Death of a Family Member

The CFPB’s Managing Someone Else’s Money guides include four guides for four different fiduciary capacities: agents under power of attorney, court-appointed guardians, trustees, and government fiduciaries. Each guide contains information on fiduciary responsibilities and tips on how to spot financial exploitation and avoid scams. Also, each guide includes a “Where to go for help” section with a listing of relevant agencies and service providers. State-specific guides have been developed for six states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Oregon, and Virginia.

Following a rigorous research effort to develop a consumer-driven definition of financial well-being, the CFPB developed and tested a set of questions–a “scale”–to measure financial well-being. The scale is designed to allow practitioners and researchers to accurately and consistently quantify, and therefore observe, something that is not directly observable–the extent to which someone’s financial situation and the financial capability that they have developed provide them with security and freedom of choice.

Money Smart for Older Adults (MSOA) is stand-alone instructor-led training module developed by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) which provides awareness among older adults and caregivers on how to prevent elder financial exploitation and to encourage advance planning and informed financial decision-making.

Who is responsible for paying off the debts of your deceased relatives?

Planning a funeral is an emotional experience. These practical tips can help.

Explains what the law has to say about who has responsibility for a dead relative’s debts.

Social Security should be notified as soon as possible when a person dies. This site provides information about how you can report a death in the family and about possible benefits for family members, including surviving spouse, unmarried children, and parents.

This website provides Information about Social Security benefits that women should know as brides, new mothers, divorced spouses, caregiver or widows.

Guidance and information on purchasing funeral services.

This special edition of FDIC Consumer News puts special focus on staying focused and avoiding costly decisions during major life events.