Sorry, But You’re Too Late!
By Sheronda Wesley
But you don’t have to be! It’s within your power, within your control to make sure it’s not too late. Remember Robert Burns phrase from “To a Mouse?” It says, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” It means you can plan, plan, and plan again and something still might go wrong. But again, it doesn’t have to be that way; it’s within your control. This particularly applies when a loved one dies and you are responsible for settling their affairs. This is the time proper estate closure is so important. There are a multitude of loose ends, and many people are not even aware they exist. Not knowing what to do or not taking the correct steps can lead to protracted and prolonged business and legal situations. Trained, certified professionals can ensure you don’t land in a quagmire wasting valuable time, energy, and money, at the very time your thoughts should be on the happy moments you shared with your loved one.
In addition to losing a loved one, you are now faced with handling business matters that might be totally foreign to you. Moreover, you have your family, work, social commitments, and other activities you are involved with. Where will you find the time to assume these obligations and handle them correctly? Final Business Matters, LLC, (FBM) is a professional service provider that knows what to do to close out all of a deceased’s business and personal affairs. You will be able to continue your day-to-day activities without having to worry about handling the final business matters of someone you love.
This is just a sample of some of the tasks Final Business Matters can take over for you:
- Assist with Thank You notes
- Collect and organize important documents
- Contact and notify organizations that need to be informed of the death
- Identify appointments or services that need to be cancelled
- Identify items that need to be returned, e.g. passport, driver’s license, medical equipment, cable equipment, etc.
- Close safe deposit boxes and return key
- Sort boxes, desk drawers and filing cabinets – identify important versus non-important paperwork; sort and catalog important papers, shred non-important papers
- Cancel memberships, cable service, credit cards, request any refunds, transfer reward points
- Research and identify all life insurance policies
- Search for lost accounts, unknown policies; contact state for unclaimed assets
- Cancel automatic prescription refills; notify all doctors’ offices
- Remove the “Internet footprint” from email, Facebook, and other online accounts
Tying up all of the loose ends of a person’s estate requires the knowledge and experience of a trained, certified professional. Don’t be fooled by advertisements that promise quick results for very little money. Always research the background and credentials of the provider you are interested in. Write down all of your questions before you pick up the phone to call them. You can do some of your own Internet research and ask for referrals from family, friends, and co-workers. And remember – each estate is different. What seems like a small estate at first blush might turn out to be extremely complicated. Do your homework before you choose and know exactly what you are looking for. You won’t know everything you will need, that is the professional’s job. You just need to know the company you ultimately select will do a thorough, professional job handling the final business matters of your loved one.
About
Mrs. Wesley brings 27 years of experience in the income tax services, banking and accounting fields. She has owned her own tax preparation firm since 2007 where she also practices tax litigation and representation as an Enrolled Agent. She holds a dual Master’s degree in Accounting and Financial Management as well as a federal license to represent taxpayers before the IRS. Working with clients in such a highly confidential capacity, she often found herself there to assist families during the loss of their loved one. This was a natural transition to her current role as an estate closer since she was already a valued and trusted asset to the family. Mrs. Wesley currently serves in the role of Estate Closer and Daily Money Manager with the purpose of assisting families through the challenge of having to deal with a loved one’s business matters, while going through their period of grief.
Testimonials
“Sheronda Wesley was there for my family at a time of great loss after my wife passed away from cancer. Her word is her bond. If she doesn’t know the answer, she finds it. She is extremely gifted and guided my family when they didn’t know where to turn. May God Bless her and her new business so she can help other families like mine. Thanks, Chris Roberts”
“Sheronda Wesley has been my tax accountant for a number of years. She took over when my taxes got too complicated to do them myself. I am extremely satisfied with her knowledge and experience. I am excited for her new business venture, Final Business Matters (FBM), and have referred her to a co-worker whose mother recently died. The co-worker lives in Pennsylvania and her mother lived in Florida. My co-worker just had to take two weeks off to go to Florida and try to handle some of her mother’s business matters. FBM will be a big help for her.”
