Until you go through the funeral planning process, it’s hard to imagine how many decisions are required. To make matters worse, all these crucial decisions must be made during a time of loss and grief. When you preplan, your family avoids the stress of guessing what you would have wanted. A well-thought-out funeral planning checklist captures and records your final wishes. When the time comes, your loved ones can focus on commemorating your life rather than worrying about logistics.
Preplanning your funeral gives your family the ultimate gift–the gift of having time to celebrate your life without the stress and worry that comes along with making funeral preparations while trying to navigate through the grief.
There are many ways to record what you want. We recommend you consider using our Wise Planning System to keep track of your final wishes. But we know that online funeral planning isn’t for everybody. That’s why we also have a comprehensive hardcopy funeral planning form you can download.
Regardless of the tool you use to record your wishes, we strongly suggest that you plan your funeral before you need it.
The list below details the elements we consider must-haves for any funeral planning document.
1. Personal Information
Details about the deceased are very important and will be needed early on. The funeral director will ask for this information; in some cases, the authorities will also need it.
- Full Name and Preferred Nickname(s)
- Date and Place of Birth
- Social Security Number
- Contact Information (address, phone number, email address)
- Next of Kin (include relationship)
- Beneficiaries for insurance benefits or other assets
2. Disposition (Burial or Cremation)
How you want your remains handled is a critical decision. It helps guide many choices relating to ceremonies, funeral products, and final resting place. Among the choices for final disposition are:
- Burial, cremation, or donation to science
- Funeral home or crematory
- Final resting place (cemetery, mausoleum, other)
3. Funeral Home and Cemetery Property
If you have chosen a funeral home and cemetery, be sure to store the information about your selections in a place where your loved ones can find it.
- Contact information for the funeral director.
- Detailed information on the cemetery property you purchased.
4. Ceremony Preferences
The sky is the limit when designing the type of ceremony you want. This is your chance to personalize your send-off. The only limitations are your imagination and how much you’d like to spend. Your funeral planning checklist is the perfect place to define:
- Type of Service (traditional funeral, memorial service, or something else)
- Location (church, funeral home, some other venue)
- Officiant (who would you like to conduct the service?)
- Music
- Readings
- Eulogies
- Pallbearers and special participants
5. Funeral Products
You may be surprised at how many options you have for purchasing funeral products, such as caskets, urns, and grave markers. You can buy from the funeral home or shop online from various specialized stores and big box retailers. To learn more about your buying options, we recommend you visit our pages on funeral products.
6. Legal Documents
Your loved ones must be able to locate the legal documents they will need to handle your affairs. Among the documents they will need access to are:
- Last Will and Testament
- Living Will
- Power of Attorney (General and Health Care)
- Advance Directives
7. Digital Accounts Information
These days, most of our business is conducted online. That means that when we are gone, our loved ones will need access to our accounts. In most cases, the only way for your heirs to get into your accounts is if they have your user name and password. If the accounts require double opt-in, they will also need your phone. For more information on managing your online accounts, we recommend visiting our page on managing your digital assets.
We recommend that you download our Guide to Protecting Your Digital Legacy and our Digital Legacy Checklist. You can request both by visiting our Digital Legacy Guide page.
8. Financial Considerations
An often overlooked detail is deciding how you will pay for the funeral. There are a variety of options for financing end-of-life expenses. If you need help understanding your choices or don’t know where to start, we can help. Among the most popular tools for funding funeral expenses are:
- Life Insurance
- Prepaid Funeral Arrangements
- Funeral Trusts
- A Funeral Fund
The above are essential in providing your loved ones with clear instructions so they can respect your final wishes. It’s safe to say that this information is the minimum. Remember to review and update your checklist regularly to reflect any changes in your preferences or circumstances. Last but certainly not least, make sure that your family knows what you want. That means you need to share the information with them. Starting the conversation may be challenging, but it will be worth it.
>>LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANNING A FUNERAL
After the Funeral
We tend to focus on what must be done before and during the funeral. Often, there is also lots to do after the funeral. This is especially true if there is an estate to be managed. If you want more information on handling what comes next, please visit our Managing Estate Matters page.
Using a Funeral Planning Checklist: Frequently Asked Questions
The first step in planning a funeral depends on the situation. When planning ahead, the first step is gathering and organizing information. Look at the information on the checklist and work through it. If death is not imminent, you can take your time.
If the death has already happened, you’ll still need to gather information, but time will be of the essence. Visit our page explaining the first calls and start there. Click here to go to the First Call page.
There are no hard and fast rules on what must be included in a funeral service. The specific elements will depend on the family’s customs, traditions, and personal preferences. However, some elements are common to most funerals. These include a visitation, music, prayers, readings, and eulogies/memories. To learn more, visit our Elements of a Funeral page.
Many people forget to include how the funeral will be funded in their plan. We can help you find out how much the type of funeral you have in mind will cost. We can also help you find the right financial tool to pay for it. Click here for more information on funeral costs.
The main things you need when planning a funeral are time and assistance. Planning a funeral is similar to planning any big celebration for a life event. There are many details to attend to. It’s always better to plan in advance, but of course, that’s not always possible. If you are on a short schedule, step back, take a big breath, and then take it a step at a time. Do not hesitate to ask for help. You don’t have to do it alone. If your budget allows, you might consider working with a funeral celebrant.