 TITLE: Checklist: What to Do When a Loved One Dies CONTENT: Secure Their Estate\n-------------------\n*   You'll need certified copies of your loved one's death certificate for each financial account, benefit plan, insurance policy and piece of real estate they owned, as well as for courts and government agencies.\n    *   You can get certified copies from the funeral home, mortuary or your state or county office of vital statistics.\n    *   10 to 20 certified copies is a good number to start with; you can also order more later if you need them.\n*   If your family member had life insurance, contact these companies to start the process of claiming life insurance payouts.\n*   Within 30 days, you'll need to begin the process of settling the estate, which varies depending on what type of estate plans your family member left behind.\n    *   If your loved one had a living trust, the estate does not have to go through probate (a legal process for distributing property after someone passes away).\n    *   If your loved one did not have a will, or had a will but not a trust, visit your state courts' website to determine if the estate must go through probate. Laws vary from state to state.\n    *   If probate is required, file the appropriate documents with the court within the required time frame.\n    *   If your loved one had a will, the probate court will validate it and authorize the executor to pay any debts and distribute assets.\n    *   If your loved one did not have a will, the probate court will decide how to distribute the estate and appoint an administrator to carry out those decisions. END