How To Gather Information About the Person Who Died

In order to begin settling the estate and collecting benefits, you’ll have to start by reaching out to a range of organizations, companies, and people to notify them of the death. Upon notification, most of these parties will begin to process and distribute any benefits owed to the survivors.

In addition to providing these organizations and companies with the relevant information about the deceased’s relationship to the company (employee, policyholder, investor, etc.) you will need to provide some personal information about the person who died. Gathering this information all at once can make the process of closing down accounts and applying for benefits go much more smoothly.

Information you may need about the person who died

The name (and maiden name or previous names) of the person who died
The last address where the person who died lived
His or her Social Security number
His or her date of birth and death
Death certificate
Your name and address
Your relationship to the person who died (proof may be required)
Your Social Security number
Your birth certificate

In some cases, you may be asked to provide:

The deceased’s most recent W-2 forms or federal self-employment tax return
The name of your bank and your account number so benefits can be directly deposited into your account

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Jargon Decoder

Probate

The process when the court verifies the legality of the will and confirms the executor for the estate. It’s about as exciting as it sounds, and can take months or years, but once it’s done you can get down to business.