S
sudeshwer
Guest
I recd this real-life story from one of my friends. I wish to share with our TB forum members so that precaution can be taken by everyone:
This is a practical advice by someone who has unfortunately experienced this. Must read.
Letter written by a wife after her husband's death in an accident
"Few things I learnt after my husband's death:-
We always believe we will live forever. Bad things always happen
to others.
Only when things hit us bang on your head you realise... Life is
so unpredictable....
My husband was an IT guy.all techie.And I am a chartered
accountant.Awesome combination you may think.
Techie guy so everything is on his laptop.his to do list. his
e-bill and his bank statements in his email. . He even maintained
a folder which said IMPWDS.wherein he stored all login id and
passwords for all his online accounts.And even his laptop had a
password. Techie guy so all the passwords were alpha-numeric with
a special character not an easy one to crack.Office policy said
passwords needed to be changed every 30 days.So every time I
accessed his laptop I would realise it's a new password again. I
would simply opt for asking him 'What's the latest password'
instead of taking the strain to memorise it.
You may think me being a Chartered Accountant would means
everything is documented and filed properly. Alas many of my
chartered accountant friends would agree that the precision we
follow with our office documents and papers do not flow in to day
to day home life. At office you have be epitome of Reliability /
Competent / Diligent etc but. at home front there is always a
tomorrow.
One fine morning my hubby expired in a bike accident on his way
home from office.. He was just 33.His laptop with all his data
crashed.everything on his hard disk wiped off.No folder of IMPWDS
to refer back to.His mobile with all the numbers on it was
smashed.But that was just the beginning. I realised I had lot to
learn.
9 years married to one of the best human beings.with no kids.just
the two of us to fall back on..but now I stood all alone and
lost.
Being chartered accountant helped in more ways than one but it
was not enough. I needed help.His saving bank accounts, his
salary bank accounts had no nominee.On his insurance his mom was
the nominee and it was almost 2 years back she had expired. but
this was just a start.. I didn't know the password to his email
account where all his e-bill came.I didn't know which expenses he
paid by standing instructions.
His office front too was not easy. His department had changed
recently.I didn't know his reporting boss name to start with.when
had he last claimed his shift allowance.his mobile reimbursement.
The house we bought with all the excitement.on a loan.thought
with our joint salary we could afford the EMI.when the home loans
guys suggested insurance on the loan.we decided the instead of
paying the premium the difference in the EMI on account of the
insurance could be used pay towards prepayment of the loan and
get the tenure down.We never thought what we would do if we have
to live on a single salary.So now there was huge EMI to look into
.
I realised I was in for a long haul.
Road accident case. so everywhere I needed a Death certificate,
FIR report, Post Mortem report. For everything there were forms
running into pages.indemnity bonds.notary.surety to stand up for
you.No objections certificates from your co-heirs..
I learnt other than your house, your land . your car, your bike
are also your property... So what if you are the joint owner of
the flat.you don't become the owner just because your hubby is no
more. So what if your hubby expired in the bike accident.and you
are the nominee but if the bike is in a repairable condition .you
have to get the bike transferred in your name to claim the
insurance.And that was again not easy. the bike or car cannot be
transferred in your name without going through a set of legal
documents. Getting a Succession Certificate is another battle all
together.
Then came the time you realise now you have to start changing all
the bills, assets in your name.Your gas connection, electricity
meter, your own house, your car, your investments and all
sundries. And then change all the nominations where your own
investments are concerned.And again a start of a new set of
paperwork.
To say I was shaken.my whole life had just turned upside down was
an understatement.You realise you don't have time to morn and
grieve for the person with whom you spend the best years of your
life. because you are busy sorting all the paper work.
I realised then how much I took life for granted.I thought being
a chartered accountant I am undergoing so many difficulties.what
would have happened to someone who was house maker who wouldn't
understand this legal hotchpotch.
