Navigate After Loss Blog
Articles and practical guidance from Navigate After Loss for families navigating life after loss.
Probate 101: A Beginner’s Guide to What Happens After a Death — Probate is the legal process for settling certain parts of an estate after death, overseen by a court. It may involve validating a will, appointing an executor or administrator, valuing assets, paying debts, and distributing property. No...
How to Notify Social Security After a Death: A Step-by-Step Guide — Learn how to report a death to Social Security, apply for survivor benefits, gather documents, and handle payments after a loved one dies.
The Sofa I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye To — The author describes the emotional difficulty of replacing a sofa shared with her deceased husband. The sofa held memories of their life together, and buying a new one alone intensified her grief. She reflects that grief makes ordinary o...
Remembering September 11: When Life Changes in an Instant — September 11 is remembered collectively, but for families who lost someone, it is deeply personal. That morning, thousands left home expecting to return; in an instant, everything changed. Survivors faced grief plus paperwork, finances,...
The Phone You Can't Get Into: What Families Need to Know About Digital Assets After a Death — Families often cannot access a deceased loved one's phone without the passcode, as devices are designed to block unauthorized entry, even for spouses or executors. Two-factor authentication can create further lockouts. Biometric access l...
The White Shirt, Labor Day, and the Work No One Sees After Loss — The old rule says no white after Labor Day. But grief doesn't follow the calendar — and neither does the paperwork. A reflection on the invisible work that begins after a loss, and where to find help carrying it.
What Happens to Bank Accounts After Someone Dies? What Loved Ones Need to Know — Losing a loved one is hard enough without the added stress of figuring out their finances. This article breaks down what happens to bank accounts after a death, covering joint accounts, POD beneficiaries, trusts, and more. It offers prac...
August Is Grief Awareness Month: How Grief Shaped My Life — Four years after losing her husband, Samantha Harrykissoon on what Grief Awareness Month misses — that grief isn't just sadness, and living isn't a betrayal.
How many death certificates do you actually need? — After someone dies, the death certificate becomes one of the most important documents you'll need—and one you'll be asked for repeatedly. Banks, insurance companies, retirement accounts, mortgage companies, and other institutions may req...
The 30 Phone Calls No One Warns You About After a Death — After my husband died suddenly, I expected grief. What I didn't expect were the dozens of phone calls that followed—each beginning with, "My husband died." Every bank, insurer, employer, and utility required another conversation, another...