# DC Discussion of Coroners, Etc...



## Addie (May 16, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> Let me know if an apartment becomes vacant. I LOVE '30s and '40s B&W movies. Anything with Bette Davies has me hooked.



We had two folks expire last week, and their apartments already have a new resident. We have a very long waiting list and it takes less than a week to empty and clean the apartment. 

Our lease says that the family has 30 days in which to clean out the apartment. But management frowns on that. So they put pressure on the family to get the job done faster. I told my kids about it, and they promised me it would take them at least 29 days. Bless their hearts!


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## Mad Cook (May 16, 2014)

Addie said:


> We had two folks expire last week, and their apartments already have a new resident. We have a very long waiting list and it takes less than a week to empty and clean the apartment.
> 
> Our lease says that the family has 30 days in which to clean out the apartment. But management frowns on that. So they put pressure on the family to get the job done faster. I told my kids about it, and they promised me it would take them at least 29 days. Bless their hearts!


Goo9d for you ad your kids.


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## Addie (May 16, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> Goo9d for you ad your kids.



If my kids really wanted to be difficult, all they would have to do is take my will to Probate Court. The apartment can't be touched until the court gives permission. I have some antiques that are valuable. Reason enough to go through probate. That could take a few months or more.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 17, 2014)

Addie said:


> If my kids really wanted to be difficult, all they would have to do is take my will to Probate Court. The apartment can't be touched until the court gives permission. I have some antiques that are valuable. Reason enough to go through probate. That could take a few months or more.



Just a thought; If the apartment you live in was made available to someone whose life would be made better by the fast turn-around, isn't that a good thing?  Of course there must be reasonable time to remove belongings from the space.  And yes, I know, the building owners are just trying to preserve income from that apartment.  But if it helps someone who needs a place to live...

When I go out of mortality, my survivors, first my wife, then my  kids will get everything I have.  But to me, the most important thing for them to have is the memory of a loving husband and father, who genuinely cares for them, and for anyone that I can help.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## GotGarlic (May 17, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Just a thought; If the apartment you live in was made available to someone whose life would be made better by the fast turn-around, isn't that a good thing?  Of course there must be reasonable time to remove belongings from the space.  And yes, I know, the building owners are just trying to preserve income from that apartment...



The owners of Addie's building are the taxpayers. 



Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> When I go out of mortality, my survivors, first my wife, then my  kids will get everything I have.  But to me, the most important thing for them to have is the memory of a loving husband and father, who genuinely cares for them, and for anyone that I can help.
> 
> Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



You're a good and thoughtful man, Chief. Your family is lucky to have you in their lives.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 17, 2014)

GotGarlic said:


> The owners of Addie's building are the taxpayers.
> 
> 
> 
> You're a good and thoughtful man, Chief. Your family is lucky to have you in their lives.



I'd rather think of myself as one of millions of like minded men.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (May 17, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Just a thought; If the apartment you live in was made available to someone whose life would be made better by the fast turn-around, isn't that a good thing?  Of course there must be reasonable time to remove belongings from the space.  And yes, I know, the building owners are just trying to preserve income from that apartment.  But if it helps someone who needs a place to live...
> Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



Certainly. But when I say they are putting pressure on the family, sometimes they are calling even before the funeral. They want them to come immediately to start cleaning out the apartment. Absolutely no compassion for the family. 

We had one resident die while her niece was in the apartment with her taking care of her. Did the niece give her something to hurry her death? The police and coroner were called. All deaths are supposed to reported to the police unless it happens in a hospital or other medical facility. (We have crazy laws.) The coroner would not be performing the autopsy until the following Monday. In the meantime the police had yellow tape across the door. The manager was absolutely beside herself. The woman died of natural causes. Old age. Total lack of compassion and common sense on the part of management.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 17, 2014)

Addie said:


> Certainly. But when I say they are putting pressure on the family, sometimes they are calling even before the funeral. They want them to come immediately to start cleaning out the apartment. Absolutely no compassion for the family.
> 
> We had one resident die while her niece was in the apartment with her taking care of her. Did the niece give her something to hurry her death? The police and coroner were called. All deaths are supposed to reported to the police unless it happens in a hospital or other medical facility. (We have crazy laws.) The coroner would not be performing the autopsy until the following Monday. In the meantime the police had yellow tape across the door. The manager was absolutely beside herself. The woman died of natural causes. Old age. Total lack of compassion and common sense on the part of management.



