Funeral Planning Check List & Resources
At a Time of Loss - What’s Next?
To alleviate the uncertainty surrounding funeral planning, we've created a partial guide to offer direction on the subsequent steps to take.
Click on the links for detailed instructions to complete each item:
Acquire Death Certificate: This document will be needed throughout the process. We suggest getting a handful of copies.
Arrange Transportation: There are many options depending on a funeral home, crematory, or final resting place. This varies by state and country. We outline the options and link to relevant things to know.
Notify friends and family: Feel free to copy from this link giving the most updated information on the funeral and the deceased's life.
Locate Will: The executor of the will should be contacted along with any legal representation. If the deceased does not have a will or is outdated, this will move to probate.
Close Home : Someone will need to visit the home of the loved one to address basic housekeeping like watering the plants, feeding the pets, and emptying the refrigerator and garbage while longer-term plans are in flux.
Pre-arranged requests: There are many ways to remember a person from religious traditions to a celebration of life. It is up to the loved ones to follow through on those requests. These may be noted in the will.
Funeral type- service and burial: Funeral homes, crematories and religious institutions can help with all of the details if you go that route. Additional tasks will follow such as choosing a casket, headstone, or urn. Some states have requirements such as embalming while others discourage it. If it is an open casket, an outfit or mementos may need selecting.
Gather Life Insurance: There are several ways to locate included in the link.
Coordinate travel arrangements: Airlines like Delta, WestJet and Alaska Airlines have bereavement rates. The link will break down how to contact the airlines.
Compile an obituary: We have pulled together an obituary template for your customization.
Understand and negotiate: 85% of people cannot afford the funeral. Look at the line item costs. For instance, a coffin can range from $900 - $15,000.
Communicate: Details including if there is a wake, a viewing, a shiva, a party often will come together in the days or even weeks after the passing. MyCondolences does have the ability to create a page to update the community. Delegate as much as possible.
Closing financial accounts. There may be a final tax bill, credit cards, vehicle loans. Make a folder with the documents most commonly needed like the death certificate, the estate bank account information, letters of testamentary. The estate pays for services (cable TV, phone service, etc.). The link contains several
Stop mail. Here is a link to USPS with instructions.
Shut down Social Media. Most social media websites have procedures and instructions as noted in the link.
Notify employer: if the deceased was still working.
Check for safety deposit box or home safe information. These can contain valuables, instructions and antiquities.
Estate Sales: A common way to distribute clothing, jewelry, furniture, etc.
Grief Counseling - this is one of the most important steps. The weeks after a death are filled with chaos. There are many paths and resources.