Coping with a death in the family can feel as minimal as an odd feeling in your stomach to as serious as a puncture wound through your heart. There is no wrong or right way to grieve. In fact, the only thing that matters during the grieving process is that you don’t allow your health and financial stability wither away. Taking care of yourself is the only thing you should be focussing on after the funeral, and if there is an issue, it is wise to hire a lawyer to take over the proceedings in your stead.
Let Yourself Grieve
There is no right or wrong way to deal with grief. Coping can look differently on everyone, which means that if someone isn’t showing their grief like you are, you do not have a right to get angry. Some people throw themselves into their work, others into their beds. The only thing that should remain the same is that you try to take care of yourself so you can healthily give yourself the time and space to heal.
Take Care of Yourself
To take care of yourself during this trying time, let others help you and try:
- To eat properly
- Create healthy routines
- Take up a new sport
- Try a new hobby
Even if you don’t feel like your heart is in it, getting out there and focusing on you can help you heal. Most of the time, the pain we feel is in the loss of their presence. It can take time to learn how to live without that significant person in your life.
How to Deal with Legal Issues
In most cases, the legalities you will face after a death in the family will be minimal. If you have been named the executor of their will, however, it will be your job to go through their assets and do your best to execute their will to their wishes. This doesn’t mean the outcome will be what is written down. Creditors often get first dibs on a deceased’s assets, as debts do not get inherited. If there is any left, then it can be distributed to the beneficiaries.
Of course, that is all assuming that there isn’t an issue with the will in the first place.
Dispute a Will
A will has to be proven valid. During this time, it goes through what is known as probate. If the will states that everything your loved one owns is to go to the caretaker that only knew them when they had dementia, then you have a case. Hire the-inheritance-experts.co.uk today to contest a will you believe was created or updated under fraudulent circumstances. Some cases are easy to prove – they cannot legally update their will if they are not fully aware, but others are more difficult.
Dealing with the Inheritance Tax
Inheritance tax is difficult to work around after your loved one has died. Thankfully, for most, the issue will never come up. As you would need to surpass a healthy threshold before the inheritance tax comes into play. Even after that, the hefty 40% tax is only placed on assets after the initial threshold. Property is also taxed differently. Contact a lawyer so you know your options.
Thank you for such an important blog post – we will all have to deal with a sad family loss at some point. I lost my Grandad last year very suddently. Was so tough and I still have bad days, really grateful for your blog post it has some helpful coping mechanisms x
Thanks for the useful guide… Lost my Dad when I was 7, devastated us all back in the day, back then people didn’t talk… All I can say is talk as much as you can is the right way to go!
Invaluable – can be a minefield at a very sad time