The short answer
These are your parent's rules as a surviving spouse, not yours. Social Security survivor benefits, the tax filing status, a home sale and an inherited IRA all work differently for a widow or widower.
Your part is to help them ask, and to be careful with any of their money you handle. The offices named in this chapter give the answers, and your parent makes the choices.
This chapter explains how things usually work in the United States. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and the rules where you live may differ. Before you act on anything here, check it with one of the people named at the end of the chapter.
In the full chapter
The chapter explains what exists and what to ask, then ends with what to do, what can wait so you can set it aside, and who can answer the questions that are yours alone.
The rules, phone numbers and web addresses in this book were checked against the agencies’, courts’ and organizations’ own pages in October 2026. Where a rule differs by state, the book names one state as an example. Check anything you rely on with the office itself.
From Book 6: Your Surviving Parent
This page has the short answer from chapter 2. The full chapter explains, in plain words, what exists, what to ask, and who can answer. The book covers months 3 to 24 after the death.
Questions near this one
Other questions on related subjects, from this book and the others.
- What happens to a 401(k) or IRA, and who pays tax on it? Book 3, Their Money
- Who tells Social Security and the other offices? Book 1, The First Month
- What happens to their pension or annuity? Book 3, Their Money
- What happens to their bank and investment accounts? Book 3, Their Money
Hear when Your Surviving Parent is out
A short note when each book is out. Five or six emails a year at most. You can unsubscribe whenever you like.