I understand.  The family should be allowed to grieve, and the departed person should be shown dignity.  That manager needs a good kick in the backside, or a visit from those ghosts who visited Scrooge.  If only such things were possible.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## CarolPa (May 18, 2014)

Addie said:


> We had one resident die while her niece was in the apartment with her taking care of her. Did the niece give her something to hurry her death? The police and coroner were called. All deaths are supposed to reported to the police unless it happens in a hospital or other medical facility. (We have crazy laws.) The coroner would not be performing the autopsy until the following Monday. In the meantime the police had yellow tape across the door. The manager was absolutely beside herself. The woman died of natural causes. Old age. Total lack of compassion and common sense on the part of management.



When my father passed away, I was 11 years old. It just so happened that I was the one who walked into the room and found him dead, so I was the one who was questioned by the coroner as to whether someone did something to cause his death.  I remember that clearly.

To stay on topic, I will add that they must have thought that someone fed him poison cup cakes.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 18, 2014)

I think it's safe to say that none of us are getting out of this life alive.  We can only strive to treat each other well, and with dignity.  If we do that, no matter skin color, or differences of where we live, or how much money we have, etc., then we are moving our race in the right directions.  

That being said, coroners need to be sensitive to the family members grief, and the love they had for the departed person, especially if those members are young.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (May 18, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> I think it's safe to say that none of us are getting out of this life alive.  We can only strive to treat each other well, and with dignity.  If we do that, no matter skin color, or differences of where we live, or how much money we have, etc., then we are moving our race in the right directions.
> 
> That being said, coroners need to be sensitive to the family members grief, and the love they had for the departed person, especially if those members are young.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



For the most part, coroners are sensitive. They don't allow any family member see what they do to the body in order to determine time of death. Anytime there is a death in the home, there will always be suspicion as to the cause.


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## CarolPa (May 19, 2014)

I didn't get the impression that the coroner was being insensitive when he asked me about when I found my father.  It was just something he had to ask.  It's probably unusual to have to ask a young child.


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## Addie (May 19, 2014)

CarolPa said:


> I didn't get the impression that the coroner was being insensitive when he asked me about when I found my father.  *It was just something he had to ask*.  It's probably unusual to have to ask a young child.



Absolutely. They are not insensitive when they ask. It is their job. And most of the time, unless like in your case, they try to shield children.


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## Kayelle (May 20, 2014)

Addie, it sounds like your real complaint should go to the management of the building. I have a dear friend who has an apartment such as yours. When her husband died, she no longer qualified for the larger apartment but she was allowed to stay there until a smaller one became available in the same building. We thought that was compassionate of the management as they could have sent her to another facility away from her friends. Then again, she's always looked at life with the glass being half full, rather than half empty.


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## Addie (May 20, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> Addie, it sounds like your real complaint should go to the management of the building. I have a dear friend who has an apartment such as yours. When her husband died, she no longer qualified for the larger apartment but she was allowed to stay there until a smaller one became available in the same building. We thought that was compassionate of the management as they could have sent her to another facility away from her friends. Then again, she's always looked at life with the glass being half full, rather than half empty.



My complaint is "the management" of this building. Fortunately we don't have the policy of a smaller apartment when a spouse dies. Only if a handicap apartment is needed. If one becomes empty, the resident in need of the handicap apt. has the option of moving into it or not. But they don't get a second chance if they pass on it and one becomes available again. And the only time you are evicted is if you threaten or harm another resident. Then you are given the option of moving to the Lyman School or finding housing in the private sector.


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## cave76 (May 20, 2014)

Addie said:


> All deaths are supposed to reported to the police unless it happens in a hospital or other medical facility.



Actually, I think that a death in the hospital should also require a coroner. 

From 2013:
"Medical errors leading to patient death are much higher than previously thought, and may be as high as 400,000 deaths a year, according to a new study in the Journal of Patient Safety."

"The latest numbers are dramatically higher than those in the Institute of Medicine's 1999 report, To Err is Human: Building A Safer Health System, which estimated that up to 98,000 people a year die because of *hospital mistakes*. The data for that report is based on medical record reviews from 1984 and doesn't take into account studies published since 2008."

Hospital medical errors now the third leading cause of death in the U.S. - FierceHealthcare

These are preventable mistakes, not the worsening of a patients health.


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## Addie (May 20, 2014)

cave76 said:


> *Actually, I think that a death in the hospital should also require a coroner.*
> 
> From 2013:
> "Medical errors leading to patient death are much higher than previously thought, and may be as high as 400,000 deaths a year, according to a new study in the Journal of Patient Safety."
> ...



Some do. If a patient consents to an autopsy by the hospital, and they find suspicious causes of death, they (the hospital) are required in this state to report it to the authorities. If the attending doctor suspects suspicious causes of death and the family refuses an autopsy, they must report it also.


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## cave76 (May 21, 2014)

Addie said:


> Some do. If a patient consents to an autopsy by the hospital, and they find suspicious causes of death, they (the hospital) are required in this state to report it to the authorities. If the attending doctor suspects suspicious causes of death and the family refuses an autopsy, they must report it also.



I'm sure that if the patient has expressed written instructions to do so, then an autopsy will be performed. I wonder if an autopsy would be performed if requested  a close family member after a patients death and no written instructions by patient.

But my highlighted sentence _[Actually, I think that a death in the hospital should also require a coroner.]_ was specious and was really meant to show how many preventable deaths occur in the hospital.  Iatrogenic ones.


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## CarolPa (May 22, 2014)

A coworkers young husband died and the family requested an autopsy because he had no illness that they knew of.  It turned out he had a congenital heart problem that was not showing symptoms since he was only 30 years old.  Said he didn't feel good, went to lie down, and didn't wake up.  He DID have back pain, which most people don't recognize as a sign of a heart attack.


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## cave76 (May 22, 2014)

CarolPa said:


> A coworkers young husband died and the family requested an autopsy because he had no illness that they knew of.  It turned out he had a congenital heart problem that was not showing symptoms since he was only 30 years old.  Said he didn't feel good, went to lie down, and didn't wake up.  He DID have back pain, which most people don't recognize as a sign of a heart attack.



That's tragic about your friends husband. Heart attacks present in many ways, not just the classic 'grab your chest' type. Although too  late for him  this blog talks about the different ways heart disease can present. (Although aimed at women, it's good for all.)

Heart Sisters

But I'm guessing that he wasn't in the hospital at the time of his death?


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## Addie (May 22, 2014)

Well, I found out today the reason for the pressure on the family to vacate the residents apartment.

I went down to sign my yearly renewal papers. It seems that HUD has changed the rules. It appears our families only have 14 days to vacate the apartment of our belongings now. Otherwise they will start at a prorated amount, start charging market price for the apartment after 14 days. It will come out of the deposit.


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## cave76 (May 22, 2014)

Addie said:


> Well, I found out today the reason for the pressure on the family to vacate the residents apartment.
> 
> I went down to sign my yearly renewal papers. It seems that HUD has changed the rules. It appears our families only have 14 days to vacate the apartment of our belongings now. Otherwise they will start at a prorated amount, start charging market price for the apartment after 14 days. It will come out of the deposit.



Well that just sucks!


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## Oldvine (May 22, 2014)

I would assume the rent on the apartment would still be paid during the cleaning out period.  I don't think it would be fair for the landlord to be a free storage unit of the property of an estate.  We continued to pay the utilities, taxes, alarm and insurance on my mother-in-law's house until it was empty. 
That being said, I know my son could never clean this place out in 30 days. If he worked at it, maybe 30 weeks.


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## Kayelle (May 23, 2014)

Since my dearest friend lives in one of these government subsidized apartments, and the square footage is very small, I don't think it's unreasonable to have it vacated within two weeks. The waiting list is very long, and the need is great for those who need these places. I know my friend is thankful to have a decent place to live.


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## Addie (May 23, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> Since my dearest friend lives in one of these government subsidized apartments, and the square footage is very small, I don't think it's unreasonable to have it vacated within two weeks. The waiting list is very long, and the need is great for those who need these places. I know my friend is thankful to have a decent place to live.



We have presently over 1,500 elderly apartments in my part of Boston alone. Fortunately, the powers that be saw the baby boomers ageing many years ago and realized the crisis it would create in the housing market. Any abandoned commercial building, school buildings, etc. have been rehabbed for elderly housing. And the building continues on. As I type there are three very large buildings on the waterfront being rehabbed for elderly housing. Next year they will be tearing down the Orient Heights projects that were built right after the war. There are still many elderly folks living there and they will have first pick of where they want to live. Each time they rehab one of these buildings, HUD is learning along with the company that manages these apartments. Such as the new units will have central heating but individual window AC appliances. 

This is going on all over Boston. A lot of the WWII housing projects are being razed and the elderly have the option of staying in their part of Boston or moving to another section of the city into a new rehabbed building. Most opt to stay in their part of Boston that they grew up in and know best. 

In Charlestown where the U.S.S. Constitution is moored is the old Navy Yard. When the last ship was repaired there, the city took it over from the Federal Govt. A couple of the buildings were designated as historical landmarks and can't be touched. But for the rest of the area the buildings were converted into very expensive condos, middle priced condos, some apartments for Section 8 folks, and a whole section for the elderly. There is a supermarket available along with some upscale restaurants. One building holds offices of businesses that often hire folks that live there. It also has a medical facility to attend to any emergencies and out patient services. Because Old Ironsides is berthed there, the police patrol the fenced in area around the clock. Not a bad place to live if you are on Section 8 or elderly. They have a very long waiting list. Charlestown residents have first choice. They too have a rather large housing project that is slated to be torn down.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 23, 2014)

We often have our next resident sitting in the lobby waiting for their room to be vacated by someone discharging home.  Rarely have an empty bed for long.  I'm expecting 7 admits today, after the 7 discharges...and that's just my unit.  Our other unit has 5 discharges and admits.


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## Roll_Bones (May 23, 2014)

Addie said:


> We had one resident die while her niece was in the apartment with her taking care of her. Did the niece give her something to hurry her death? The police and coroner were called. All deaths are supposed to reported to the police unless it happens in a hospital or other medical facility. (We have crazy laws.)



Wow!  My Dad died here in our home and no police even showed up.  EMS declared him dead and we called the funeral home who picked up his body.
We were not asked any questions and I even told the EMS worker I purposely did not perform CPR.
EMS contacted the doctor by phone (Memorial Day 2007) after hours and that was it.



Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> I understand.  The family should be allowed to grieve, and the departed person should be shown dignity.  That manager needs a good kick in the backside, or a visit from those ghosts who visited Scrooge.  If only such things were possible.



Was the departed's dignity disrespected because the apartment owners have a policy to make ready the premises for a new resident in the contract time?
I do assume a contract or lease agreement was in place?



Addie said:


> For the most part, coroners are sensitive. They don't allow any family member see what they do to the body in order to determine time of death. Anytime there is a death in the home, there will always be suspicion as to the cause.



Not always. And for sure, not always in my state.



Addie said:


> Well, I found out today the reason for the pressure on the family to vacate the residents apartment.
> 
> I went down to sign my yearly renewal papers. It seems that HUD has changed the rules. It appears our families only have 14 days to vacate the apartment of our belongings now. Otherwise they will start at a prorated amount, start charging market price for the apartment after 14 days. It will come out of the deposit.



Seems very fair to me.  Very fair now that I see the nature of the agreement. 
Above I mentioned "lease agreement".  It seems you have an agreement, but out of the scope of a regular/non-governmental rental agreement.



Kayelle said:


> Since my dearest friend lives in one of these government subsidized apartments, and the square footage is very small, I don't think it's unreasonable to have it vacated within two weeks. The waiting list is very long, and the need is great for those who need these places. I know my friend is thankful to have a decent place to live.



Agree.  And it would seem this agreement is a good idea for those who still live. The family and friends of the deceased.  
Moving the items out and going through these items should help with the loss and grieving process.  Maybe this time frame is actually a very good idea for all concerned?


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## Kayelle (May 23, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Agree.  And it would seem this agreement is a good idea for those who still live. The family and friends of the deceased.
> *Moving the items out and going through these items should help with the loss and grieving process.  Maybe this time frame is actually a very good idea for all concerned?*



Although some families may gripe about having to do it within two weeks, they need to consider how others are in need of the housing. Addie expanded about the abundance of elderly housing in Boston but that's not the case in most of the country and certainly not here. These are *not* big places and unless the resident is a hoarder, there should be no problem with clearing it out in two weeks. 
On a personal note, my husband of 42 years died in our large home of 35 years. I had to immediately place the home up for sale, and I'm here to tell you, grief can be a motivator for getting things done instead of wallowing in self pity.
My signature seems particularly relevant here.


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## Addie (May 23, 2014)

And it is for those very reasons Kayelle, that little by little I have been giving various items to the kids that I know they want. Like The Pirate wants my potato ricer and large green Depression glass bowl. Spike so far has the electric knife sharpener, meat slicer, and a few other items. I also got rid of all the dust collectors. 

The odd thing is that I have some belongings that were my mother's. Those are what the kids fight over. When you clean out a house or apartment, you really need a family member that has a truck. We have two trucks in the family. We have a hoarder here. When HUD came through for their yearly inspection, they could barely get into the door. The hammer came down. Management was told to contact the family and give them five days to clean out the apartment. Or evict the tenant. The family did clean out the place and placed the resident in a nursing home. 

The main things my kids will have to deal with is the furniture. The bed will go out by the dumpster and the scooter goes to Winthrop. There are ten other pieces that they will have to make a decision about. I assume it will all go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Which is fine with me. When my youngest daughter died, my oldest daughter went with me to clean out her place. I collapsed and the job was left for her to do. I have never asked her about it. Still can't.


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## Addie (May 23, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> We often have our next resident sitting in the lobby waiting for their room to be vacated by someone discharging home.  Rarely have an empty bed for long.  I'm expecting 7 admits today, after the 7 discharges...and that's just my unit.  Our other unit has 5 discharges and admits.



You is a busy  kid. Nothing like paperwork to keep you going.


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## Mad Cook (May 23, 2014)

Oldvine said:


> I would assume the rent on the apartment would still be paid during the cleaning out period. I don't think it would be fair for the landlord to be a free storage unit of the property of an estate. We continued to pay the utilities, taxes, alarm and insurance on my mother-in-law's house until it was empty.
> That being said, I know my son could never clean this place out in 30 days. If he worked at it, maybe 30 weeks.


Over here, if the deceased leaves an estate of more than £5000 (approx. $7500) it _has_ to go to probate whether you want it to or not and until probate is granted the executor and the beneficiaries can't sell or let the house/flat and cannot sell, give away or donate the deceased person's goods and chattels to charity. I'm the executor of my mother's estate. She died in December 2011 and the estate is perfectly straightforward with no inheritance tax to pay but the probate application has got stuck in the bureaucracy somewhere and I'm stuck in limbo. I can't claim her insurances, access her bank account or do anything useful but in the meantime I'm stuck with paying for essential repairs, insurance and maintenance of her house which I now live in. (That's a long and complicated story we won't go into here.)

Heaven help me if she'd been in rented property!


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## Mad Cook (May 23, 2014)

Addie said:


> Well, I found out today the reason for the pressure on the family to vacate the residents apartment.
> 
> I went down to sign my yearly renewal papers. It seems that HUD has changed the rules. It appears our families only have 14 days to vacate the apartment of our belongings now. Otherwise they will start at a prorated amount, start charging market price for the apartment after 14 days. It will come out of the deposit.


And they can change the conditions of your contract without your agreement and without notifying you? That seems very harsh.


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## Mad Cook (May 23, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> Wow! My Dad died here in our home and no police even showed up. EMS declared him dead and we called the funeral home who picked up his body.
> We were not asked any questions and I even told the EMS worker I purposely did not perform CPR.
> EMS contacted the doctor by phone (Memorial Day 2007) after hours and that was it.


 Here an autopsy is a legal requirement if the death is sudden, unexpected or violent and in those circumstances the next of kin cannot refuse even if there are religious reasons why they might want to. 

Under certain circumstances the family can request an autopsy or if the hospital think they can learn something about the disease the deceased died from they can ask the permission of the next of kin to do an autopsy. You can actually leave your body to "medical science" if you wish to in your will in which case the next of kin don't have a say in matters.

Unless there are suspicious circumstance the police aren't usually involved unless they've been called because the corpse has been found in the street or neighbours haven't seen the deceased for some time and the property needs to be broken into or some such thing.


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## Addie (May 24, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> Over here, if the deceased leaves an estate of more than £5000 (approx. $7500) it _has_ to go to probate whether you want it to or not and until probate is granted the executor and the beneficiaries can't sell or let the house/flat and cannot sell, give away or donate the deceased person's goods and chattels to charity. I'm the executor of my mother's estate. She died in December 2011 and the estate is perfectly straightforward with no inheritance tax to pay but the probate application has got stuck in the bureaucracy somewhere and I'm stuck in limbo. I can't claim her insurances, access her bank account or do anything useful but in the meantime I'm stuck with paying for essential repairs, insurance and maintenance of her house which I now live in. (That's a long and complicated story we won't go into here.)
> 
> Heaven help me if she'd been in rented property!



And that is why I have one of my kids on all my accounts. They won't need permission to withdraw any funds as the account is theirs also. Legally that is. My sister had me on her safe deposit box and when she died, I walked into the bank and took out more than $5,000.00 from her box. I gave it to her daughter to help pay for her funeral. Her daughter was quite perturbed because I knew about the box, had access and she didn't. 

What a lot of folks here don't know is that banks have someone every day looking at the obit to see if any of them are clients of the bank. If they are, they freeze the account until the family gets a court order to release the funds.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 24, 2014)

That's what my MIL did, all three boys had their own brokerage accounts with her and they all three owned the house before she died.  After she died, the boys had thier own accounts to do with what they wished and they had to decide among themselves what to do about the house, one brother bought out his two sibs from their portion of the house.  This was all taken care of in about two months.


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## GotGarlic (May 24, 2014)

According to my certified financial advisor dad, the best way to plan an estate transfer is to create a living trust, appoint yourself as the trustee, and then, instead of an executor, appoint someone as the successor trustee. If you become incompetent or pass on, the successor trustee receives the right to manage the trust, including executing the person's will, paying bills, selling assets, etc. This also avoids probate.

Much more info is available here: What is a living trust? - Nolo.com


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 24, 2014)

A living trust is what we will do (if we ever win the Lottery), the trust will accept the winnings.  If not, I am joyfully spending the kids inheritance as we speak, not that there is much to it.


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## GotGarlic (May 24, 2014)

Aunt Bea said:


> You can also list beneficiaries on mutual fund accounts or set up savings accounts as POD, Pay-on-Death to keep large amounts of money out of your estate/probate and safe from helpful relatives prior to your death.
> 
> I say enjoy it now, not much room in a coffin!
> 
> ...



This isn't just about cash. People can put their home, vehicles, jewelry, furniture, heirlooms, electronics, etc., into the trust. The point is to avoid the time and expenses associated with probate. 

Let's just stipulate that this doesn't apply to everyone, okay?


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## taxlady (May 24, 2014)

All of those ideas are great, but are location dependant.

In some jurisdictions, safety deposit boxes and/or joint bank accounts are frozen on the death of one of the holders.

In Quebec, if you get a "notarial will" you don't have to deal with probate. The will is registered in the "Registres  des dispositions testamentaires et des mandats du Québec".*

*From Wikipedia:
"In Quebec, civil-law notaries (_notaires_) are full lawyers licensed to practice notarial law. Quebec notaries draft and prepare major legal instruments (notarial acts),  provide complex legal advice, represent clients (out of court) and make  appearances on their behalf, act as arbitrator, mediator, or  conciliator, and even act as a court commissioner in non-contentious  matters.[10] To become a notary in Quebec, a candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree in civil law and a one-year Master's in notarial law[11] and serve a traineeship (_stage_) before being admitted to practice.

"The concept of notaries public in Quebec does not exist. Instead, the province has Commissioners of Oaths (_Commissaires à l'assermentation_) which serve to authenticate legal documents at a fixed maximal rate of $5.00CAD."


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## Aunt Bea (May 24, 2014)

GotGarlic said:


> This isn't just about cash. People can put their home, vehicles, jewelry, furniture, heirlooms, electronics, etc., into the trust. The point is to avoid the time and expenses associated with probate.
> 
> Let's just stipulate that this doesn't apply to everyone, okay?



I'm not sure what about my post upset you, but I have deleted it


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## GotGarlic (May 24, 2014)

Aunt Bea said:


> I'm not sure what about my post upset you, but I have deleted it



I wasn't upset. Not sure why you thought that.


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## Addie (May 24, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> That's what my MIL did, all three boys had their own brokerage accounts with her and they all three owned the house before she died.  After she died, the boys had thier own accounts to do with what they wished and they had to decide among themselves what to do about the house, one brother bought out his two sibs from their portion of the house.  This was all taken care of in about two months.



Smart woman. If you have to go into Probate Court, it can end up cost a lot of $$$$. When it is all settled, there is nothing left to probate. Settle it all between yourselves before it is necessary.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 24, 2014)

Addie said:


> Smart woman. If you have to go into Probate Court, it can end up cost a lot of $$$$. When it is all settled, there is nothing left to probate. Settle it all between yourselves before it is necessary.



It helped that two brothers didn't want the house and one did.  They are a cooperative brood.  They also asked me if there was anything MIL had said I could have and it was delivered to me, they had no problems with what I had requested, I actually got a couple other things that I thought were nice, via Shrek.


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## Addie (May 24, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> It helped that two brothers didn't want the house and one did.  They are a cooperative brood.  They also asked me if there was anything MIL had said I could have and it was delivered to me, they had no problems with what I had requested, I actually got a couple other things that I thought were nice, via Shrek.



And that is how folks end up on Antiques Roadshow. Generations after generations passing things down to the next one.


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