Home / Emergencies / Funeral Arrangements Checklist

Funeral Arrangements Checklist

By: Elaine Mercer • Updated Oct 14, 2024

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is often difficult and emotional. If you’re tasked with making funeral arrangements, it can make this process even harder.

Take a deep breath, give yourself some time to deal with the initial shock, and call on your support system for help. 

If the responsibility of handling funeral arrangements is thrust upon you, it’s easy for things to feel overwhelming. This guide is meant to help cut through the confusion and make the process of planning a funeral easier. Taking things step-by-step and, with any luck, being able to lean on some support from your friends and family members, you can get through this.

Key Takeaways

• After losing a loved one, be sure to surround yourself with close friends and family members who can help you through the initial grieving process.
• Many funeral homes offer packages that cover all aspects of the burial, cremation, and funeral process.
• Locating the will as soon as possible can offer guidance when making funeral arrangements and provide the financial means for paying for the funeral.
• Obtain proper documentation, including the death certificate, certificate of cremation or burial, and registration of notification of death.

Immediate Steps to Take When a Loved One Dies

If you’re with your loved one when they pass away, your first step, of course, is to contact 911. First responders and medical professionals can explain your next steps and tell you where they are taking the body. Depending on the circumstances of the death and where you live, a local coroner may need to perform an autopsy before the body is released.

However, if your loved one passes away in hospice care at home, follow your hospice provider’s instructions. They may ask you to call them instead of 911, and they will walk with you through the immediate steps.

Your next step is to contact close friends and family members. It’s okay to take some time to process what happened, but you want to make notifications before people find out by other means. If possible, identify two or three people who can help you make these difficult calls. Give them enough information so they can speak on your behalf. Having support from others on this step can make the notification process easier and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed with time-consuming, emotionally taxing conversations over and over.

Legal and Administrative Tasks

Next, check around and review your loved one’s files to determine if they have a will that may dictate what they want to happen when they die. If you’ve been named the executor of the will, you need to work with the attorney to follow the management of the estate carefully. 

If you’re unable to locate this information, look for other paperwork that may explain what their final wishes were. For example, if your loved one had a terminal illness, they may have left behind a letter or journal that explained some of these things. This may be able to help you determine what type of funeral service they wanted, such as a burial or cremation.  

You’ll also need to handle other administrative tasks, such as obtaining the death certificate, certificate of cremation or burial, and registration of notification of death. An attorney or funeral director can help you obtain these documents. 

Funeral Arrangements & Memorial Services

Making funeral arrangements can be one of the most agonizing parts of the process. Certainly, you want to honor your loved one in the best way possible, but you also have to consider costs, especially if there is no will or life insurance.

You or one of your support people can contact several local funeral homes in your area to get quotes. Many funeral homes offer packages that include everything from retrieval of the body to memorial cards.

Determine whether you want a burial or cremation service. This option is completely up to you, but it’s important to note that cremations are significantly less expensive. The funeral director will help you through the funeral planning process. They will ask you many questions about the type of service you want and any family or religious traditions you want to follow. 

You’ll also need to have basic information about your loved one for the obituary, such as:

• Full name
• Date and location of birth
• Parents full name
• Names of all family members, including spouse, children and siblings
• Work information
• Other details, including church and organization memberships

Gathering all this information before meeting with the funeral director is a good idea. However, funeral industry writer Sarah Stasik notes that privacy is typically up to the family. “An obituary is optional,” Stasik says. “It’s meant to notify the community about a death and honor a loved one’s memory in print, but depending on your family beliefs, dynamics and other factors, you may decide not to use a funeral home’s online obituary service or seek to have an obituary published in a local newspaper.”

Additionally, if you’re planning a burial, you will also need to purchase a cemetery plot if you or your loved one had not done so already. The funeral director may be able to refer you to several cemeteries in your area. 

Accessing Bereavement Support Services

As you’re dealing with your loss and making funeral arrangements for your loved one, it’s important to take care of yourself. There are many bereavement support services available; don’t be afraid to reach out for help. 

For example, consider going to grief counseling, joining a support group, or both. This step provides a safe space for you to talk about your pain and express the emotional impact of losing a loved one. A professional counselor can provide tips for dealing with your grief, while a support group can help you realize you’re not alone.

Take Time to Grieve

There is no specific time line for grieving. It could take weeks, months, or even years to start feeling okay with your loss. In fact, there are aspects of your loss that will stay with you forever. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take steps to heal. 

During the initial stage of your loss, be sure to surround yourself with close friends and family members who can help you with the funeral arrangements and be there to handle things when you need a break. 

Once the funeral is over, don’t wait to reach out for professional help. The sooner you work with a professional counselor, the more manageable it may be to work through the grieving process.