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Banks
Be sure to notify banks of a death. Banking accounts,
government bonds,
time savings certificates, etc. Transfer all money accounts to
your name.
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Bank Loans
Installment Contracts: Call each lending institution and
inquire if the loans
are insured.
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Consult an Attorney as Necessary
As this is not a comprehensive guide to required action to be
taken in the
event of a death. This list is simply a public service list to
help you get started
on you own. It should not, for any reason, be misconstrued to be
any form of
legal advice or guide. We are not responsible for any
information containedherein, as it was all gathered by contacting agencies and individuals
who arenot affiliated with our establishments. Be aware that policies,
procedures,addresses, phone numbers, prices, etc. may change without our
knowledgedespite our attempts to keep this list reasonably up-to-date for yourconvenience.
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Death Certificates:
Certified Copy: A Certified copy of the death certificate is
available through
the health department of the county where the death occurred.
These are
colored legal documents with County Registrar's signature and the
State
seal. These copies are usually required for legal purposes.
Certified copies
may be obtained through our Funeral Home, or you may request them on
your
own at a later date through the health department. The funeral
home does notcharge a fee for acquiring these documents; we obtain the copies on
yourbehalf as a service to you. However, the County does charge a
small fee foreach death certificate ordered. We ask that you pay that fee.
The cost is
$17.00 for each certified copy.
Usually, certified copies of the death
certificate are required for insurance,insured loans, stocks or bonds in joint ownership and for real
property in jointownership.
NOTE: You will need to remove the deceased's name from
everything.
Lewis County Health Department
360 NW North St.
Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740-1224
Mason County Health Department
426 W. Cedar
Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone: (360) 427-9670 ext. 400
Thurston County Health Department
412 Lilly Rd. NE
Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 786-5581
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Federal Internal Revenue
Service
IRS regulations change regularly, it is best to contact the IRS
directly for their
current regulations.
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Home and Real Property
Take a certified death certificate to the Tax Assessor's Office in
the county in
which the property is owned.
Lewis County Assessor's Office
360 NW North St.
Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740-1392
Mason County Assessor's Office
411 N. 5th St., Bldg I
Shelton, WA 98584
(360) 427-9670 ext 491
Thurston County Assessor's Office
2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW, Bldg. 1
Olympia, WA 98502
(360) 786-5410
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Insurance
Notify a company agent in the local area, or notify the company
itself. Check
for coverage at the place of employment, auto medical coverage, health
and
accident coverage and life insurance. Also be sure to check with
all credit
card companies regarding possible policies on the account. Call
the agent
for each or write to the headquarters for the appropriate forms for
claims. Make sure you keep a written log of who you spoke with and when so
that you
can track the claims easier. Fire Insurance: remove the
name of the
deceased from the policies.
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Motor Vehicles
Change title for each vehicle, including boats. Contact the
Department of
Motor Vehicles at (360) 902-3770.
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Safety Deposit Box
If in joint ownership, remove the deceased's name. If in
name of deceased
only, inquire with the bank as to what steps need to be taken.
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Social Security
Funeral Alternatives of Washington will notify the Social
Security Department,
the the family MUST call Social Security to make an appointment if
they are
eligible for benefits. Call (800) 772-1213 between 7:00 a.m.
- 7:00 p.m.,
Monday through Friday. The requirements are different for
each family so
you need to get the information from Social Security in order to apply
for
benefits. In addition, you can access more information via the
website:
http://www.ssa.gov
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Stock and Bonds
Write to the stock company and ask about their procedure for
transferring
stocks into your name.
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Veterans Administration
Funeral Alternatives of Washington can help you file
for burial benefits
and obtain a US Flag for the next of kin. In most cases, the
cemetery of
choice will file ordering of a Veteran's marker or cemetery
reimbursement.
VA Regional Office
Office of Memorial Affairs
(Benefits information and assistance)
(800) 827-1000
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Voter Registration
To cancel an individual's voter registration, write a
cancellation notice stating
that the individual is deceased. Voter registration cancellation
should be to:
Lewis County Auditor's Office
360 NW North St.
Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740-1165
Mason County Auditor's Office
411 N. 5th St., Bldg I
Shelton, WA 98584
(360) 427-9670 ext 470
Thurston County Auditor's Office
2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW, Bldg. 1
Olympia, WA 98502
(360) 786-5224
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