The death of a loved one is always very emotional and place us in unfamiliar territory at a time when we cannot think clearly. This guideline is aimed to help you cope with practical tasks during such times.
You will be required to make quick decisions, from funeral arrangements to how to accommodate and feed out-of-town family and friends.
To guide you through this unreal time, we have put together this general task list.
To do immediately
• Call emergency services, if your loved one passed away at home in order to report the death.
• Call the funeral home and arrange for the remains to be transported to their facilities.
• Arrange for organ donation immediately, should your loved one be an organ donor.
• Assign a family member to contact immediate family where after close friends and extended family should be notified.
• Notify the employer.
To do before the funeral
• Make the necessary funeral arrangements.
• Notify friends, family and colleagues about the service date, time and place.
• Notify the executor of the estate after finding the Will. The executor will support you on all practical matters relating to the estate relevant to this early stage.
• Notify your financial advisor.
To do after the funeral
• Collect the death certificate from the funeral home.
• Prepare a bundle of all the documents required to report an estate and hand it to the executor. If the executor has not yet provided you with the list of documents required, then request it from his office.
• Meet with the executor and hand over the documents to him. The executor will take over most of the administrative tasks and will take you through the administration process. All uncertainties should be discussed at this meeting.
Contact our office, should you need further guidance or executor assistance on 012 543 1806.