More Than Sympathy [electronic resource] : Essential Advice on Funerals, Money, Family, and Grief After the Death of a Loved One

Making sensible decisions during a time of grief is never easy. Losing a husband, wife, father, mother, child or another near and dear person forces you to make a multitude of decisions, some large and life-changing, some small but emotionally charged. And if substantial amounts of money or conflicting wishes of friends and relatives are involved, making arrangements can become overwhelming. More Than Sympathy is designed to help you through these difficult circumstances. It covers: - Preliminary formalities, such as securing the residence and valuables immediately following the loved one’s death - Selecting the funeral home - Planning the funeral or memorial service, including suggestions for eulogies - Grief counseling and therapy - Probating the Will or administering an intestate estate - Survivor benefits, pensions, and other financial and tax consequences - Estate planning to avoid probate and other estate issues through gifts, trusts, and other instruments - And more Drawing from the counsel of funeral directors, clergy, attorneys, estate planners, and psychologists and with references to websites and other sources of further information, More Than Sympathy provides straightforward and reassuring advice that is both practical and comforting at this difficult time. "Making sensible decisions during a time of grief is never easy. Losing a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or another near and dear person forces you to make a multitude of decisions, some large and life-changing, some small but emotionally charged. And if substantial amounts of money or conflicting wishes of friends and relatives are involved, making arrangements can become overwhelming. More Than Sympathy is designed to help you through these difficult circumstances. It covers: Preliminary formalities, such as securing the residence and valuables immediately ; Selecting the funeral home - Planning the funeral or memorial service, including suggestions for eulogies ; Grief counseling and therapy - Probating the Will or administering an intestate estate ; Survivor benefits, pensions, and other financial and tax consequences ; Estate planning to avoid probate and other estate issues through gifts, trusts, and other instruments ; And more. Drawing from the counsel of funeral directors, clergy, attorneys, estate planners, and psychologists and with references to websites and other sources of further information, More Than Sympathy provides straightforward and reassuring advice that is both practical and comforting at this difficult time"--Provided by publisher Making sensible decisions during a time of grief is never easy. Losing a husband, wife, father, mother, child or another near and dear person forces you to make a multitude of decisions, some large and life-changing, some small but emotionally charged. And if substantial amounts of money or conflicting wishes of friends and relatives are involved, making arrangements can become overwhelming. __More Than Sympathy__- Preliminary formalities, such as securing the residence and valuables immediately following the loved one's death - Selecting the funeral home - Planning the funeral or memorial service, including suggestions for eulogies- Grief counseling and therapy - Probating the Will or administering an intestate estate- Survivor benefits, pensions, and other financial and tax consequences- Estate planning to avoid probate and other estate issues through gifts, trusts, and other instruments- And more Drawing from the counsel of funeral directors, clergy, attorneys, estate planners, and psychologists and with references to websites and other sources of further information, provides straightforward and reassuring advice that is both practical and comforting at this difficult time. The death The funeral home The service Grief counseling and therapy Housekeeping Probate: an overview The probate process Estate planning Appendixes : A checklist Funeral practices A sample basic will Small estate affidavit The primary provision of a Living trust A bouquet of quotations. Helps navigate the numerous decisions that must be made after the loss of a loved one, from securing the residence and valuables, to selecting a funeral home, as well as obtaining grief counseling and applying for survivor benefits.