Identifying Logistical, Emotional and Digital Needs During the Estate Settlement Process

When a person passes away, family members have to navigate a host of administrative tasks to settle their estate. Closing out accounts, cancelling subscriptions, filing paperwork, and figuring out how to handle an ever-increasing online presence, bereaved individuals can become overwhelmed by this work. This research project aims to understand how people currently navigate the administrative tasks around death, the supports and obstacles in carrying out these tasks, and the opportunities for making this job easier for everyone. To meet these goals, our research will involve interviews and surveys with people who have gone through this process first-hand and service-providers who have helped people through this process (for instance, funeral directors and executor assistants). To leverage their unique expertise and experiences, the project will also bring these groups together with researchers to co-design a service that would address their emotional, technological, and informational needs as they carry out the administrative work that is a part of death.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michel Desjardins

Student:

Partner:

Cadence Final Document Services Ltd

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services; Information and cultural industries

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: