Who Will Hold My Hand at the DMV

The emotional roller coaster that comes with losing a loved one is real. Whether it is a loss you see slowly coming or a traumatic event that leads to an empty seat at your dinner table, losing a loved one is intense. While having to deal with all the emotional pieces of a loss, the logistics of managing an estate are almost always overwhelming. Certainly, there are resources that have been available for years (such as attorneys) that can help with parts and pieces of the logistics of closing out an estate. And having a completed Nokbox to serve as a roadmap is an essential component. However, for some people, having additional emotional support and a physical presence can be very useful. Thankfully, there is a new service on the market known as an “After Loss Professional”. There are several ways these experts can help after losing someone you love. 

Estate Project Manager:

After the loss of a loved one, no matter how organized you typically are, the brain fog can be real. Having someone to physically sit down with, create a task list of all the items that need to be completed, and then organize the order in which everything needs to be done is invaluable. Even if you have your Nokbox completed, the ability to hire someone to help manage the logistics of everything from organizing the estate sale to partnering with a real estate agent can be key. An After Loss Professional can handle all the tasks needed to sort out an estate. This could include calling financial institutions to close out or transfer accounts on your behalf, administrative services such as obtaining records and other documents, sending death certificates to other organizations, and coordinating with people to manage the logistics of selling off items no longer needed.

Empathetic Detective:

Along with managing the paperwork of an estate, an After Loss Professional can also help with researching any loose ends that you have not been able to sort out. From figuring out how to fix something like an incorrectly spelled name on a death certificate, to searching for forgotten accounts (like that small pension dad might have not remembered he received from the position he held years ago), an After Loss Profession can be the detective determining how to solve the inevitable hiccups that come with resolving an estate. Hiring an outside professional to make sure nothing is missing can be a big relief during a difficult time.

Accountability:

For those of us with a completed Nokbox, it is such a blessing to have that comprehensive roadmap of what needs to be done after the loss of someone that we love. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find the motivation to complete all the necessary tasks when we are dealing with the emotional side of having to say goodbye to someone we care about. Perhaps one of the biggest blessings of an After Loss Professional is the accountability that comes with having a physical person come and check in during the process. This can be as simple as holding our hand as we go into the bank to close out the accounts, sitting together to make the phone call to arrange the burial, or packing up clothes that need to be donated to the local homeless shelter. Having a person to keep everything on task in order to close out an estate can help make the entire process less stressful and overwhelming.

Losing a loved one is traumatic. No matter if the death is expected, or comes as a total shock, the aftermath can leave an enormous amount of heartache combined with hours and hours of logistical tasks that must be completed. An After Loss Professional can help with the logistics of closing out an estate if the tasks are simply too much to handle alone. From sitting down and dividing up the Nokbox folders to make phone calls on your behalf, to boxing up no longer needed kitchen items, the tasks they are willing to take on are extensive. If the physical tasks of closing out an estate feel overwhelming, it might be time to consider utilizing the services of one of these professionals to be an administrative assistant during the process. A simple online search can help you locate one of these experts ready to take on the task of holding your hand as you manage the logistics of closing out an estate.