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I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
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V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Sunny - sorry for your loss. Your dad was on hospice & in a group home rather than a NH wasn't he? As one who is currently admist being an executor as my mom died earlier this year, here's my thoughts.
Your first project is to deal with his funeral & burial. Was this already set up? If not, I'd suggest you get another family member or a good close friend to help with this. The costs will be 8/10K for a traditional & maybe 2K for a cremation. If dad has assets, the costs should come from his estate to pay this. more often than not family ends up fronting all FH costs - if so, that will be a claim against the estate, so keep receipts.
The FH usually orders death certificates. You need 1 original for every bank, insurance policy, CC, he had. If he has a house then 2-4 for house related tie-ins like each utility company, property insurance, etc. 1 for each heir as well. I got over a dz. The more you order initially the cheapest it is. Needing one 3 months from now will be costly & will take weeks to get unless you pay rush, so get extras.
His banking situation as the next item to deal with. If the account is POD to you, you can use those funds to pay the FH. If not POD, it will likely be frozen till someone presents Letters testamentary & opens probate if there is a will or dies a lineal heirship if no will. You may be able to get to bank ahead of SS death notification but it happens pretty quickly. If either SS or retirement income comes in after the last full month of eligible payment, it will be clawed back. So if that could be the case, you will need to leave the full checks amount in the bank as SS & retirements will attempt to recover over & over & there will be a NSF charge if $ not there.
I was POD on moms account and basically I have left the account as is but now tied to my SS and have it as a bank account to deal with the estate.
There is a valid will naming you as the executor right? So you can do probate. About probate, personally I think doing probate is a good idea. But many do not ever open probate at all. If dad died with assets (house, land car, $) that will need to be transferred or sold, then probate of some sort will be needed. States vary on probate, some have full on probate, others have this plus small estates affidavit & some allow for a muniment of title. You probably have an idea of what dads assets are. For his debts, you can see what bills come in the next month or so, to get an idea on final medical costs & his funeral. What these look like will help you determine what path to take on probate (or not).
Outside of the funeral, you can take your time to deal with the other items. I'd suggest you google your county probate court to see what requirements are for opening probate. Some states allow a year, other up to 4 years to open. What often happens is family pressures the executor to do whatever to get what they think their inhiertance is. If you have been the one dealing with his care & the costs of care, non-involved family is usually clueless on how expensive it was. Hopefully yours is not like this.
If dad was on Medicaid, there will be a MERP "letter of intent" sent to whatever address medicaid had on file for dads contact regarding this. If dad died with assets, MERP is going to make all estate & probate lots more complex.
Also hospice Medicare benefit provides for grief counseling for family.
The Ohio Bar Association has brochures on what to do, or you could ask the attorney you are working with. It will be worth an hour of his time to avoid needing him later.
Be sure to secure his home & belongings, if he had one, it is a common problem that family members will "help themselves" to any and everything. My mom died earlier this year and I had a locksmith out (even before she died, actually, since she was in the hospital and I could not be watching her home at same time). Another thing -- his Medicare online account will be disabled very soon, so if you haven't already signed up for access to it, do it now (as Executor you need the billing info) and download it for future reference.
And most of all, DO NOT let the family members try and tell you what to do. As Executor you were chosen because the decedent trusted you, never forget this trust that has been placed on you. If you expect difficulties with family members, you can purchase an Executor insurance policy which will protect you in case they try to sue you (personally you are liable if they can prove you "damaged" their inheritance).
Sunny, in addition to the death certificates, I believe you'll need what are called Letters Testamentary, attesting to the fact that you've been named Executrix (or Personal Representative as described in some states).
Check the Will to confirm that expenses of his last illness are priority payments. Over the next few months, you should be getting statements for any expenses that weren't covered by insurance. Those will be priority payments. Some doctors just write off the charge; that's what happened when my sister died. If there isn't enough money in your father's estate, be frank and in writing notify the doctors that there are no funds.
Another important thing to do which is more common sense than legal is to change your father's address to yours so that all his bills and financial data are sent to you. You'll probably need a Letter Testamentary to show to the post office. When I did this when my father was in rehab for a broken leg, I had to show the post office a copy of the DPOA naming me as proxy. They copied it for their records.
I am sorry for your loss; it's especially hard when you have to turn around and deal with all the legal and financial issues.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Your first project is to deal with his funeral & burial. Was this already set up? If not, I'd suggest you get another family member or a good close friend to help with this. The costs will be 8/10K for a traditional & maybe 2K for a cremation. If dad has assets, the costs should come from his estate to pay this. more often than not family ends up fronting all FH costs - if so, that will be a claim against the estate, so keep receipts.
The FH usually orders death certificates. You need 1 original for every bank, insurance policy, CC, he had. If he has a house then 2-4 for house related tie-ins like each utility company, property insurance, etc. 1 for each heir as well. I got over a dz. The more you order initially the cheapest it is. Needing one 3 months from now will be costly & will take weeks to get unless you pay rush, so get extras.
His banking situation as the next item to deal with. If the account is POD to you, you can use those funds to pay the FH. If not POD, it will likely be frozen till someone presents Letters testamentary & opens probate if there is a will or dies a lineal heirship if no will. You may be able to get to bank ahead of SS death notification but it happens pretty quickly. If either SS or retirement income comes in after the last full month of eligible payment, it will be clawed back. So if that could be the case, you will need to leave the full checks amount in the bank as SS & retirements will attempt to recover over & over & there will be a NSF charge if $ not there.
I was POD on moms account and basically I have left the account as is but now tied to my SS and have it as a bank account to deal with the estate.
There is a valid will naming you as the executor right? So you can do probate. About probate, personally I think doing probate is a good idea. But many do not ever open probate at all. If dad died with assets (house, land car, $) that will need to be transferred or sold, then probate of some sort will be needed. States vary on probate, some have full on probate, others have this plus small estates affidavit & some allow for a muniment of title. You probably have an idea of what dads assets are. For his debts, you can see what bills come in the next month or so, to get an idea on final medical costs & his funeral. What these look like will help you determine what path to take on probate (or not).
Outside of the funeral, you can take your time to deal with the other items. I'd suggest you google your county probate court to see what requirements are for opening probate. Some states allow a year, other up to 4 years to open. What often happens is family pressures the executor to do whatever to get what they think their inhiertance is. If you have been the one dealing with his care & the costs of care, non-involved family is usually clueless on how expensive it was.
Hopefully yours is not like this.
If dad was on Medicaid, there will be a MERP "letter of intent" sent to whatever address medicaid had on file for dads contact regarding this. If dad died with assets, MERP is going to make all estate & probate lots more complex.
Also hospice Medicare benefit provides for grief counseling for family.
Another thing -- his Medicare online account will be disabled very soon, so if you haven't already signed up for access to it, do it now (as Executor you need the billing info) and download it for future reference.
Check the Will to confirm that expenses of his last illness are priority payments. Over the next few months, you should be getting statements for any expenses that weren't covered by insurance. Those will be priority payments. Some doctors just write off the charge; that's what happened when my sister died. If there isn't enough money in your father's estate, be frank and in writing notify the doctors that there are no funds.
Another important thing to do which is more common sense than legal is to change your father's address to yours so that all his bills and financial data are sent to you. You'll probably need a Letter Testamentary to show to the post office. When I did this when my father was in rehab for a broken leg, I had to show the post office a copy of the DPOA naming me as proxy. They copied it for their records.
I am sorry for your loss; it's especially hard when you have to turn around and deal with all the legal and financial issues.