A HELPFUL FAMILY GUIDE

Note: The following is provided for your information. It is not intended to provide legal or tax advice. Contact your attorney, accountant, or financial advisor for specific advice.

Death Certificates: May be ordered through your Funeral Director. Certified copies are needed for insurance, insured loans, stocks and bonds in joint ownership, real property in joint ownership, etc.

Social Security: Your Funeral Director will file SSA-721, "Statement of Death". You must contact the Social Security Office at the toll-free shown for the death benefit and for other benefits for which your family might be eligible. Usually a death certificate is not required. The toll-free number for the entire state is 1-800-772-1213.

Veterans Administration: Your Funeral Director will secure a flag and headstone upon request. Additional benefits apply if the veteran dies in a V.A. Facility or were receiving compensation from the V.A. Contact your Funeral Director or the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 915 2nd Avenue, Seattle, Wa. 98174 or phone 1-800-927-1000.

GI and Commercial Insurance: Contact the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 1-800-827-1000, for GI insurance, and notify other insurance companies or local agents of the same on policies held on the deceased. Check for coverage at the place of employment, auto medical coverage, health and accident insurance, bank and savings and loan accounts, and credit accounts such as Sears or Penny's which might have death benefits coverage. On fire insurance, have the deceased's name removed from the coverage.

Banks: Notify Banks where the deceased had checking accounts, savings accounts, government bonds, time savings certificates, etc. of the deceased's death. Transfer all jointly held money accounts to your name, call and inquire on the bank loans and installment contracts and make appropriate transfers. Remove the deceased's name from joint ownership of safety deposit boxes, or in the case of single ownership boxes by the deceased, contact the bank officer.

Department of Motor Vehicles: A death certificate is required to change titles for automobiles, boats, trailers, etc. Take the certificates of title and a death certificate to DMV or licensing Agency nearest to you.

Railroad Retirement: If the deceased was ever employed by the railroad, contact the Railroad Retirement Board, Pacific First Plaza, Room 201, 155 108th NE, Bellevue, WA. 98004 or phone (206) 553-5483.

Stocks and Bonds: Write the company about procedures to transfer stock to your name. They like everything in writing.

Public Employees: Contact the following office if the deceased was a public employee: Dept. of Retirement Systems, PO Box 48380, Olympia,Wa. 98504-8380 or phone (360) 664-7000.

Office of Federal Group Life Insurance: File Form F.E. 6, Claim of Death Benefits. Send a letter explaining your relationship to the deceased and your intent to file a claim. The address is 4 East 23 Street, New York, NY 10001.

Internal Revenue Service: Contact the local office: IRS Taxpayer's Service, 915 2nd Avenue, Seattle, Wa. 98174 or phone (206) 220-6015.

Home and Real Property: Take certified copies of the death certificate to the assessor's office in the county where the property is located.

IMPORTANT: Remove the deceased's name from everything. Consult an attorney. This may be necessary for inheritance and probation of a will.

PLEASE NOTE: We have found it usually takes about ten working days for the certified copies of the death certificate to arrive from the Health Department.

CERTIFIED COPIES OF DEATH CERTIFICATES

The original death certificate is filed in the county where the death occurred. While certified copies of the death certificates may be ordered at any time, there is usually a delay and inconvenience involved with later orders. For this reason, we suggest you order a sufficient number now.

You will most likely need CERTIFIED COPIES for the following items. Photo copies may not be acceptable.

• Transfer of real property, house, lots, etc.
• Settling insurance claims- one (1) for each company.
• Obtaining Union benefits.
• Transfer of automobile, trailer, boat or camper.
• Transfer of stocks or bonds,-one (1) for each corporation.
• Transfer of bank savings, checking, or trust accounts
• Settling mortgage insurance claim's- one for each financial institution.

Email:info@marlattfuneralhome.com