My father just died and my family is too distraught. What do I need to do now?

Few things can prepare us for the loss of a parent, much less so for the avalanche of paperwork that arises after the funeral. We hope the following will serve as a guide and make the administrative process more palatable.

Post-funeral steps

After the funeral, the first step is to return your father’s ID card to the government agency Identità so that the official Act of Death (death certificate) can be issued. This normally takes three to four weeks.

The next step is to inform the Department of Social Security to cancel your father’s pension and arrange for your mother’s widow’s pension.

Then, present the funeral bill to the bank where your father’s funds are held, and the bank will settle it directly with the funeral director.

Settling the estate

Once the Act of Death is issued, you have to forward this to a notary of your choice to proceed with settling your father’s estate.

The notary will carry out searches for any wills and determine which one governs the succession. They will also search at banks and financial institutions indicated by the heirs to identify funds, investments and insurance policies your father held.

Once all the required documentation and information is in hand, there are two main tasks left:

Property declaration

A public deed must be made declaring the inherited properties and paying the due tax.

For the purpose of this declaration, the notary requires a Land Registry site plan and valuations of every property.

No tax is paid on your father’s residence if certain conditions are met, while other properties will incur tax.

There is a time limit of six months from your father’s death within which this deed must be signed to benefit from a tax rebate.

There is also a time limit of one year from his death within which this same deed must be signed to avoid interest on late tax payment and to benefit from zero tax payment on his residence.

Release of funds

The notary will facilitate the release of your father’s bank funds, investments and insurance policies to the heirs. No tax is payable on money, certain investments and insurance policies.

If your father owned vehicles, boats and firearms, these will need to be transferred to the heirs. The notary will assist with the required paperwork, and you must provide the relevant log books, ownership certificates and licences.

The notary will guide you through every step. Providing the requested documentation promptly will ensure the smooth and timely settlement of your father’s estate.