How to Plan Your Funeral
Planning your funeral before you die has two steps: Making decisions about the kind of funeral or memorial service you want and "shopping" for services. Shopping is the best way to get the most for your dollar and, by planning now, you will have the time to talk with several funeral service providers and compare prices. Funeral homes are required to give you a written General Price List for their services—or provide prices over the phone. The Funeral Consumers Alliance's How To Read A General Price List can help you get the most from information on these price lists.
You can make arrangements for your funeral or memorial service directly with a funeral home or through a funeral planning or memorial society. They can help you make a list of your product and service choices and keep a copy for you, usually at no charge. You also can write down your instructions on the My Funeral Choices worksheet and give copies to your heirs, faith leader, and others who might be involved in making funeral arrangements. If you include funeral instructions in your will, be sure a copy of the will is easy to find so your instructions can be read and followed.
Download a state-specific living will or healthcare power of attorney
Free resources on a wide range of
end-of-life topics.
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