When Death Occurs
When a death occurs in your family, you will be faced with important tasks and decision-making during a very difficult time. You may not know what to do or when to begin making arrangements. Bearing the responsibility can be overwhelming. Remember that you are not alone.
Cremation Services of Pennsylvania is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist you with the details and offer our guidance. We have compiled the following list to help guide you through the steps you will need to take when a death has occurred. Your cremation specialist will be available to assist you through the entire process.
You will need to click the tab, “Plan Online” to begin the online arrangement process. If you have any questions or difficulties, a cremation specialist is available to assist you 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
10
Prepare a list of distant friends and relatives to be notified by letter and/or printed notice
11
Prepare a list of people to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. Send appropriate acknowledgments, which may be a written note, printed acknowledgments, or both. Include "thank yous" to those who have given their time, as well
12
Notify insurance companies of the death
13
Locate the will and notify the lawyer and executor
14
Carefully check all life and casualty insurance and death benefits, including Social Security, credit union, trade union, fraternal, and military. Check on possible income for survivors from these sources
15
Check promptly on all debts and installment payments, including credit cards. Some may carry insurance clauses that will cancel them. If there is to be a delay in meeting payments, consult with creditors and ask for more time before the payments are due
16
If the deceased was living alone, notify the utility companies and landlord and tell the post office where to send the mail
17
The cremation specialist will prepare the necessary Social Security forms
01
Make a list of family, friends and business colleagues, and notify each by phone. You may wish to use a "branching" system: make a few phone calls to other relatives or friends and ask each of them to make a phone call or two to specific people
02
Decide on an appropriate charity to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, organization, school)
03
Gather obituary information, including a photo, age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service, outstanding work and a list of survivors in the immediate family. For an additional fee, Cremation Services of Pennsylvania will help draft the obituary and submit it to the newspaper(s)
04
Arrange for family members and/or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone. Keeping a careful record of visitors and flower deliveries will make it easier to thank people later on
05
If Social Security checks are deposited automatically, notify the bank of the death
06
Coordinate the food supply in your home for the next several days
07
Delegate special needs of the household, such as cleaning, food preparation, etc., to friends and family who offer their help
08
Arrange for child care, if necessary
09
Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends
01
Make a list of family, friends and business colleagues, and notify each by phone. You may wish to use a "branching" system: make a few phone calls to other relatives or friends and ask each of them to make a phone call or two to specific people
02
Decide on an appropriate charity to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, organization, school)
03
Gather obituary information, including a photo, age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service, outstanding work and a list of survivors in the immediate family. For an additional fee, Cremation Services of Pennsylvania will help draft the obituary and submit it to the newspaper(s)
04
Arrange for family members and/or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone. Keeping a careful record of visitors and flower deliveries will make it easier to thank people later on
05
If Social Security checks are deposited automatically, notify the bank of the death
06
Coordinate the food supply in your home for the next several days
07
Delegate special needs of the household, such as cleaning, food preparation, etc., to friends and family who offer their help
08
Arrange for child care, if necessary
09
Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends
1
Make a list of family, friends and business colleagues, and notify each by phone. You may wish to use a "branching" system: make a few phone calls to other relatives or friends and ask each of them to make a phone call or two to specific people
2
Decide on an appropriate charity to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, organization, school)
3
Gather obituary information, including a photo, age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service, outstanding work and a list of survivors in the immediate family. For an additional fee, Cremation Services of Pennsylvania will help draft the obituary and submit it to the newspaper(s)
4
Arrange for family members and/or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone. Keeping a careful record of visitors and flower deliveries will make it easier to thank people later on
5
If Social Security checks are deposited automatically, notify the bank of the death
6
Coordinate the food supply in your home for the next several days
7
Delegate special needs of the household, such as cleaning, food preparation, etc., to friends and family who offer their help
8
Arrange for child care, if necessary
9
Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends
10
Prepare a list of distant friends and relatives to be notified by letter and/or printed notice
11
Prepare a list of people to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. Send appropriate acknowledgments, which may be a written note, printed acknowledgments, or both. Include "thank yous" to those who have given their time, as well
12
Notify insurance companies of the death
13
Locate the will and notify the lawyer and executor
14
Carefully check all life and casualty insurance and death benefits, including Social Security, credit union, trade union, fraternal, and military. Check on possible income for survivors from these sources
15
Check promptly on all debts and installment payments, including credit cards. Some may carry insurance clauses that will cancel them. If there is to be a delay in meeting payments, consult with creditors and ask for more time before the payments are due
16
If the deceased was living alone, notify the utility companies and landlord and tell the post office where to send the mail
17
The cremation specialist will prepare the necessary Social Security forms
01
Make a list of family, friends and business colleagues, and notify each by phone. You may wish to use a "branching" system: make a few phone calls to other relatives or friends and ask each of them to make a phone call or two to specific people
02
Decide on an appropriate charity to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, organization, school)
03
Gather obituary information, including a photo, age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service, outstanding work and a list of survivors in the immediate family. For an additional fee, Cremation Services of Pennsylvania will help draft the obituary and submit it to the newspaper(s)
04
Arrange for family members and/or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone. Keeping a careful record of visitors and flower deliveries will make it easier to thank people later on
05
If Social Security checks are deposited automatically, notify the bank of the death
06
Coordinate the food supply in your home for the next several days
07
Delegate special needs of the household, such as cleaning, food preparation, etc., to friends and family who offer their help
08
Arrange for child care, if necessary
09
Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends
10
Prepare a list of distant friends and relatives to be notified by letter and/or printed notice
11
Prepare a list of people to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. Send appropriate acknowledgments, which may be a written note, printed acknowledgments, or both. Include "thank yous" to those who have given their time, as well
12
Notify insurance companies of the death
13
Locate the will and notify the lawyer and executor
14
Carefully check all life and casualty insurance and death benefits, including Social Security, credit union, trade union, fraternal, and military. Check on possible income for survivors from these sources
15
Check promptly on all debts and installment payments, including credit cards. Some may carry insurance clauses that will cancel them. If there is to be a delay in meeting payments, consult with creditors and ask for more time before the payments are due
16
If the deceased was living alone, notify the utility companies and landlord and tell the post office where to send the mail
17
The cremation specialist will prepare the necessary Social Security forms
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