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Laws will vary in each state. A lot of what is in posts #18 and #26 are correct. In general, small accounts can be made "payable upon death to" and avoid probate. Property ownership can pass through "right of survival." Autos can be titled as "Joe Blow OR Mary Blow" to pass without probate. Insurance polices do not pass through probate. Trusts are best discussed with an attorney familiar with them.
If the person does not have significant assets it may be possible to avoid probate and the associated costs altogether. Find out what the statutory exemption is for family. A simple will that directs for cremation and transfer of all assets to the closest relative avoids the "intestate" statutes AND since costs of burial or cremation are prioritized in any estate disbursements, can limit claims from creditors.
Typically, death isn't sudden, but a medical condition will bring a person to an emergency room or hospital, where all sorts of medical tests and treatments and consultations occur. Even with health insurance, those can run into thousands of dollars. Once the estate of the deceased runs out of money, those are uncollectable and NOT the responsibility of the survivors or family. A copy of the death certificate to the creditor closes the account. Be aware that medical billing can go on for a year or more, and from people you have never seen or heard of, like radiologists who interpret X-rays off-site.
Rules on body disposal vary. In general, a mortuary will come and collect for cremation or burial, but they will have to be paid. That debt is incurred by the survivors and not the deceased. If the body died of a communicable disease, public safety protocols might overrule family burials. Burial in the backyard may still be allowed in the rural areas of the countries, but most municipality zoning laws will end up prohibiting it.
Does anyone know for sure what to do? Calling 911 seems like it's only for emergencies and not death by natural causes.
Related question: is there always a death certificate when somebody dies or is it just in an accident or crime?
If you are to inherit something from a parent do you show the death cert. to the bank?
What do people generally use a death cert. for, if it's death from natural causes?
Great point. 911 is an emergency number only. I'm not sure why so many people think they should call that number for nonemergency things. There would be a death certificate given by a coroner who may or may not be a medical doctor, but no autopsy in natural deaths in most cases.
Call the local police via the normal phone line if the person is dead and you know that for sure. The 911 line is for emergencies where a life is in danger, or a house is burning, etc. If a person is dead of natural causes, a few minutes will not matter.
I agree--
OP--you can have the body "donated to science". That would relieve you of any charges for disposition of the body. In some instances they do return cremains to the next of kin, but you could always request this not be done. I've had in-laws that actually did this, & it was such a relief for them not to go through all the funereal expenses.
How much do the paramedics charge for taking the body away? I'm not saying I would try to get out of it.
Don't call 911 or paramedics. Call the Police and they will come and check for foul play and call the coroner. You should have a mortuary chosen beforehand, as they will probably just have the mortuary pick up the body if there are no signs of foul play. I have done this twice.
What should you do, if a parent dies in your own home, from natural causes?
Are you required to call the police? (I live in California, if that matters.)
If so, do they give you a form or something?
If you don't want to keep the body for burial or cremation (or other religious or legal reasons), who do you call to move the body away?
Thanks. This has not happened to me but i might, one day.
I also live in California. I have not experienced a death in my home; however, I want to inform you that if you sell your home in the next three years you are legally required to disclose (on a form) that there has been a death in the home, and if beyond the three years someone specifically asks you if there has been a death in the home (unlikely that they will ask), then you are still required to tell them.
My son was in an assisted living apartment where he was required to report to the nurses desk for his meds. When he didn't come to the nurses desk to get them, they called the police. He was declared deceased & went to the county morgue. We then had to pay for cremation (or a funeral, if we'd chosen burial) before his body was released to the Cremation Society. Fyi.
On the self-care side as well as the practical, the book When Parents Die was very helpful to me.
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When Parents Die book