A sweet friend then told me dear this was not an end.you have no
kids.your assets will be for all who stand to claim.after my
hubby's sudden death.I realised it was time I took life more
seriously. I now needed to make a Will. I would have laughed if a
few months back if he had asked me to make one.But now life had
taken a twist.
Lessons learnt this hard way were meant to be shared.After all
why should the people whom we love the most suffer after we are
no more.Sorting some paperwork before we go will at least ease
some of their grief.
1. Check all your nominations...
It's a usual practice to put a name (i.e in the first place if
you have mentioned it) and royally forget about it. Most of us
have named our parent as a nominee for investments, bank accounts
opened before marriage. We have not changed the same even years
after they are no longer there with us. Even your salary account
usually has no nomination.. Kindly check all your Nominations.
- Bank Accounts
- Fixed Deposits, NSC
- Bank Lockers
- Demat Accounts
- Insurance (Life, Bike or Car or Property)
- Investments
- PF & Pension Forms
2. Passwords..
We have passwords for practically everything. Email accounts,
Bank accounts, even for the laptop you use. What happens when
your next in kin cannot access any of these simply because they
do not know your password... Put it down on a paper.
3. Investments.
Every year for tax purpose we do investments. Do we maintain a
excel sheet about it. If so is it on the same laptop of which the
password you had not shared. Where are those physical investments
hard copy.
4. Will.
Make a Will. I know you will smile even I would.had I not gone
through all what I did.It would have made my life lot easier.a
lot less paperwork.I wouldn't had to provide an indemnity bond,
get it notarised, ask surety to stand up, no objections
certificates from others...
5. Liabilities.
When you take a loan say for your house or car.Check out on all
the what ifs.what if I am not there tomorrow.what if I loose my
job.Will the EMI still be within my range.If not get an insurance
on the loan.The people left behind will not have to worry on
something as basic as their own house.
My battles have just begun...But let us at least try and make few
changes so that our loved ones would not suffer after we go.We do
not know what will happen in the future.But as the Scout motto
goes: Be prepared "
This is a practical advice by someone who has unfortunately experienced this. Must read.
Letter written by a wife after her husband's death in an accident
"Few things I learnt after my husband's death:-
We always believe we will live forever. Bad things always happen
to others.
Only when things hit us bang on your head you realise... Life is
so unpredictable....
My husband was an IT guy.all techie.And I am a chartered
accountant.Awesome combination you may think.
Techie guy so everything is on his laptop.his to do list. his
e-bill and his bank statements in his email. . He even maintained
a folder which said IMPWDS.wherein he stored all login id and
passwords for all his online accounts.And even his laptop had a
password. Techie guy so all the passwords were alpha-numeric with
a special character not an easy one to crack.Office policy said
passwords needed to be changed every 30 days.So every time I
accessed his laptop I would realise it's a new password again. I
would simply opt for asking him 'What's the latest password'
instead of taking the strain to memorise it.
You may think me being a Chartered Accountant would means
everything is documented and filed properly. Alas many of my
chartered accountant friends would agree that the precision we
follow with our office documents and papers do not flow in to day
to day home life. At office you have be epitome of Reliability /
Competent / Diligent etc but. at home front there is always a
tomorrow.
One fine morning my hubby expired in a bike accident on his way
home from office.. He was just 33.His laptop with all his data
crashed.everything on his hard disk wiped off.No folder of IMPWDS
to refer back to.His mobile with all the numbers on it was
smashed.But that was just the beginning. I realised I had lot to
learn.
9 years married to one of the best human beings.with no kids.just
the two of us to fall back on..but now I stood all alone and
lost.
Being chartered accountant helped in more ways than one but it
was not enough. I needed help.His saving bank accounts, his
salary bank accounts had no nominee.On his insurance his mom was
the nominee and it was almost 2 years back she had expired. but
this was just a start.. I didn't know the password to his email
account where all his e-bill came.I didn't know which expenses he
paid by standing instructions.
