What To Do When a Loved One Passes Away

Whether your spouse has just passed away or you have lost your mom or dad, the emotional trauma of losing a loved one often comes with a bewildering array of financial and legal issues demanding attention. It can be difficult enough for family members to handle the emotional trauma of a death, let alone taking the steps necessary to get these matters in order.

If you are the executor of the will, is important that you and your family have time to grieve, but, when you are ready, you should meet with an attorney to review the steps necessary for administration. While the exact rules differ from state to state, the key actions in Texas include:

• Filing the will and petition in probate court in order to be appointed executor;
• Collecting the assets (i.e. finding out about everything the deceased owned and filing a list of inventory with the court);
• Paying the debts; and
• Distributing property to the heirs.

If you’ve recently lost a loved one and don’t know where to turn, call Cherry Johnson Siegmund James LLC at (254) 732-2242 or send us an email.