Tips for Stress free life  >  Expert Zone   > Grief Loss

       Grief loss Tips by experts


How to Deal With A Death in the Family and Still Run Your Small Business


As a small business owner we have to deal with tax law changes, local ordinances, environmental laws, Worker's Compensation, etc. Just when we thought we had everything under control, something terrible happenes. A death in the family. Oh my God you say? What do I do now? Well since I have been there, let me tell you what you need to know.

When someone close died in my life, I plunged immediately into an unfamiliar state of emotion, frustration, anxiety and grief. Needless to say, I wasn't any good to my business. I couldn't make decisions and was totally helpless not knowing what to do. After talking to financial advisors, attorneys and accountants, all of which was very time consuming and extremely costly, I learned that I had a lot more to learn.

If you have a death in the family and all of a sudden you realize you are in charge, gather the following information before consulting the professionals. It will save you time away from your business and relieve some of the stress. Not to mention make it easier for your consultants and saving you money. Here is a list of the things you may need to do to settle the estate and who can help you with answers:

GENERAL PROCESS FOR ESTATE SETTLEMENT

Send for Copies of Death Certificate

Gather Information on Estate Assets: Executor, Trustee, Family Members, Financial Advisors

Meetings With Estate Planning Attorney, Accountant, Financial Advisors

Valuation of Assets - Date of Death or Alternate Date Six Months Later: Executor, Trustee, Family Members, Financial Advisors

Get Appraisals for Real Property and Business Interests: Executor, Trustee, Family Members

Preparation and Filing of United States Estate Tax Return Form 706: Attorney

Preparation of Estate Settlement Allocation Schedule: Attorney

Preparation and Filing of Estate Income Tax Return: Attorney and Accountant

Meetings With Family To Determine Appropriate Reallocation of Estate Assets

Consider - Assets and Amounts to be Placed Into A/B, A/B/C or Other Trusts, Needs And Abilities Of Surviving Spouse, Family Gifting Programs: Executor, Trustee, Family Members, Financial Advisors

Set Up Listing of Buys/Sells for Schedule D of the Applicable Income Tax Returns: Executor, Trustee, Family Members, Financial Advisors

Transfer and Change of Title/Ownership Registration of Estate Assets into Newly Created Trusts, Existing Trusts, Business, Joint or Personal Accounts: Executor, Trustee, Family Members, Financial Advisors

Preparation and Filing of Applicable Joint and/or Individual Income Tax Returns: Accountant

One of the hardest parts of estate settling I found was the filing of the Estate Tax Return. The following is much of the information you will need. Your accountant and attorney will ask for it so you may as well have it ready.

INFORMATION NEEDED FOR UNITED STATES ESTATE TAX RETURN

FOR EACH ASSET IN THE ESTATE YOU WILL NEED TO INDICATE THE OWNERSHIP. FOR EXAMPLE: DECEDENT, SPOUSE, JOINT WITH SPOUSE, JOINT WITH OTHER JOINT TENANTS, TENANTS IN COMMON, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, GENERAL PARTNERSHIP, PART OF BUSINESS INTEREST

Real Estate:

Description, Property Appraisal, Valuation Include Personal Residence Here If Applicable

Stocks and Bonds:

Description, CUSIP Number, Number of Shares, Price Per Share, Bond Par Value, Number of Bonds, Price Per Bond, Total Value

Mortgages and Notes:

Face Value and Unpaid Balance, Date of Mortgage or Note, Date of Maturity, Name of Maker, Property Mortgaged, Interest Dates and Rate of Interest

Cash:

Name and Address of Financial Institution, Account Balance, Account Number, Nature of Account - Checking, Savings, C.D.'s

Insurance on Life: Name of Insurance Company, Policy Number, Number of Decedents: Form 712 Life Insurance Statement from Company, Include - Insurance on Decedent's life receivable by orfor benefit of estate and receivable by beneficiaries other than the estate

Jointly Owned Property:

Information as indicated above - Interests Held By Decedent and Spouse as the Only Joint Tenant, All Other Joint Tenants

Other Misc. Property:

In this section list items not included in any other;

section above such as -

Debts Due the Decedent

Interests in Business

Interests in Partnership or Unincorporated Business

Insurance on Life of Another

Section 2044 (QTIP from Prior Transfer) Property

Claims, Judgements

Rights, Royalties, Leaseholds

Reversionary or Remainder Interests

Shares in Trust Funds

Household Goods and Personal Effects

Automobiles, Boats, R.V.'s

Annuities, IRA's

Name of Financial Institution,

Trustee or Custodian

Pensions:

