Funeral Planning Checklist: Guide to Planning a Funeral

Welcome to the Funeral Planning and Memorial Service Checklist

Most likely you are reading this because you have recently lost a loved one. It can feel overwhelming when we lose family members, friends and loved ones. Whether you are planning a funeral, a memorial service, or both, we are here to try to ease some of the burden.

This complete funeral planning guide includes a checklist of the steps to take when a loved one dies. It starts with immediate actions to take following a death then covers the entire process through making funeral arrangements and what to do after the service. This easy, step-by-step guide will help you manage the process during this trying time. 

What To Do Immediately Following a Death

Below is a list of the actions you should take right away after a loved one dies. Not all of these steps are necessary in every situation, but it’s helpful to understand them.

• Gather important documents

You should start to gather as many of your loved one’s important documents as possible. Below is list of a few documents to look for, but there may be others:

• Will (if one exists)

• Military discharge papers

• Insurance policies (health, life, property)

• Citizenship papers (if appropriate)

• Automobile title

• Property deeds

• Marriage license

• Income tax returns (past two years)

• Disability claims (if any)

• All documents necessary for deceased’s taxes (ask your accountant)

• Financial and bank statements

• Retirement, pension and brokerage accounts

• Debt records

• Mortgage

• Marriage agreements

• Business agreements (such as LLC or partnership agreements)

• Bills (utilities, services, subscriptions)

• Get a legal document of the death

You will need an official death certificate. We recommend getting multiple copies (10-15) as you will need them to handle other matters later. You obtain a certificate in different ways depending on where the death occurred.

• If the death occurred in hospice care, call the hospice nurse. 

• If the death occurred in a hospital or other care facility, the doctor and nursing staff will take care of this for you. 

• If the death occurred at home or elsewhere, you should call 911. The emergency response team will help.

• Find out if they were an organ donor

If your loved one was an organ donor it may be indicated on their driver’s license or in their living will. Let a nearby hospital know as soon as you discover their organ donor status. They can help guide you where to go in your area.

• Inform family, friends and co-workers

Informing friends and family about the death of their loved one is not easy. Approach it in whatever way is most comfortable for you. Make sure to leave your contact information so anyone you call can get back in touch with you.

• Contact a service to retrieve the body

If your loved one shared their wishes for their final disposition, it can make things easier. Did they do any funeral pre-planning? Did they have prepaid funeral arrangements? Did they specify a traditional funeral, burial or cremation? 

If you know these answers, contact the appropriate party. If you’re unsure, contact a funeral director at a nearby funeral home for help. Prior to retrieval, remember to remove any valuable jewelry from your loved one.

• Cremation Companies

You can arrange for cremation through a funeral home, but that’s not necessary unless you’re planning on a traditional funeral home service. There are many options available. If cost is an issue, basic services can start at low as $750. If you need more, such as a place for a memorial service, there are companies that do that as well.

• Funeral Homes

Prices can vary widely at funeral homes, so the best approach is to call and visit. You can also read online reviews. The average funeral can cost $7,000-$10,000.

• Body Donation

There are several ways to donate a loved one’s body. If your loved one didn’t specify an organization for their donation, the best thing to do is to ask the local hospital or a university medical center.

• Contact an attorney to get access to will

Your loved one may have created a will that outlines their specific wishes for their funeral arrangements and their possessions. The will helps determine the next steps you should take to ensure their wishes are honored. Getting access to the will may take a while. So it is best to get it started sooner than later.

• If a will exists, you should get in touch with the attorney that drafted the document or the attorney that represents your loved one.

• If no will exists or you’re unsure if one exists or you just need help, you should contact an attorney that specializes in wills and probate law.

• Determine the Executor of the estate

The Executor of the estate is the person who is legally able to act on the behalf of the deceased. This person could be appointed by the will or an attorney or by the state. Usually, the Executor is a family member or close loved one. It’s important to know who this is because only the Executor can handle certain matters such as cancelling accounts and forwarding mail.

• Contact their employer to understand benefits

This is important to do as soon as possible so you have an understanding of any company benefits available to you and other family members. If your loved one was a veteran of the military, contact the Veteran’s Administration, as there may be other benefits available.

• Gather information for the obituary and contact newspapers

If your loved one was a member of My Wonderful Life, you may find the information you need to write that obituary when you login and view their plan. They may have even written their own. Otherwise, you should gather some key information and contact your local newspaper.

• Key facts and information you need for an obituary:

  • Given name

  • Armed services number

  • Date and birthplace

  • Occupation and employer

  • Mother’s maiden name and birthplace

  • Father’s name and birthplace

  • Those who have preceded in death

  • Survivors and relationship to deceased

  • Hobbies, interests

  • Schools attended

• Take security precautions at their home

If your loved one lived alone,, assign someone to be at their home. Sadly, this is a time when burglaries can happen. If that is not an option, let the police know. Lock up or remove all valuables and vehicles.

