OP, sorry for your loss.
Re: death certificates--In my state there is a pretty steep fee for the first certified copy, then a much reduced rate for addtitional copies. I got a dozen due to all I had heard about needing several. Every place local that I walked into simply took the one I brought with me, copied it, and handed mine back to me. Many of the non-local places only wanted a fax or email of the certified copy. IIRC there were only two places that required me to mail a certified copy; one of those returned the certified copy to me. YMMV, of course.
Social Security did not require a death certificate from me as they said they had other methods of verifying deaths that they often used. However, they did require a certified copy of a marriage license when applying for survivor benefits. Check their website. It is very helpful not only for information but also to find a number to call to start the application. I found it to be a much easier and well-organized process than I expected. You may need to be with your mother to assist her with the phone calls. There will likely be more than one required.
It's a long process, but you seem to be quite organized. Take a breath and take your time; you'll do fine in a tough situation.
Re: death certificates--In my state there is a pretty steep fee for the first certified copy, then a much reduced rate for addtitional copies. I got a dozen due to all I had heard about needing several. Every place local that I walked into simply took the one I brought with me, copied it, and handed mine back to me. Many of the non-local places only wanted a fax or email of the certified copy. IIRC there were only two places that required me to mail a certified copy; one of those returned the certified copy to me. YMMV, of course.
Social Security did not require a death certificate from me as they said they had other methods of verifying deaths that they often used. However, they did require a certified copy of a marriage license when applying for survivor benefits. Check their website. It is very helpful not only for information but also to find a number to call to start the application. I found it to be a much easier and well-organized process than I expected. You may need to be with your mother to assist her with the phone calls. There will likely be more than one required.
It's a long process, but you seem to be quite organized. Take a breath and take your time; you'll do fine in a tough situation.
Statistics: Posted by Doom&Gloom — Fri Mar 01, 2024 5:11 pm — Replies 23 — Views 2294