By Sheryl Smolkin and the Sun Life team
Being recently widowed is hard enough. You are making important decisions while grieving is even more difficult. This checklist can help you decide what needs to be done first when your spouse dies.
On the other hand, ensuring the settlement of the estate will take more time. It is often the spouse who acts as a liquidator. You don’t have to be a liquidator if you don’t want to. The task can be daunting. If you are not the liquidator, you will not have to care for everything.
Immediate family members, friends or trusted advisors can shoulder this burden. But ultimately, it is you, the widow or widower will have to provide direction and make the decisions.
- Obtain legal, tax and financial advice
Settling an estate may require the help of professionals. You may need a notary, an accountant and an advisor. Professionals you already know and appreciate are an obvious choice. Alternatively, you can get recommendations from family and friends. These associations can help you build your team:
Chamber of Notaries of Quebec
Quebec Bar
Don’t have an advisor yet? A Sun Life Financial advisor can help. Find an advisor near you.
Accept help from loved ones.
Your friends and loved ones are also important members of your team. They will surely be happy to help you. Settling an estate takes time. Being alone to make so many important decisions can be exhausting. Especially since you may have difficulty thinking clearly during this time, delegate as many tasks as possible. Attend necessary meetings with a trusted friend. This person will take notes and remember information that you might forget.
- Organize the funeral
Has your spouse acquired a cemetery lot or made other pre-arrangements? If not, you will need to choose a funeral home. If you’re unsure which one to choose, ask a friend to compare the options. Prices and services can vary significantly from city to city and funeral home. A little research will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
After choosing, you will need to meet the funeral director. Take the time to explain what you want for the conduct of the ceremony and other formalities. You may want to include several keepsakes and photos. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate the life of your spouse. Do what works for you.
The funeral director will provide a death certificate. Be sure to get several copies. They may be helpful to you while you wait to receive the official death certificate issued by your province.
- Apply for public plan benefits
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) or the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) provides a lump sum death benefit of $2,500. You may also be eligible for survivor benefits and child benefits.
Are you between 60 and 64 years old, and your spouse received the guaranteed income supplement (GIS)? You may be eligible for the survivor’s allowance. If your spouse was a veteran, other benefits or assistance might be paid.
Be sure to notify CPP, QPP and Old Age Security of your spouse’s death. This will avoid having to repay any overpayment later.
- Communicate with your spouse’s employers, recent and former
Was your spouse employed at the time of his death? If so, you may be eligible for accident insurance or group life insurance benefits. Their payment will depend on the cause of death. Retiree life insurance may be in effect. Your spouse may have participated in an employer-sponsored retirement plan or other savings plan. This amount can be paid as a single payment or in monthly instalments. Contact your spouse’s former employers to determine if he contributed to pension plans. - Submit the life insurance claim
Did your spouse have a life insurance policy? If you are the beneficiary, contact the life insurance companies to submit a claim. A death certificate and other documents may be required for validation purposes.
The money paid to you, the beneficiary, on the death of your spouse (the insured person) is called the death benefit. This money is exempt from tax and
