My mom passed on August 27th. Social Security deposited into her account on Sept 3rd, and I was poised & ready to pull it out (for funeral expenses) & did so successfully that morning (my name is on her bank account). On the 5th, SS pulled it back, and since my Mom has an overdraft protection credit card, they did get their money back, but now Mom has a balance on her overdraft card because of it.
We have a joint bank account - my name is on that account, but not on her credit cards. Since the "charge" to the overdraft account occurred after the date of her death, I assume I am obligated to pay off that balance when I get her life insurance payment, correct? By the way, when I emptied her account, that was my intention - I didn't have enough to cover all of her funeral expenses without it. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has run into this... thoughts?
If you can make sure you get lots of death certificates - the FH can do this for you. Really I'd get at least 10 /15 as everything that needs to be shut off or closed out (utilties, credit cards, SS, retirement, insurance, etc) will require an original copy.
Now you will likely have to pay for the certificates.So you might as well start a notebook on your reinburseable costs like the certificates and overdraft stuff. Be sure to put all the details (check #, date, etc - be as OCD as possible)
Are you the executrix for the estate? If so you can pay yourself a management fee for this; also you can present your expenses as a claim against the estate.
There will be other costs coming up, like the newspaper cost to file the notice of probate, etc. There is always some kinda sheeaaa to write a check for, so keep track and pay by check.
Personally I would hold the insurance check for a while. Speak with your attorney, but what works well is to open a simple estate account at the bank that the insurance check goes into & after you have presented the letters & opened probate. Look at the insurance check to see if it has a deposit by date, you just want to get it into an account a couple of weeks before that date. It is from this new account that everything in the future gets paid from and you get reinbursed from. It sounds like you actually have someone at the bank you can talk with, ask them what you need to do this. Usually it's the probate docket # for it to happen as it shows that an executor has been named. Good luck and let us all know what your post death experience with paperwork is like.
If they call for payment they will ask for copy of death certificate.