Trustee Checklist Immediately Upon Death

A trustee checklist will look different as time moves forward. In other words, the administration of a trust immediately after death and post death looks different. Here are some To-Do’s immediately upon death of a Grantor.

• Say a prayer for the person who died,
• Decide whether organ donation is needed,
• Contact a medical school if an anatomical bequest was made,
• Make arrangements to secure the decedent’s home,
• Decide on funeral or memorial services,
• Lockdown digital assets,
• Contact the Social Security Administration,
• If the decedent was a military veteran, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine, whether disability benefits should cease and if there is an opportunity for burial rights.

A trustee checklist is a must. This is especially important given the complexities of administering an estate that might take weeks, years, or decades.