His office front too was not easy. His department had changed
recently.I didn't know his reporting boss name to start with.when
had he last claimed his shift allowance.his mobile reimbursement.
The house we bought with all the excitement.on a loan.thought
with our joint salary we could afford the EMI.when the home loans
guys suggested insurance on the loan.we decided the instead of
paying the premium the difference in the EMI on account of the
insurance could be used pay towards prepayment of the loan and
get the tenure down.We never thought what we would do if we have
to live on a single salary.So now there was huge EMI to look into
.
I realised I was in for a long haul.
Road accident case. so everywhere I needed a Death certificate,
FIR report, Post Mortem report. For everything there were forms
running into pages.indemnity bonds.notary.surety to stand up for
you.No objections certificates from your co-heirs..
I learnt other than your house, your land . your car, your bike
are also your property... So what if you are the joint owner of
the flat.you don't become the owner just because your hubby is no
more. So what if your hubby expired in the bike accident.and you
are the nominee but if the bike is in a repairable condition .you
have to get the bike transferred in your name to claim the
insurance.And that was again not easy. the bike or car cannot be
transferred in your name without going through a set of legal
documents. Getting a Succession Certificate is another battle all
together.
Then came the time you realise now you have to start changing all
the bills, assets in your name.Your gas connection, electricity
meter, your own house, your car, your investments and all
sundries. And then change all the nominations where your own
investments are concerned.And again a start of a new set of
paperwork.
To say I was shaken.my whole life had just turned upside down was
an understatement.You realise you don't have time to morn and
grieve for the person with whom you spend the best years of your
life. because you are busy sorting all the paper work.
I realised then how much I took life for granted.I thought being
a chartered accountant I am undergoing so many difficulties.what
would have happened to someone who was house maker who wouldn't
understand this legal hotchpotch.
A sweet friend then told me dear this was not an end.you have no
kids.your assets will be for all who stand to claim.after my
hubby's sudden death.I realised it was time I took life more
seriously. I now needed to make a Will. I would have laughed if a
few months back if he had asked me to make one.But now life had
taken a twist.
Lessons learnt this hard way were meant to be shared.After all
why should the people whom we love the most suffer after we are
no more.Sorting some paperwork before we go will at least ease
some of their grief.
1. Check all your nominations...
It's a usual practice to put a name (i.e in the first place if
you have mentioned it) and royally forget about it. Most of us
have named our parent as a nominee for investments, bank accounts
opened before marriage. We have not changed the same even years
after they are no longer there with us. Even your salary account
usually has no nomination.. Kindly check all your Nominations.
- Bank Accounts
- Fixed Deposits, NSC
- Bank Lockers
- Demat Accounts
- Insurance (Life, Bike or Car or Property)
- Investments
- PF & Pension Forms
2. Passwords..
We have passwords for practically everything. Email accounts,
Bank accounts, even for the laptop you use. What happens when
your next in kin cannot access any of these simply because they
do not know your password... Put it down on a paper.
3. Investments.
Every year for tax purpose we do investments. Do we maintain a
excel sheet about it. If so is it on the same laptop of which the
password you had not shared. Where are those physical investments
hard copy.
4. Will.
Make a Will. I know you will smile even I would.had I not gone
through all what I did.It would have made my life lot easier.a
lot less paperwork.I wouldn't had to provide an indemnity bond,
get it notarised, ask surety to stand up, no objections
certificates from others...
5. Liabilities.
When you take a loan say for your house or car.Check out on all
the what ifs.what if I am not there tomorrow.what if I loose my
job.Will the EMI still be within my range.If not get an insurance
on the loan.The people left behind will not have to worry on
something as basic as their own house.
My battles have just begun...But let us at least try and make few
changes so that our loved ones would not suffer after we go.We do
not know what will happen in the future.But as the Scout motto
goes: Be prepared "
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