After a person passes away, their family, attorney, and personal representative have many legal steps to complete to close out the deceased's affairs. This can take months or years depending on the complexity of the estate. The personal representative must navigate federal and state laws to complete tasks like reporting the death, locating important documents, canceling subscriptions, protecting assets, paying debts and benefits, filing probate documents, settling with creditors, and filing a final report to close out the estate. Completing all of these steps properly is required by law.

1. AFTER A DEATH: WHAT
STEPS?
Bill Taylor
Northeast Area Community
Development Educator

2. After death:
Family, friends, attorney, personal
representative, others have many steps to
perform to legally close affairs of “decedent.”
Could take months to years depending on
complexity of estate.
Require navigating complex web of federal and
state laws.

3. REFERENCES
• PLANNING AHEAD; DIFFICULT DECISIONS
University of Wyoming Extension bulletin
series; September 2013; Aaron Lyttle, Cole
Ehmke, Mary Martin, Bill Taylor; available at
http://www.wyomingextension.org/publication
s and enter Lyttle as author
• Aaron Lyttle, attorney-at-law with
Long, Reimer, Winegar, Beppler

4. PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE (PR)
• Person appointed by the court to administer
the affairs of the decedent’s estate
– Often named in the will and approved by the court
– Also known as “executor” or “administrator”
• These responsibilities would also be held by
a successor trustee of a revocable living trust

5. REPORT
To appropriate authorities, if not done by
institution or hospital staff

6. LOCATE INFORMATION
• Safe deposit box – locate key
– Bank may demand death certificate & court document
called “Letters Testamentary” giving PR right to open
• Locate original wills, trust documents, life
insurance policies, vehicle titles
• Locate decedent’s Social Security Number
• Locate all User Identification and Passwords
– Social media, merchants, email, domain names,
gaming, utilities, financial, banking, other
– Look in decedent’s bookmarks and browser history

7. MAIL
Re-route mail to PR or other location

8. CANCEL
• Cancel prepaid items – ask for refunds
– Magazine subscriptions, health
insurance, etc.

9. PROTECT ASSETS
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•
•
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Notify bank & credit card issuers
Change door locks
Remove valuable property to safe custody
Any other steps to keep estate intact until
distribution
• Move vehicles to storage
(It is surprising how many items begin to
disappear, even in well-meaning families.)

10. OTHER IMMEDIATE ISSUES
•
•
•
•
Arrange care for pets
Clean out refrigerator & freezer
Determine if property taxes were paid
Determine if there is adequate
homeowner’s insurance and all significant
items are adequately insured

11. PAYROLL
• Make final payments to domestic
help, nurses, caregivers, etc.
– PR may make severance payment from
estate as deemed appropriate
– If payments to employees or other help was
done in cash, seek professional help if
payments totaled more than $1000 to any
individual – employment taxes may need to
be paid and W-2 forms completed

12. HEIR INFORMATION
• Names, addresses, phone numbers, SSN
of all who will inherit
• If probate required:
– Notify all who would have inherited if there
had been no will
• Gather their names & addresses
• Spouse, children, grandchildren, etc.
• If no spouse or children:
– Parents, brothers, sisters (or nieces/nephews, etc. if
siblings deceased)

13. BENEFITS
• Return SS benefits paid for month of death
– Visit w/ SS representative 1st on this and other
potential benefits
• VA burial benefit
– May be available for a veteran
– Need death certificate & discharge papers

14. DEBTS
• List all debts
– Outstanding bills, charge cards, property
taxes, utilities, loans, leases, mortgages,
vehicles, alimony, etc.
• Publish notice in generally circulated
newspaper for 3 weeks
– Start time limit in which creditors have to file
claims

15. PROBATE
File petition w/ court to admit will to probate
or affidavit of summary distribution (if
available)

16. CREDITORS
• Allow 3 months from public notice for
creditors to file claim against estate
– PR compile & report to court
• Creditors have opportunity to object

17. SUPPORT
• Check whether Wyoming law provides
allowances to spouse and/or minor
children during probate
– Homestead & other exempt property
– Furniture & apparel
– Court-ordered support

18. SETTLE
• Settle all:
– Tax debts
– Creditor claims
– Final expenses
– Administration expenses
– Etc.

19. ACCOUNTS
• Close or manage:
– Online accounts and assets
– Social media, merchants, email, domain
names, gaming, utility, financial, banking, othe
r accounts
• Use IDs and passwords located earlier

20. REPORT
• File final report and accounting with court
after estate is settled
• If satisfied, court will release PR and close
estate