Losing someone you love to death is difficult. When your loved one’s mail continues to arrive, you may struggle even more. Once the court appoints you executor or personal representative of a deceased loved one’s probate estate, take these steps. The same is true if you serve as the successor trustee of the loved one’s trust. One of the first things to do is to notify the post office of the death and ask them to forward the deceased person’s mail to your address. The court will require you to provide documented proof of authorization to manage your loved one’s mail—a death certificate fails to suffice. You will then complete a change-of-address request. According to the United States Postal Service website, you must do this in person.
The Role of Executor with Deceased Mail Deliveries
It is important that you direct your loved one’s mail to your mailing address for a period because, as the executor, personal representative, or successor trustee, you are responsible for winding up your deceased loved one’s affairs. Your duties specifically include ensuring that necessary bills are paid and creating a list of everything your loved one owns to make sure it is passed on to the intended recipient. Unfortunately, along with important pieces of mail such as statements, bills, and refunds, many not-so-important pieces—catalogs, solicitations, and junk mail—will end up in your mailbox.
Conversely, you may have purchased a deceased person’s home from their estate or trust and be receiving their mail at your new address. If you receive mail that is addressed to someone other than you, you want to ensure that the correct person gets the mail.
How can you stop the post office from delivering mail addressed to a deceased person? Follow these four steps:
Stop Deceased Mail Contact the Probate Court or Hand Deliver a Note If you are the executor or personal representative of an estate that has been administered through the probate court and the estate is officially closed, hand-deliver or send a copy of the probate order closing the estate and dismissing you as the executor to the deceased person’s local post office with a request that all mail service be stopped immediately. If you do not take this step and mail continues to trickle in two or more years after the death, the post office may honor forwarding orders for only one year.
Login to Deceased Do Not Contact Registration Page To stop mail received as the result of commercial marketing lists (junk mail), log on to the Deceased Do Not Contact Registration page (ims-dm.com/cgi/ddnc.php) of the DMAchoice.org website and enter the deceased person’s information. There is a $1 authentication fee to register for the list. After registering the deceased person on the website, the organization claims that the amount of mail received due to commercial marketing lists should decrease within three months. The deceased person’s friend, relative, or caregiver can register.
3. Contact the Organization Directly For magazines, other subscriptions, and mail that are technically not junk mail (for example, solicitations from charities to which the deceased person made donations while they were living), contact the organization directly to inform them of the death. Note that some publishers may issue a refund for unused subscriptions.
4. Mark “Deceased, Return to Sender.” If you shared the mailing address with the deceased person or are the new owner of the deceased person’s home, write “Deceased, Return to Sender” on any mail addressed to the deceased person and leave it in your mailbox for pickup.
Remember, it is a federal offense to open and read someone else’s mail, so if you are not the legal representative of the deceased person, do not open their mail! If you are ever in doubt, call or visit your local post office for additional instructions.
We know that losing a loved one is difficult. Not only are you grieving your loss, but if you are the executor, personal representative, or successor trustee, you also have work to do. If you need assistance winding up your loved one’s affairs, please call us.
About Skvarna Law Firm in Glendora and Upland, California
Skvarna Law Firm operates offices in Glendora and Upland, California. We provide legal services. We cover San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. This includes several cities. Upland, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Colton, Rialto, Chino, Chino Hills, Glendora, Claremont, Pomona, La Verne, Montclair, San Dimas, Azusa, Covina, West Covina, Diamond Bar, Walnut, La Puente, Corona, Norco & Mira Loma. Visit SkvarnaLaw.com to learn more.