Description Account Number, Account Value, Beneficiary Information; Transfers During,

If Applicable, All Necessary Information Decedents Life:

Powers of Appointment:

If Applicable, All Necessary Information

In addition to all of the above information for the federal estate tax return, you will need information including descriptions, asset values and expense amounts for the following allowable estate deductions:

Funeral Expenses
Expenses Incurred in Administering Property Subject to Claims
Debts of the Decedent
Mortgages and Liens
Net Losses During the Administration
Expenses Incurred in Administering Property Not Subject To Claims
Bequests to Surviving Spouse
Charitable, Public and Similar Gifts and Bequests

I hope you never have to use this information. But if you do, this will save you thousands of dollars in consulting fees, weeks of lost revenues from your business and a lot the stress, hardship and anxiety I went through.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs


MORE RESOURCES:

See the complete list of Articles on Grief-loss here

Have a look at Best Selling Books on Grief-loss

 

Google

See also : Other articles on

Depression, Happiness, Humor, Inspirational, Motivation,
Positive Attitude
,  Meditation, Spirituality


Latest info on : Grief Loss


Grieving For Your Pet
Gather.com, MA - May 10, 2008
by Jeanie C. Here's an article I think we all need to examin for one time or another. It's not a subject we want to think about until it happens and ...


Learn to communicate with your pets
Vail Daily News, CO - May 8, 2008
Blackbyrd and local counselor and metaphysician Catherine Zeeb will be giving two lectures — Animal Communication, What Is It? at 4:30 pm and Grief & Loss ...


Volunteer Calendar
Austin American-Statesman, TX - 17 hours ago
My Healing Place — Bilingual therapist volunteers needed to help adults and children through grief, loss and trauma. Volunteers must be a licensed ...


Tiger loss is a tough one to let go
commercialappeal.com (subscription), TN - May 6, 2008
By Geoff Calkins (Contact) Can you think about the Memphis Tigers' national championship loss to Kansas with a mature and reflective appreciation for that ...


PopMatters

Animals in Time: Neko Case and the Contemporary Country
PopMatters, IL - 9 hours ago
Abuse, addiction, betrayal, grief, loss—think of Johnny Cash’s prison tales, Loretta Lynn’s everyday directness, Willie Nelson’s tremolo, or Catherine ...


Loving and Losing
Coshocton Tribune, OH - Apr 22, 2008
By HOLLY DOWNING It was as I feared. My dear 18-year-old cat, Scamp, suddenly began to fail last week. At an appointment with our vet, it was decided the ...


Support Groups: Bereavement
Modesto Bee, CA - Apr 21, 2008
ADOLESCENTS GRIEF CLASS: For adolescents ages 12-16 who have experienced a loss. Meets Thursdays May 1-29 and June 5, 6-8 pm at Hospice of Emanuel, ...


Hospice looking for an angel
Independent Online, South Africa - May 4, 2008
When Marcus, an expert on grief, loss and bereavement, and a colleague discussed how best to help children cope with the loss of someone close, ...


Co-Pastor Elaine Mack chairs community annual women’s conference ...
Westside Gazette - May 7, 2008
... that is available to all in spite of the past and present realities of abandonment, grief, loss and abuse of those who inspire to be great and destined ...


Daily Planner: May 8
Enterprise-Record, CA - May 7, 2008
GRIEF, LOSS SUPPORT: 11 am-noon. Help through grief and loss associated with daily living. Butte County Behavioral Health Drop-In Center, 109 Parmac Road, ...

Grief-Loss - Google News

 

Why not be an expert yourself  ?

 If you can write on any of the above topic, you are welcome to submit your
 articles in our database :

 Submit your article here   Our Article Area

You are here Home > Tips for Stress free Life > Expert Zone > Grief Loss Tips


| Grief Loss Tips Home | Grief Loss Tips - Complete list 

| Main Home | | Meditation Corner

                |Health Tips  | Workplace Tips  | Soul Tips  |Expert Zone  |

Recommend us  |

 Books, DVDs and accessories on meditation & yoga  |

[About us] [Contact] [Privacy Policy]

Copyright 2006, Meditation is Easy.com, All rights reserved