text: If you have assest like a house or bank accounts that were in both names then you do not need probate court for those things.  If there is anything of substance that was only in the other person's name you will need to go to court.  You might also need to esstablish an estate for the deceased.  Our home and other assets were in both our names so I did not need to establish an estate, until his job started sending me checks to pay out his disability( or something I really do not understand it) but the checks are made out to the estate of.....  I had to get a lawyer to set up the estate with me as executor and then I can open an estate account at the bank and then I can deposit the checks and get the money.\n\nContact your insurance company and notify them of the death.  You will need an original copy of the Death Certificate that they can keep(cause they will keep it)they in turn will tell you what other steps if any to take to get your benefit.  \n\nI hope that my experience has been of some help to you in this difficult time. God Bless You