Preventing Identity Theft After Death

Unfortunately, many people’s identities are stolen after they die.  This obviously creates much trouble and confusion for family members attempting to honor the wishes of their deceased loved one by administering their estate or distributing their assets.  The following are some tips for how you can minimize the threat of your deceased loved one’s identity being stolen:

• Contact the Social Security Administration promptly so that your deceased loved one will be removed from the payroll. This also comes with a monetary benefit as the SSA gives $225 to people who report a beneficiary of social security as deceased.

• Close social media accounts.

• Close credit card accounts and call the major credit reporting bureaus, telling them to add “Deceased. Do Not Issue Credit.” to your loved one’s credit report so that new accounts cannot be opened.

• Ensure all documents such as bank statements, IDs, and anything containing your loved one’s social security number are kept in a secure location.

Bach & Jacobs, P.A. represents and advises personal representatives (aka executors) and family members who are dealing with what to do after someone dies.  Contact Bach & Jacobs, P.A. at (941) 906-1231 for assistance in administering the probate and/or trust for your loved one.