Direct debits after death

mike2481632

I'm wondering if anybody has ideas for how to avoid the problem of bank accounts frozen on death. I found this difficult when my brother died a couple of years ago and realise my affairs are more complicated with so much on direct debit.

The obvious risk is that things like house insurance would not get paid and my increasing use of "cloud" based services would make life difficult for my executors if they were cancelled because of non-payment.

Thanks - Mike

TonyMMM

Your executor would contact the companies involved to notify them of your death, stop any direct debits and make alternative arrangements for bills to be settled from your estate.

madbadrob

Alternatively make someone a joint signatory on your account which would stop the account being frozen

Rob

getmore4less

mike2481632 wrote: »

I'm wondering if anybody has ideas for how to avoid the problem of bank accounts frozen on death. I found this difficult when my brother died a couple of years ago and realise my affairs are more complicated with so much on direct debit.

The obvious risk is that things like house insurance would not get paid and my increasing use of "cloud" based services would make life difficult for my executors if they were cancelled because of non-payment.

Thanks - Mike

Plan your death in advance make sure someone will get notified and take over your finances as executor.

Make a will
Make a list

paperless is a nightmare the systems do not work yet(one reson the need for the once a year paper.

Make sure your executor has the details to create the paper trail.

if you want to try an experiment


Pretend you died yesterday and try to do your own estate(but pretend you are the person that might end up doing it).

If you have a partner do each others
If you don't trust them then that tells you something
If they can't do it that telss you something else.

Torry_Quine

Your house insurance would no longer be valid anyway.

bylromarha

My mum's account stopped paying out all the DD's, so we got letters sent to her house saying DD hadn't worked.

We'd missed one company to inform of her death, so they sent us a letter. We then rang to inform of death.

mike2481632

Thanks for the responses. I like the experiment idea so will try that.

I have emailed executors with details of assets.

I have opened free securesafe.com account.

Didn't know house insurance became invalid anyway.

Mike