I'm Handling Their Affairs

What typically happens to bank accounts, credit cards, and household bills after a death, and how to keep things running smoothly during the transition.

An overview of burial and financial benefits available to surviving spouses and dependents of veterans.

How to access a loved one's cloud-stored photos and cancel ongoing subscriptions after a death, two easily overlooked but practical tasks.

Why cryptocurrency requires specific advance planning that traditional financial accounts don't, and what families can do if a loved one held crypto assets.

How to handle a loved one's email, social media, photos, and other digital accounts after their death — an increasingly common part of settling affairs.

A realistic breakdown of what estate administration actually costs - court fees, executor compensation, and professional fees.

How estate attorneys typically bill - hourly, flat fee, or statutory percentage - and how to get a realistic cost estimate before hiring one.

A practical walkthrough of what being an executor actually involves, for anyone stepping into this role for the first time.

Why grieving as a family brings its own challenges - differing grief styles, old patterns resurfacing, decision-making conflict - and how to navigate them.

Why frequent-flyer mile policies vary so much by airline after a death, and what to actually do to find out what applies to a specific account.

A clear explanation of who is (and isn't) responsible for a deceased person's debts, and how this typically gets sorted out.

A realistic breakdown of probate costs - filing fees, legal notice requirements, and attorney fees - and why they vary so much by state.

What families need to know about closing out Medicare coverage after a death, including refunds and notifying additional plan providers.

How Social Security is typically notified after a death, what survivor benefits may apply, and other government agencies to contact.

A plain-language walkthrough of what probate and estate administration actually involve, and roughly how long the process takes.

Understanding which assets bypass probate and which don't, and why this distinction matters for estate planning and settlement.

How property gets distributed after a death, whether or not a will exists, and what happens without one.

What the right of disposition actually means, who typically holds it, and what happens when family members disagree about funeral or burial decisions.

What typically needs to happen with taxes, remaining employment or government benefits, and property in the months after a death.

What to know if you need to transfer or sell cemetery property that's no longer needed, and why this process varies more than typical real estate.

Practical guidance for flying or shipping cremated remains, including what container to use and what documents to bring.

What it means to administer a trust, how the role differs from being an executor, and what ongoing responsibilities can look like.

How inheritance of land held in federal trust status for Native Americans differs from typical state probate, and why this system requires specific guidance.

How to handle transferring a vehicle title and continuing mortgage payments after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Alabama's distinctive Probate Court structure after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Alaska's distinctive elective community property and trust laws.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Arizona's beneficiary deed option after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Arkansas.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and other affairs after a death in California.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Colorado.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Connecticut's distinctive combined gift and estate tax system.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Delaware's nationally significant trust law after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and other affairs after a death in Florida.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Georgia.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and the practical logistics unique to an island state after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Idaho's community property system after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Illinois.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Indiana.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Iowa's recently phased-out inheritance tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Kansas's repealed inheritance tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Kentucky's active inheritance tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates and Louisiana's distinctive civil-law succession system, including forced heirship.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Maine's separate state estate tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Maryland's distinctive dual estate and inheritance tax system.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Massachusetts's distinctive estate tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Michigan's distinctive Lady Bird deed after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Minnesota's state estate tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Mississippi's distinctive Chancery Court system after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Missouri's pioneering beneficiary deed after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Montana.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Nebraska's distinctive county-level inheritance tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Nevada's favorable trust and tax environment after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in New Hampshire.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and New Jersey's distinctive inheritance tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in New Mexico.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and other affairs after a death in New York.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and North Carolina's distinctive year's allowance after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in North Dakota.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Ohio.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Oklahoma.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Oregon's notably low estate tax threshold after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Pennsylvania's distinctive inheritance tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Rhode Island's distinctive municipal probate court system.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in South Carolina.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and South Dakota's nationally significant trust industry after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Tennessee.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and other affairs after a death in Texas.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Utah.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Vermont's separate state estate tax after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Virginia.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and estate matters after a death in Washington State.

Guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and the District of Columbia's notably low estate tax threshold after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and West Virginia's distinctive County Clerk-administered probate system.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Wisconsin's Marital Property Act after a death.

State-specific guidance for handling death certificates, probate, and Wyoming's trust-friendly, low-tax environment after a death.

The physical device and the data on it follow different rules - who inherits your phone as property, and who can access what's stored on it.