The short answer
A funeral planning checklist walks you through each decision in order: burial or cremation, the type of service, the funeral home, the goods and services you want, where remains will rest, the details of the service, and how it will be paid for. Write the choices down and share them, whether you plan ahead or after a death.
Key takeaways
- Start with the big choice, burial or cremation, because it shapes every other decision.
- Under the FTC Funeral Rule, you can get prices by phone and buy only the items you want.
- The FTC suggests comparing prices from at least two funeral homes.
- You can make decisions ahead of time without paying ahead of time.
- Keep your plan somewhere your family can reach, not only in a will or a safe deposit box.
The funeral planning checklist
This checklist works for two situations: funeral preplanning for yourself, and planning a funeral after a death. The steps are the same. After a death, there are a few extra first steps, listed further down.
If you are planning ahead, you do not need to finish in one sitting. Check off what you know, and come back to the rest. Planning ahead also lets you compare prices from several providers without time pressure.
- Choose burial or cremation. Consider cost, faith, family wishes and where remains will rest. See cremation vs. burial.
- Choose the type of service. A traditional funeral with viewing, an immediate burial, a direct cremation, a memorial service later, or a graveside service.
- Pick a funeral home. Call at least two for prices. They must give prices by phone and a General Price List when you visit.
- Choose the goods and services you want. Embalming or not, a viewing or not, a casket or alternative container, vehicles, printed materials. Only the basic services fee cannot be declined. See our funeral cost breakdown.
- Choose where remains will rest. A cemetery plot, mausoleum crypt, columbarium niche, scattering, or a VA national cemetery for eligible veterans. Ask the cemetery for written prices.
- Plan the service details. Location, officiant, readings, music, pallbearers, clothing, photos, flowers and a reception.
- Plan the announcements. An obituary, a death notice, and a list of people to call.
- Decide how it will be paid for. Savings, a payable-on-death account, final expense insurance, a prepaid funeral plan, or another source. You can talk with a Licensed Insurance Agent about insurance options.
- Write it all down. Put your choices on paper, sign and date it, and give copies to family.
- Review it every few years, or after a move, a loss or a change in your wishes.
Step 1 and 2: burial or cremation, and the type of service
| Type | What it is | Cost compared with a traditional funeral |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional full-service funeral | Viewing or visitation, a formal service, a hearse, then burial, entombment or cremation | Generally the highest |
| Immediate (direct) burial | Burial soon after death, with no viewing. A graveside or later memorial is possible | Usually less |
| Direct cremation | Cremation soon after death, with no viewing. A memorial is possible later | Usually less |
| Memorial service | A gathering without the body present, at any place and time | Depends on the venue |
For prices, see cremation cost and funeral costs.
Step 3 and 4: the funeral home and what you buy
The FTC Funeral Rule gives you these rights with any funeral home:
- Get prices over the phone, without giving your name.
- Get a General Price List to keep when you visit.
- See casket prices in writing before you see the caskets.
- Buy only the items you want, not a package.
- Use a casket or urn bought elsewhere, with no refusal and no fee.
- Choose a funeral without embalming in most cases.
- Get a written, itemized statement with the total before you pay.
For the full list, see our FTC Funeral Rule guide.
Step 5 and 6: the resting place and the service
- Cemetery: plot location, opening and closing fees, liner or vault rules, endowment care, and headstone rules.
- Headstone or marker: wording, material, and who will order it.
- Officiant: clergy, a celebrant, or a family member.
- Readings, music, and who will speak.
- Pallbearers, if there is a casket.
- Clothing, jewelry, glasses, and whether jewelry stays or is returned.
- Photos or a video tribute.
- Flowers, or a charity for donations instead.
- A reception: place, food, and who will host.
- If you're a veteran: military funeral honors can be requested through the funeral director.
Step 8: decide how it will be paid for
A plan is easier for your family to carry out when the money is clear. Common ways people set aside funds:
| Option | How it works | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Savings or a payable-on-death account | Money passes directly to the person you name | How to pay for a funeral |
| Final expense insurance | A whole life insurance policy that pays cash to your beneficiary, who can use it for the funeral or other bills | Final expense insurance |
| Prepaid funeral plan | A contract with a funeral home for set goods and services | Prepaid funeral plans |
| Existing life insurance | A policy you already have may be enough | Life insurance for funeral costs |
| Benefits | VA burial benefits for eligible veterans; Social Security pays a one-time $255 to an eligible spouse or child | Veterans burial benefits |
Our funeral cost calculator can help you estimate a total, and our coverage calculator can help you think through how much coverage may fit. When you are ready, you can request more information and talk with a Licensed Insurance Agent.
Funeral preplanning: decide now, pay later or now
The FTC points out that you can make decisions ahead of time without paying ahead of time. If you do prepay, ask these questions first:
- Am I paying only for merchandise, like a casket and vault, or for services too?
- How is my money held, and what state rules protect it?
- Who keeps the interest if the money is in a trust?
- What happens if the funeral home closes or changes owners?
- Can I cancel and get a full refund?
- Can the plan move with me if I relocate, and at what cost?
If you are planning a funeral after a death
Add these first steps before the checklist above:
- Look for written wishes, a prepaid plan or an insurance policy. Call local funeral homes to ask if a plan is on file.
- Contact a funeral home to transfer the body, and ask for its General Price List.
- Order certified copies of the death certificate. See death certificates.
- If you think there is a policy you cannot find, see how to find a lost life insurance policy.
Our first 30 days checklist covers what comes next.
Where to keep your funeral plan
- Give copies to family members and to the person who will carry out your wishes.
- Keep a copy in a handy place.
- Do not rely only on your will. The FTC notes it often is not read until after the funeral.
- Do not keep the only copy in a safe deposit box, which may not be open on a weekend or holiday.
- For legal and money papers that go with it, see our end of life planning checklist.
Common questions
What is the first step in planning a funeral?
Decide between burial and cremation, then the type of service. Those two choices shape the rest: the funeral home items you need, whether you need a cemetery plot, and the likely cost. After a death, the first practical step is contacting a funeral home to transfer the body.
How do you plan a funeral?
Choose burial or cremation and a type of service, compare at least two funeral homes, pick only the items you want from the General Price List, choose a resting place, plan the service details, decide how it will be paid for, and write it all down for your family.
What is funeral preplanning?
Funeral preplanning means making your funeral choices ahead of time and writing them down. You can preplan without prepaying. If you also want to set aside the money, options include savings, final expense insurance or a prepaid funeral plan.
Should I prepay for my funeral?
It depends. Prepaying can lock in some choices, but protections vary by state. Before you prepay, ask what is covered, how the money is held, what happens if the funeral home closes, whether you can cancel for a refund, and whether the plan can move with you.
Can I get funeral prices before I visit?
Yes. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must give you prices by phone, and you do not have to give your name. When you visit, they must give you a General Price List to keep.
Where should I keep my funeral wishes?
Give copies to family and keep one in a handy place. The FTC advises not to put your wishes only in your will, which may not be read until after the funeral, and not to keep the only copy in a safe deposit box.
How often should I update my funeral plan?
The FTC suggests reviewing your decisions every few years. Update the plan after a move, a death in the family, or any change in your wishes, and give your family the new copy.
Who pays for the funeral?
Usually the family or the estate pays, often using savings, life insurance, or a prepaid plan. Whoever signs the funeral home contract agrees to pay it. See our guide on how to pay for a funeral for every option, including public help.