When Someone Dies: The Practical Guide to the Logistics of Death

This is a book of stuff that hardly anybody wants to talk about. That alone makes it important. We don't like talking about death or "having our affairs in order," and we really don't like delving into financial and personal business matters that involve the likes of the IRS.When Someone Dies by Scott Taylor Smith really does live up to its subtitle, "The Practical Guide to the Logistics of Death."My parents' advanced age and failing health caused me to inherit a new responsibility, understanding their "affairs" so I could take of that stuff when necessary. Their procrastination in doing these things reminded me of my age and caused me to want to make this stuff as easy as possible for my family. So, a few years ago, I dove in. I typed out how to pay the bills and access accounts. Then I went over it with each family member. Just months ago, we did our Healthcare Directive, Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, and Durable Power of Attorney for Finances. We used Legal Zoom and found it very satisfactory and saved hundreds of dollars in attorney's fees. It cost around a $150.00 for each of us to do all three documents.After reading, When Someone Dies, I found even more things to help out my family. Did you know that you will need to purchase several copies of the death certificate through the funeral home because you will need it for several transactions? Did you know that social security checks need to be stopped immediately or you will need to repay the money? Did you know that creditors can only collect from the estate and if those funds are exhausted, they have no legal recourse?The author is an attorney who was neither knowledgeable nor prepared for many of the things he had to deal with after his mother's recent death. The book is incredibly well organized with outlines, summaries and a logical progression, so that it is easy to skim and focus only on issues pertinent to your situation.If you have elderly parents or if you need to get your act together, I highly recommend it. Actually, doing this stuff and leaving practical instructions behind is itself a legacy of love and kindness.

I have a low-grade dread, as most people with aging parents may have, that my 92-year-old mother will "depart" and I, the executrix, will have not a clue what to do.Scott's book is amazingly compassionate and comforting as it lays out what to expect and how to prepare for that dreaded day. The book has the clarity and organization one would expect from an excellent attorney along with the compassion one would wish from a wise friend. Along with step-by-step practical advice, he covers the range of possible emotions and decisions one will likely confront at the time one is least capable. I now know, beyond the "living will," which should help in the last stages of life, how to prepare for what happens after: what documents I need to get in order now, and how to prepare for the decisions I will have to make at the dreaded time. Scott, an attorney, grounds the book in his own family experience, and presents his advice with professional clarity. His advice is applicable for the most affluent as well to those who are anxious about costs. This is subject no one I know wants to talk about, but Scott shares his practical advice with the compassion and wisdom of a soulful counselor.I'm really grateful for this book. I would even recommend it for attorneys who do estate planning, as gifts for their clients.

I have this book and have gifted it before. Excellent. I ordered 3 more to have on hand as gifts for friends and family who lose a loved one and don't know how to proceed with all of the practical things that have to be done following a death. My copies arrived with one having the original cover colors (orange and blue) and the others being in white and blue as though the leaf picture on the cover did not print. I guess the printing was defective. It makes me worry about the interior pages but just glancing though they appear to be ok. I just feel uncertain so that's not good. Thank you.

My mom found this book at her library when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. If it would not be such an awkward gift, I would totally give a copy of this book to every single person I know. It's a hard fact of life that everyone dies, but no one ever talks about the BUSINESS of dying. (It's a terribly ugly thing, if you don't know.) Aside from the emotional distress, loved ones are also left with a seemingly endless list of things to take care of, and this wonderful resource reads like a calm, comforting checklist from someone who has been through it. What do do, when to do it, HOW to do it, and what never even occurred to you to think about doing. It's been a blessing for us not only in dealing with the loss of my mother-in-law, but also in trying to keep our son from dealing with the same hurdles we met. Buy it. Better yet, buy two and give one away.

Mr. Smith wrote from experience and wisdom. He even gave phone numbers for agencies to contact. My mother passed recently and this book was recommended to me. I am so grateful to have read it. It's walking me through this jungle of paperwork. It's not a book about dealing with the pain of death, it's a book about dealing with the paperwork after someone dies.

Surviving spouses and adult children are not often prepared for what needs to be done when a family member dies. This book, written by an attorney after his mother's death, tells his story, interwoven with recommendations.Buy this instead of (or in addition to) a floral arrangement for someone whose loved one has died. There are several good books, but this one is inexpensive and identifies some of the pitfalls and helps survivors prioritize tasks--some of which are time sensitive.

Aimed for USA not UKWithin the first few pages I realised this book is written for the USA market not the UK market. Some advice for procedures, considerations of process and all web links for forms etc do not apply in the UK.This came up at the top of an Amazon surge results from Amazon UK, and is only apparent if you read about the author that he is from San Francisco. It is not in the description.Amazon you've duped me yet again.

This may well be a great book - haven't read it yet. But disappointed to find that it is American and therefore all infomation about official bodies that need to contacted and dealt with relate to that country.