• Forward mail and save important bills

Contact the post office in order to forward your loved one’s mail to a mailing address that will be monitored. This is important to keep mail from piling up and to ensure bills and other time-sensitive items aren’t missed. This is a step that can only be taken by the Executor.

• Cancel newspaper, magazine, and online subscriptions

Make sure to cancel any newspaper, magazine or online service (such as streaming television or music) subscriptions. 

Planning the Funeral and Memorial Service

Our easy online tools can help you plan a funeral for a loved one or even pre-plan for yourself. You will be walked through the entire process step-by-step. From venue to music to readings to food our tools provide all the ideas, advice and inspiration you need.

Whether or not you’re loved has documented their final resting wishes, our goal is to provide these funeral checklists to help you understand what is involved in planning a funeral and memorial service.

• Choose the venue

Funeral homes and religious institutions are the most common places to hold a service. Restaurants, event centers and other establishments will also offer affordable rooms or spaces for rent that can help save money.

When choosing the venue, you should always keep in mind your loved one’s wishes. If they didn’t express their wishes, you should choose a venue that feels most appropriate based on who they were in life. 

• If there is a burial

  • Choose a burial site

There are many options and prices for burials from a more traditional casket burial to green burials to crypts. Look at these ideas for burials.

• Pick a burial container

Burial containers vary widely in price and materials. There are everything from pine caskets to shrouds. Even Costco offers affordable options. There are many options. Click here for more ideas.

• Pick out clothing for your loved one’s body

• Choose pallbearers

• Order a funeral limousine if needed

• Sign necessary papers for burial permit

• Choose the memorial type and inscription

• If there is a cremation

  • Choose what will be done with the ashes (often referred to as cremains). They can be put in a special urn, interred in a mausoleum, or scattered in a special place.

  • Choose and urn, if there will be one. There are many to pick from and they can be wood, metal or ceramic. Click here for ideas.

• Things to think about for the funeral service and memorial celebration

  • Choose the prayers, poems or other readings that would best celebrate the life of your loved one. Click here for ideas and inspiration.

  • Choose the special people to read eulogies and tell stories.

  • Pick the type of flowers. We have ideas here.

  • Choose the music that celebrates your loved one. Click here for all kinds of ideas.

  • Order the funeral program. We have lots of options here or you can customize and print out or your funeral home can do it for you.

  • Choose a charitable organization(s) to receive donations

• Things to think about for a post-funeral reception

  • If you are having a reception after, there are special things you can do from food to music. Click here to see more ideas.

  • Choose a location: This can be at a restaurant, a park, or wherever you would like. If outside, make sure to have an alternative or a tent should it rain.

• Other things to do before the funeral

  • Arrange care for infants or other minor children

  • Keep a list of callers, flower tributes and donations

  • Create a guest book for attendees

  • Provide lodging for out-of-town attendees

  • Prepare your home for family and friends

• Understand your options for paying for a funeral

  • Check and see if your loved one has set money aside for the funeral, or if they have pre-paid through a funeral home or a cremation company. You can also use crowdfunding sites like gofundme.com or youcaring.com for help with payment.

Things to Do After the Funeral

Now it’s time to turn your attention to those things that could wait until your loved one had been properly celebrated and memorialized. This may include closing accounts, making claims for any relevant survivor benefits and finalizing any other outstanding affairs.

• Get 10-15 copies of the death certificate

You will need a copy of the death certificate in order to take care of many tasks such as closing accounts. In many cases, only the Executor will be able to handle these matters.

• Contact banks, mortgage companies and financial advisors

Talk to each institution about how to handle your loved one’s accounts. If there is a safe deposit box, you may need a court order to open it if there is no key.

• Contact insurance companies

For a life insurance account you will need to fill out a claim form. For all other policies like car and homeowners insurance just stop the coverage,

• Close credit card accounts and notify credit reporting agencies

Close all accounts and send a death certificate to credit reporting agencies to reduce the risk of identity theft. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion are the three major credit reporting agencies.

• Cancel Driver’s License 

Notify the state to cancel your loved one’s driver’s license.

• Contact social media sites to close or memorialize accounts

Contact social sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to close your loved one’s social accounts. Some sites such as Facebook allow you to memorialize an account to let others share memories after a loved one has passed away. 

• Contact Social Security to apply for survivor benefits 

You may qualify for survivor benefits. The Social Security Office can be reached by phone toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. Or you can visit the Social Security website for more information.

• Contact Medicare

Medicare benefits and services are typically handled by the Social Security office.

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