THINGS TO DO WHEN A LOVED ONE PASSES

During your time of grief, we want to help you every way we can to make the funeral planning process as simple and stress-free as possible. To assist you in organizing your affairs, we have compiled a list of things that will be needed for your arrangements and beyond the funeral. This list is meant to be a place to start:

Social Security number of the person who has died
Discharge papers or Active Service papers
Names and contact information of persons to be notified
Insurance policies (life, homeowners, health, disability, auto, etc.)
Deeds to burial property
Driver’s License
List of Pallbearers or Honorary Pallbearers
List of favorite music, Bible verses, or poetry
Correct spelling of deceased and all surviving family members
Church affiliation with a preferred clergy person or other officiant for us to contact – If none preferred, we can help
List of affiliations from work or charitable organizations
The correct spelling of the deceased father’s name and mother’s maiden name
The city and state or country the deceased was born or a copy of birth certificate

The following items should also be gathered to help in any estate or other financial arrangements at the time of death:

Death certificates
The will or trust
Last credit card statements
Investment accounts (IRAs, 401(k) plans, mutual funds, pensions, etc.)
Last checking and savings account statements (including CDs and money-market accounts)
Last mortgage statement
Last two years’ tax returns
Marriage and birth certificates (of the deceased’s spouse and children)
An up-to-date credit report of the deceased

A CHECKLIST TO HELP YOU PRE-PLAN YOUR FUNERAL OR MEMORIAL SERVICE

By planning your service in advance you can design and specify the exact type of service you’d like, so that your friends and family celebrate you as you wish. And by letting your family know how you’d like your funeral or memorial service to be, they will have less decisions to make during the difficult time that is ahead.

Here is a comprehensive list of options to help you decide on the type of service you want to have:
A funeral service, followed by burial or cremation.
A funeral service, followed by a graveside service or a service at the crematory, followed by burial or cremation.
Only a graveside service or a service at the crematory, followed by burial or cremation.
Privately see loved one for the last time
A basic, simple cremation with no services
A memorial service after the burial or cremation.
A funeral service at home.
A viewing before the funeral.
A wake before the funeral.
A visitation before the funeral.
A reception or gathering after the funeral or memorial service.
Observe religious and ethnic practices.