Malaysian Woman Shares Detailed Guide On What To Do When A Parent Passes Away
A helpful guide for those who don't know where to start.
By Aqasha Nur’aiman — 28 Nov 2023, 02:19 PM
Coping with the death of a parent can be an extremely challenging experience, especially when uncertainty arises about the necessary formalities that must be completed afterward
Navigating through documents and managing inheritance requests can also become a time-consuming task when you're unsure of where to begin.
To assist those feeling confused or daunted by these procedures, X user, @ndhrxx_, known as Dhir, recently posted a thread on how she handled her late father's passing. In her post, she also outlined eight essential steps to take following the death of a parent.
Dhir explained that the first step involves heading to the National Registration Department (JPN) to formally request a death certificate
The woman noted that it's important to bring along your late parent's original identification card (IC) with you to the JPN office, as an officer at the counter will have to retain the IC.
"I suggest making a few copies of the IC before going to keep them as cherished memories, as they will retain the original card with them," she wrote.
Dhir also recommended visiting the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) office if your late parent was employed before their passing.
"If a father passes while he was still married with children, then the wife and kids will get a monthly allowance based on his final salary," she wrote.
In cases where the deceased parent had savings in their Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) account, Dhir highlighted the option to apply for khairat kematian for additional financial support
Khairat kematian, also known as death benefits, is a form of financial assistance provided to the family or beneficiaries of a deceased individual. This support helps cover funeral expenses and provides assistance during the challenging period following a death.
Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) provides death benefits assistance at varying rates based on the amount of savings in each individual's unit trusts.
You can check the death benefits rates here.
Dhir also emphasised the importance of the family claiming inheritance from the deceased's Employees Provident Fund (EPF)
In situations where there is no designated heir, Dhir advised family members to visit the small claims court to pursue their claim for inheritance.
Furthermore, the woman noted that the bank account of the deceased parent should be closed, and family members must bring along the death certificate given by JPN in this process.
"If there are remaining funds in the account, these funds will be distributed among the family members in accordance with Faraid (Islamic inheritance) law," she wrote.
For assets like cars and houses, Dhir advised that if the loans are still in the late parent's name, you can visit the bank where the parent obtained the loan and notify them of their passing
She added that for cars still registered under the late parent's name, you can only renew the registration for an additional six months.
Finally, Dhir recommended that family members make as many photocopies as possible of the late parent's death certificate, their spouse's original IC, and their marriage certificate.
"All of the offices will ask for copies of these documents, so it's better to prepare yourself before heading to these places," she wrote.
At the time of writing, Dhir's thread has garnered over 1.7 million views and 14,000 reposts.
