A funeral can be an important event after the death of a loved one. Coming together with family and friends can help facilitate the mourning process and provide a community of care and support during grief. Funerals can also be the first step in the healing process as they symbolize the reality of the death and can provide a sense of closure. They are also very traditional events to honor and respect the dead, and have long been a part of our history.

Funeral services can be customized to your specific wishes or those of your loved one, even if choosing a cremation instead of a burial. Coming together and planning the services and ceremonies can be helpful as you move toward healing. While a death is never easy and we all grieve in our own ways, a symbolic and memorable funeral or other type of service can be an important milestone in your journey.

When a loved one dies, the thought of notifying the appropriate people and completing important tasks can feel overwhelming. Your first call should be to the funeral home so they can help guide you through the process and tell you what to expect.

You will need to collect some basic information about the deceased before meeting with the funeral home so that they can order the death certificate and complete any vital statistics information. The funeral home will also notify the Social Security Administration for you to facilitate collecting any death benefits you or any heirs may be eligible to receive. Please provide the funeral home with the following information:

Birth Date
Birthplace
Full names of Mother and Father, including Mother’s maiden name.
Social Security Number
Marital Status
Level of Education
Discharge or Claim Number of deceased was a Veteran

The funeral home will help you determine how many copies of the death certificate you need and will order them for you. You will need certified copies of the death certificate for many tasks, such as closing accounts in the deceased’s name.
You should make a list of any immediate family members, close friends or other parties who need to be informed about the death, such as the deceased’s employer. Some people prefer to ask a friend or family member to help notify people of the death so they do not have to do it themselves. It can also be helpful to have someone at the deceased’s residence to answer the door, collect any packages or deliveries, and keep a record of any phone calls or visits to send acknowledgement cards later on.
If applicable, you will want to contact your clergy to arrange a date and time for the funeral or memorial service. The funeral home can help you with these details, and will also contact the cemetery and make any arrangements for a graveside service or burial.
Collect any information you need to begin writing an obituary, or ask another family member to assist with this task. The obituary generally includes information such as age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, educational accomplishments, military service, clubs or organizations the deceased participated in, hobbies, and a list of surviving family members. The date and times for any public funeral or memorial services is also generally listed in the obituary. You may also wish to provide a photograph of the deceased to include with the obituary. If you would like people to make a donation or gift on behalf of the deceased, you can also specify a church, hospice facility, library, school, charity or other organization where people can make contributions.

The decision of whether to choose burial or cremation ultimately depends on the choice of the person who passed away or the preferences of the family if the deceased did not specify their wishes. With both methods of disposition, you can still choose to do a formal funeral service followed by either a burial or a cremation.
Traditional burial of a casket in the ground has typically been the most common method of disposing of remains in the United States. Entombments, where the casket is placed above ground in a crypt or mausoleum, can also occur. The ritual of the graveside service and having a symbolic place like a cemetery to visit their loved one is important to some people. There may also be religious or cultural customs that lead someone to choose a burial.

Cremation is becoming a popular choice because it is typically less expensive than a burial and offers a wider range of flexibility around planning memorial services. People generally choose to place cremated remains in an urn before committing them to their final resting place. Urns may be buried in the ground or placed in a mausoleum or columbarium above ground. Cremated remains may also be scattered in a meaningful place or a scattering garden offered at some cemeteries.

While a viewing is not required, many grief experts feel that holding a viewing can help family and friends come to terms with the finality and reality of death. A viewing is also important for many cultural and ethnic traditions. You should consider the wishes of your loved one and what they would have wanted when deciding whether to hold a viewing. You may also choose to hold a private family viewing if you feel that would be more appropriate.

The embalming process is designed to sanitize and preserve remains to help increase the time between death and final disposition, such as burial or cremation. This provides an opportunity for family members to make arrangements and plan services with a little more time so they do not feel rushed.

There are certain situations where embalming is required by law, however it is generally not required. Embalming will be necessary if you choose to have a viewing or other funeral arrangements that require embalming. If you choose not to embalm or do not want the added cost, you may choose a service like direct cremation or immediate burial where embalming is not required. We will always explain your options and help you make these decisions as we work through the planning process.

Organizing finances after the death of a spouse can be stressful and uncertainty about taxes can complicate things. We encourage you to meet with your family attorney and/or tax professional as soon as possible to determine your next steps based on your specific tax situation and estate. The Internal Revenue Service has a toll-free phone number (1-800-829-1040) to answer specific tax questions if you do not have an attorney or tax advisor.

Funerals can be an unexpected expense, but we are here to help you as much as possible.

If you are on a tight budget, speak with your funeral director about cremation options as these tend to be much less expensive depending on the selections you choose.

You should review any insurance policies the deceased may have had. Life insurance policies usually have specific coverage clauses regarding paying for funeral expenses.

The decedent may be eligible for financial assistance from certain agencies like the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, or your State Fund. You may be able to get assistance with funeral expenses if your loved one qualifies.

Check with any local charities, non-profit organizations or religious groups in your area to see if they offer help paying for funeral expenses.

A funeral director takes care of all aspects of funerals and related services, both in a caregiving capacity and as an administrator. They are licensed professionals who provide a wide variety of services, many taking place behind the scenes so that the family does not have to worry about them. The funeral director is responsible for coordinating the removal and transportation of the deceased, completing all necessary paperwork (such as death certificates and insurance claims), and implementing the choices made regarding the funeral and final disposition of the body. They also play an important role in guiding, supporting, and helping the family during their time of grief, whether with completion of tasks or with grief counseling, answering questions, etc.

We will arrive when you are ready. If you want immediate assistance, we will be there as soon as possible. However we can delay our arrival if you would like more time or want to gather family before saying goodbye to your loved one.