When someone you care for passes away, there may be a range of strong emotions you and your family are experiencing. Add in the responsibility of making funeral arrangements, closing accounts and other business matters, dividing an estate and more, it can be overwhelming. Our funeral directors will be able to point you in the right direction of who to contact and what needs your attention first. To better understand your legal responsibilities, assistance with the steps to take with closing accounts and more, and to help minimize any family conflict, it is suggested that you contact a lawyer for a consultation.
It’s important to know who is legally responsible for making the final decisions for a loved one. If the deceased has not expressed their wishes through a written document such as a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, or a Last Will and Testament, where the deceased has designated an agent to fulfill their wishes; then the chain of command is commonly as follows:
A complete list for the order of who is responsible for making final arrangements can be found in A.R.S. 36-831.
The most common assets that will need your attention are as follows: