After a loved one passes away: Your guide to practical and financial matters
Overview |
Losing a family member or friend is one of life’s hardest blows. Yet even during the emotional turmoil that follows someone’s death, there are important — sometimes urgent — decisions to make. Often the person who must make the decisions is the husband or wife of the person who has died. Or, the survivor may be a child, brother or sister, parent or close friend. Although each survivor may have different tasks to handle, everyone must do some basic things. In the best situations, some preparation for these tasks will have already been made. A valuable lesson for all of us, at any age: Taking the time to organize papers makes a difficult time immeasurably easier for those left behind. | |
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Next Steps for Beneficiaries |
Checklist (PDF) What To Do First Within the First Month During the First Few Months Three to Six Months By Month Nine | |
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Proceeds Plus Account Holders |
Proceeds Plus is a service available to beneficiaries of TIAA and If you are a Proceeds Plus account holder and do not know your ID or password, please call 1 800 343-2551. | |
If you have any questions about survivor benefits, or if you need to notify us of a participant’s death, call us at 1 800 842-2776. We are available Monday to Friday from
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (ET), and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET).
Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA) and TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company, 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
© 2008 and prior years, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), New York, NY 10017
