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80+ Immediate Decisions and Arrangements That Must Be Made By Family Members After A Loss
There are many decisions and arrangements that must be made when there is a death in the family. Few people are aware of the complexity of last minute arrangements. With the help of our Detailed Planning Guide and the assistance our preplanning advisor, your family will be saved from some of this burden and expense.
Listed below are items and tasks which must be done usually within the first 24 to 48 hours of the loss of a loved one.
Notify Immediately - (11)
1. Funeral Director
2. Cemetery
3. Physician
4. Clergy
5. Attorney/Executor of Estate
6. Relatives
7. Friends
8. Employer of deceased
9. Employers of family members
10. Insurance agents (life, health, etc.)
11. Organizations (religious, civic, etc.)
Decide and Arrange Immediately - (31)
1. Check Will for special wishes
2. Select funeral director who will all of the arrangements including death certificates, notifying newspapers, cemetery preparations, etc.
3. Select cemetery
4. Select burial property
5. Select casket
6. Select burial vault
7. Select clothing for deceased
8. Select flowers
9. Select memorialization
10. Check and sign burial permit
11. Provide obituary information
12. Select Pallbearers
13. Type of services (military, graveside, etc.)
14. Select clergy
15. Time & location of services
16. Special readings and music
17. Organist
18. Provide information for eulogy
19. Funeral transportation
20. Decide name of charitable organization to which donations are suggested in memory of deceased.
21. Clothing for you and family members, if appropriate.
22. Prepare food for family and guests at home.
23. Provide addresses and phone numbers to appropriate people
24. Answer sympathetic phone calls, messages, wires and letters
25. Meet and talk with funeral director, clergy about all details.
26. Greet all friends and relatives who call
27. Arrange for meeting relatives who arrive from out of state at airport or railroad station.
28. Provide lodging for out-of-town relatives
29. Make list of callers and floral tributes which were sent in order to send thank you cards.
30. Arrange for religious services
31. Childcare for younger children.
Necessary Vital Statistics - (13)
1. Name, home address & phone
2. How long in state
3. Business name, address & phone
4. Occupation and title
5. Social Security Number
6. Veteran’s Serial Number
7. Date and place of birth
8. If appropriate, need to provide U.S. Citizenship
9. Father’s name
10. Father’s birthplace
11. Mother’s Maiden name
12. Mother’s birthplace
13. Religious name (if appropriate)
Required for burial permit by the
Board of Health.
Necessary Documents - (14)
1. Will
2. Funeral arrangement documents
3. Cemetery arrangement documents
4. Birth certificate
5. Social Security card or number.
6. Marriage license
7. Citizenship papers
8. Insurance policies
9. Bank books
10. Deeds to property
11. Bill of sale of car
12. Income tax returns
13. Veteran’s discharge certificate
14. Disability and pension claims
Required in order to determine payments
and benefits from insurance, pension,
social security, etc.
Necessary Payments - (12)
1. Funeral Service and Merchandise
2. Cemetery Service and Merchandise
3. Clergy
4. Organist
5. Florist
6. Transportation
7. Memorials
8. Hospitals and ambulance
9. Medicine and drugs
10. Current & urgent bills (i.e. mortgage or rent, taxes)
11. Food
12. Doctors
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