Beneficiary Checklist

Pod

After the death of a loved one, many people find themselves overwhelmed with the tasks to complete.  SBCERA has created this checklist to assist survivors with various issues that they may need to address. This checklist is only informational. It is not intended to be a definitive list of all matters of immediate concern upon death.  Print and keep a copy of this checklist for your survivors’ records. You may also want to add account information and the contact person, address, email and/or phone number for all applicable institutions mentioned.

SBCERA Beneficiary Checklist

When an SBCERA member dies, survivors should consider the following steps:

  • Gather all pertinent information and identification numbers for immediate reference (person’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, address at time of death, place of death, Social Security number, VA number, Medicare number, Insurance policy numbers, banking numbers, etc).
  • Contact the member’s preferred funeral home to coordinate burial and/or memorial services. Request numerous copies of the certified death certificate.
  • Notify SBCERA of the death and provide an original certified copy of the member’s death certificate.
    • The member’s benefit will be paid through the end of the month in which the member dies.
    • If eligible for a continuance and/or benefits, the designated beneficiary will be mailed the applicable forms to complete.
    • Upon completion, the continuance and/or benefits will be paid to the beneficiary. In total, the process can take approximately 1 to 3 months.
  • Notify the appropriate life insurance carriers through any employers, credit unions, or other associations of which the deceased was a member.
  • Contact the Human Resources and/or Employee Benefits Department from the member’s current or former employer to convert or cancel health and/or dental coverage, or contact the member’s insurance provider if they used independent health and/or dental plans.
  • Contact any other retirement plans the member had, such as a deferred compensation (457b or 401k), IRAs or other pension systems.
  • Contact the nearest Social Security Administration office to determine whether there are any benefits forthcoming.
  • Contact the member’s financial institutions and banks regarding their accounts and ask about such matters as safety deposit boxes, death benefits and outstanding loans.
  • If the member was a veteran, contact Veterans’ Affairs to check on possible death benefits.

Log in

Commands