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Question: A relative died in August and we were told that it would take four months to get a death certificate. It’s been more than four months and we still have not gotten it. Why is it taking so long for the Department of Health to issue death certificates? In the meantime we can’t settle the deceased’s estate and bank accounts are frozen.
Answer: Long waits for an initial death certificate seem to be a perennial problem in Hawaii; Kokua Line has received many similar complaints over the years. As you noted, survivors need this document to complete any number of essential tasks after a loved one dies, many of them financial.
The Department of Health says it usually takes two to three months to issue a death certificate when the paperwork was properly submitted. It might take longer if the mortuary filing the certification of death signed by a physician or medical examiner is delayed, although it’s not clear that occurred after your relative died. Generally, the next of kin orders the death certificate through the mortuary handling the funeral arrangements, and the mortuary submits the order to the Health Department for processing and issuance.
Staff shortages in DOH’s Vital Records Office are part of the problem. Nearly 26% of full-time positions in the office are vacant — 10 out of 39 jobs, the department said. DOH says it’s recruiting new employees to fill vacancies and recently hired a vital statistics cooperative program coordinator to streamline the transfer of records to DOH. Meanwhile, the section of the office that issues death certificates is open only three days a week, according to the DOH website.
The department’s statement to Kokua Line also said that the “electronic vital records database and processing system experiences periodic failures which have contributed to delays. A system modernization is underway, but this will take time.”
While DOH’s response outlines possible reasons your family has waited so long, it does nothing to speed up delivery of the death certificate you need. When we followed up on that point, a DOH spokesperson offered to look into your family’s order, once you provide him with details he needs to investigate.
Q: How far in advance should I renew my passport?
A: The U.S. government suggests renewing well ahead of any planned international travel — we found recommendations ranging from four to nine months. Be sure to check entry requirements of your intended destinations. Some countries require a traveler’s passport to be valid at least six months beyond their travel dates.
Mahalo
A grateful and enthusiastic shoutout to the state Department of Taxation Taxpayer Services team! I made a careless error on a recent filing with DOTAX’s online portal. When I realized that I needed to file an amended form, I couldn’t easily find the amendment process online. A call to their customer service line ended in frustration after a half hour on hold. Then I discovered Taxpayer. Services@hawaii.gov and emailed my inquiry, hoping that I would hear back within a few days. Wonder of wonders, I received a reply in just a couple of hours and my filing has been amended. No name for the individual customer service staffer who helped me so I can’t thank her/him individually, but folks who have no luck getting through on the phone should try the email alternative. It works! Mahalo! — Kailua taxpayer
(Editor’s note: As you discovered, the address reaches DOTAX employees who can respond by email to general tax questions, such as your question about how to file an amendment. However, questions about a specific tax return or account will be answered only by telephone or regular mail, to protect taxpayers’ privacy, according to DOTAX. Read more at tax.hawaii.gov/assistance/taxpayerservices/).
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
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