Death Notice, Obituary and Creditor Notifications- An Overview
First off, it is important to note that an obituary or death notice is not the same as a creditor notification. While the death notice can serve as a notice to friends and family, the way in which a creditor notice must be written is often very specific to local probate court guidelines and typically needs to include details such as the location of the probate court and the decedent’s address. We do not recommend trying to combine the death notice with a creditor notice. Also, unless you are filing for Full Probate Administration, you most likely will not be required to post a creditor notice.
Posting the Notice or Obituary
If you are working with a funeral home, most offer services to help with posting the obituary or death notice. While you may hear these terms used interchangeable, typically a death notice is a very short newspaper posting which includes the name, date of death, and location and time of the funeral; whereas an obituary, is typically written at the discretion of the newspaper and is a longer and more sentimental publication about the life of your loved one and their legacy.
Remember that you are under no legal obligation to post an obituary or a death notice unless you want to. If you do decide to post one, we recommend saving a copy of the obituary or death notice posting for your personal records.
TIP:
Criminals have been known to target homes of the deceased, specifically during posted funeral times. If you do post an obituary or death notice with the date and time of the funeral, arrange for someone to be at the house during the time of the funeral.
Additional Support:
If you would like more help with closing out the affairs of your loved one’s estate, including a FREE Probate Assessment, sign up for any of our packages, including the FREE Basic Probate package.
Legacy.com is a website that offers guidance on writing obituaries and allows you to post directly to a newspaper using their services.
