legal issues are dealt with and the estate is wound up. It is a small price to pay for enormous peace of mind.
Hollard Life Assurance Company (Reg. No. 1993/001405/06) is an authorised Financial Services Provider.
