What Can We Learn From Angela Bofill?

R&B singer Angela Bofill died recently at her daughter’s home in California. The 70-year-old’s passing was confirmed several times by friends and family, as the “I Try” singer was thought to have passed several times already! Back in 2020, she cleverly posted on Facebook, “My Manager Rich Engel just informed me that I died. Thank you everyone for reaching out, but I’m very much on the right side of the grass.” Several months ago, it was also falsely alleged online that Bofill passed away.

So, what can we learn from this Songwriter’s Hall of Famer repeat performance (couldn’t resist!)?

Understanding the Logistics of Passing Away in Florida

When someone passes away in Florida, the process involves several key steps:

• Funeral Home Notification: The funeral home is given the decedent’s social security number and notifies the Social Security Administration by completing the required forms.
• Credit Reporting Agencies: The credit reporting agencies get notified through Social Security.
• Financial Institutions and County Notification: The financial institutions (and sometimes the County) get notified of the decedent’s passing. This happens within 24-48 hours of the decedent’s passing.

Handling Bank Accounts and Property

• Frozen Bank Accounts: When someone has a bank account in just their name, without a beneficiary, that bank account will be “frozen,” and no funds can be deposited or withdrawn.
• Estate Property: The County will put the code “EST” after someone’s name in the County records, indicating that the individual’s estate owns the property versus the individual.

The frozen bank account and the estate property will need to go through the probate process to transfer the assets out of the estate and into the names of the legal heirs.

Key Takeaways

So, there you have it. In 2024, there is an automated way that the financial institutions and the Counties get notified of a passing. Sometimes, a public verification of a passing may be required.