Funerals play an important role for those mourning the loss of a loved one. By providing surviving family and friends with an atmosphere of care and support in which to share thoughts and feelings about death, funerals are the first step in the healing process. It is the traditional way to recognize the finality of death. Funerals are recognized rituals for the living to show their respect for the dead and to help survivors begin the grieving process.

You can have a full funeral service even for those choosing cremation. Planning a personalized ceremony or service will help begin the healing process. Overcoming the pain is never easy, but a meaningful funeral or tribute will help.

• Pick up the deceased and transport the body to the funeral home (anytime, day or night).
• Notify proper authorities, family, and/or relatives.
• Arrange and prepare death certificates
• Provide certified copies of death certificates for insurance and benefit processing.
• Work with the insurance agent, Social Security, or Veterans Administration to ensure that necessary paperwork is filed for receipt of benefits.
• Prepare and submit an obituary to the newspapers of your choice.
• Bathe and embalm the deceased body, if necessary.
• Prepare the body for viewing, including dressing and cosmetizing.
• Assist the family with funeral arrangements and purchase of casket, urn, burial vault, and cemetery plot.
• Schedule the opening and closing of the grave with cemetery personnel if a burial is to be performed.
• Coordinate with clergy if a funeral or memorial service is to be held.
• Arrange a police escort and transportation to the funeral and/or cemetery for the family.
• Order funeral sprays and other flower arrangements as the family wishes.
• Provide aftercare, or grief assistance, to the bereaved.

The funeral home will help coordinate arrangements with the cemetery. You must bring the following information to complete the State vital statistic requirements: birth date, birthplace, father's name, mother's name, Social Security Number, veteran's discharge or claim number, education, and marital status.

Contact your clergy. Decide on a time and place for your funeral or memorial service. This can be done at the funeral home.

The funeral home will assist you in determining the number of copies of the death certificates you will need and can order them for you.

Make a list of immediate family, close friends, and employer or business colleagues. Notify each by phone.

Decide on an appropriate memorial to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, charity, or school).

Gather obituary information you want to include, such as age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service, outstanding work, and a list of survivors in the immediate family. Include time and place of services. The funeral home will normally write articles and submit them to newspapers. Newspapers will accept a picture, and they will be returned intact.

Arrange for members of the family or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone, keeping a careful record of calls. If Social Security checks are automatic deposit, notify the bank of the death.

When a death occurs far from where you want to hold the services, it can feel overwhelming. However, with just one phone call to us, much of this burden can be eased. Thanks to our network of affiliated funeral homes across the United States and internationally, we will coordinate the return of your loved one to this area so that funeral services can be arranged.

If you need immediate assistance, we are available to help. If the family prefers to spend some time with the deceased to say goodbye, that is entirely acceptable. Your funeral director will come at the appropriate time.

In the United States, burial in a casket remains the most common method of handling remains, though entombment is also practiced. Increasingly, people are choosing cremation due to its lower cost and the flexibility it offers in scheduling memorial services. This allows for services to be held at a more convenient time in the future when family and friends can gather.

A funeral service followed by cremation can be as traditional and meaningful as one followed by burial. Typically, after cremation, the remains are placed in an urn and then committed to a final resting place. The urn can be buried, housed in an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium, or interred in a dedicated urn garden offered by many cemeteries. Alternatively, the remains may be scattered in accordance with state laws.

Viewing is an important element in many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief specialists believe that it helps the bereaved acknowledge the reality of death, thereby supporting the grieving process. Viewing is also encouraged for children, provided the process is explained to them and their participation is voluntary.

Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, extending the time between death and final disposition. This process allows family members additional time to arrange and partake in a service that is most comforting to them.

The Federal Trade Commission says, "Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. Embalming may be necessary; however, if you select certain funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require you to pay for it, such as direct cremation or immediate burial."

Compared to other major life events, such as births and weddings, funerals are relatively less expensive. While a wedding can cost at least three times as much, the joyful nature of weddings often leads to their costs being less scrutinized. Funeral homes operate around the clock and are labor-intensive, with extensive facilities, including viewing rooms, chapels, limousines, and hearses, all of which contribute to the overall cost of a funeral.

The expenses associated with a funeral encompass not only merchandise like caskets but also the professional services of a funeral director. This includes arranging details, filing paperwork, coordinating with doctors, ministers, florists, and newspapers, and managing various other aspects. Although funeral directors view their work as a service, it is also a business that requires making a profit to sustain its operations.

How you choose to honor a life can vary greatly based on your preferences. One benefit of cremation is the added flexibility it offers for planning funeral and cemetery arrangements. For instance, you might opt for a funeral service before the cremation, a memorial service at the time of or after the cremation with the urn present, or a committal service when the cremated remains are finally laid to rest. These services can be held in a place of worship, a funeral home, or a crematory chapel.

With cremation, you have a variety of options for handling the remains. Cremains can be interred in a cemetery plot (earth burial), kept by a family member in an urn, scattered on private property, or at a place that holds significance for the deceased. (It's important to check local regulations regarding scattering in public areas; your funeral director can assist with this.)

Today, there are numerous memorialization options available, reflecting a tradition that has been honored for centuries. A memorial acts as a tribute to a life lived, provides a focal point for remembrance and serves as a record for future generations. The choice of memorial is a personal one and should reflect the individual preferences and values of those making the decision.

You might opt for ground burial of the urn, with the choice of a bronze memorial or monument often available. Alternatively, many cemeteries offer cremation niches in columbariums, which provide the elegance of a mausoleum setting while allowing for above-ground placement of remains. Additionally, scattering gardens are offered by many cemeteries, providing a tranquil, garden-like space where family and friends can gather to reflect and remember.

If you wish to have your ashes scattered, it's important to communicate your wishes in advance with the individuals who will carry out the scattering. They may prefer to have your funeral professional assist with the ceremony. Funeral directors can help create a meaningful and personalized scattering ceremony tailored to your family's specific preferences. These services can be as formal or informal as desired and can be conducted in either public or private settings. Be sure to check local regulations regarding scattering in public areas; your funeral director can assist with this process.

Yes, depending on the cemetery’s policy, you may be able to save grave space by burying the cremains on top of your spouse’s casketed remains or by using the space next to them. Many cemeteries permit multiple cremated remains to be interred in a single grave space.

Uncertainty about income tax matters can increase the stress following the death of a spouse. It's important to meet with your family attorney and/or tax advisor as soon as possible to discuss your specific tax and estate situation. Prepare a detailed list of your questions for the meeting. If you don’t have an attorney or tax advisor, you can call the IRS toll-free at (800) 829-1040 for assistance with specific tax questions.

There are several options to explore:

• Check for Entitlements: Determine if the deceased qualifies for any benefits by contacting the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and state funds. Many people may be eligible for financial assistance with funeral costs from these agencies.
• Review Insurance Policies: Examine all insurance policies, including life insurance, as some may cover funeral-related expenses.
• Seek Charitable Assistance: Look for local charities, non-profit organizations, and churches that offer financial help for funeral expenses.
• Discuss Cremation Options: Talk to your funeral director about cremation, which can be more cost-effective depending on the options you choose.