Funeral Checklist

***If you have to plan a funeral, try not to do everything yourself. Call on family members or friends to help you make the arrangements.***

Provide the following information to Vital Statistics about the deceased:

Birth date
Birthplace
Father's name
Mother's name
Social Security #
Veterans Discharge or claim #
Marital Status
Obituary information (the funeral home will usually write the article and submit the article to the newspapers)
Education (College degrees)
Memberships held
Military Service
Outstanding work
List of survivors in immediate family
Give time and place of service
Addresses of all people who must be notified
Arrangements for out-of-town visitors

Notify:

Select:

In addition you will want to:

Find someone to help answer sympathetic phone calls, cards and letters, as well as greet friends and relatives when they call.
Decide appropriate memorial to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, etc.)
Prepare list of distant persons to be notified by letter or print notice and decide which to send.
Check promptly on all debts and installment payments, credit cards. Some carry insurance clauses that cancel balance upon death.
Check carefully all life and casualty insurance and death benefits, including social security, credit union, fraternal and military.
Notify utilities and landlord and tell post office where to send mail (if deceased was living alone.