33 guides
Planning a Funeral
Most funerals are arranged in about a week. These guides walk you through each decision in order: choosing a funeral home, picking the type of service, venues, music, readings, flowers and the order of service. There are also guides for planning your own funeral ahead of time.
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No Family Funeral: Who Decides, Who Pays and How to Plan AheadWhat happens when someone dies with no family: who can arrange the funeral, who pays, what the county does, and how to plan ahead if you are on your own. 8 min readPalliative Care vs Hospice: Differences, Costs and How to ChoosePalliative care can start at any stage of a serious illness, alongside treatment. Hospice is for the last months. Compare eligibility and Medicare costs. 6 min readCan You Switch Funeral Directors? Rules, Costs and StepsYou can usually change funeral director or funeral home before the funeral. How a transfer works, what you may still owe the first firm, and your rights. 5 min read
Free tools
Funeral Budget BuilderBuild an itemized budget and track spending against it.Open tool
Funeral Flowers EstimatorPrice casket sprays, standing sprays, wreaths and bouquets.Open tool
Funeral Type FinderAnswer a few questions to find the type of service that fits.Open tool
Funeral Planning TimelineA day-by-day plan from the death to the service.Open tool
Funeral Venue PlannerEstimate guest numbers and the venue size you need.Open tool
Funeral Music PlannerChoose songs for each moment of the service.Open tool
Every planning guide
- Can You Switch Funeral Directors? Rules, Costs and StepsYou can usually change funeral director or funeral home before the funeral. How a transfer works, what you may still owe the first firm, and your rights.
- Cremation Memorial Service Ideas: Options, Timing and Ashes RulesIdeas for a memorial service after cremation, from a memory table to an ashes scattering ceremony, plus timing, what it costs and the rules for scattering.
- Direct Cremation Near Me: How to Find a Provider and What to ExpectHow to find and compare direct cremation providers near you: what it costs, what to ask, how the ID process works and how long it usually takes.
- Emergency Funeral Planning: How Fast a Funeral Can HappenHow to arrange a funeral in a hurry: what sets the timeline, the fastest options, what to ask on the first call, and how to handle religious deadlines.
- Funeral Pre-Planning FAQ: Steps, Prepaying and Your RightsAnswers to common funeral pre-planning questions: what to decide, how to compare prices, whether to prepay, and where to keep your wishes.
- Funeral Service Order Template: What to Include and How to Print ItHow to build a funeral order of service or program: what goes in it, sample running orders, layout and printing tips, hymn copyright and a simple timeline.
- How to Appoint a Funeral Representative: Steps and FormsHow to name a funeral representative for your wishes: what the document says, who signs, how New York, Texas and Virginia differ, and where to keep copies.
- How to Make a Funeral Video Tribute: Length, Photos, MusicHow to make a funeral video tribute or memorial slideshow: how long it should be, how many photos you need, music copyright, playback tips and a timeline.
- How to Tell Your Family Your Funeral WishesHow to talk to your family about your funeral wishes: when to start, what to say, what to cover, what to do if they resist and how to write it all down.
- Memorial Program Template: What to Include and How to Make OneHow to make a memorial service program: what goes on each page, bifold and booklet layouts, printing tips, copyright for poems and lyrics, and a timeline.
- Memorial Service Planning Guide: Step-by-Step ChecklistHow to plan a memorial service step by step: who does what, choosing a date, venue and leader, the running order, costs, guests, and a checklist for the day.
- Mortality Awareness: What It Means and How to Use It WellWhat mortality awareness is, what research says about thinking about death, simple reflection exercises, and how to turn awareness into practical planning.
- Music for a Funeral Service: How to Choose Songs and HymnsHow to choose funeral music: how many songs you need, where they go in the service, popular songs and hymns, church rules, live or recorded, and licensing.
- No Family Funeral: Who Decides, Who Pays and How to Plan AheadWhat happens when someone dies with no family: who can arrange the funeral, who pays, what the county does, and how to plan ahead if you are on your own.
- Online Cremation Services: How They Work and What to AskHow online cremation services work, what direct cremation costs, how to check a provider is legitimate and how ashes are returned, with a questions checklist.
- Online Funeral Planning Services and How to Use ThemWhat online funeral planning services can and can't do: comparing prices, arranging remotely, recording your wishes, and how to check a provider first.
- Palliative Care vs Hospice: Differences, Costs and How to ChoosePalliative care can start at any stage of a serious illness, alongside treatment. Hospice is for the last months. Compare eligibility and Medicare costs.
- Photos for Funeral Display: Ideas and Slideshow TipsHow to choose, scan and display photos at a funeral: boards, memory tables and slideshows, how many photos you need, file formats and a simple timeline.
- Planning a Funeral During the Holidays: Timing, Closures and CostsHow holidays affect funeral dates, paperwork and cemetery fees, with the 2026-27 holiday dates and how to decide between holding a service now or later.
- Planning a Funeral Reception: Venue, Food, Timing and ChecklistHow to plan a funeral reception or repast: where to hold it, what to serve, how much food to order, food safety, who to invite and a simple timeline.
- Planning a Funeral Remotely: Steps, Transport and PaperworkHow to arrange a funeral from another city, state or country: choosing a funeral home, handling paperwork, moving a body or ashes, and including family online.
- Planning Your Funeral With a Terminal Illness: A ChecklistHow to plan your own funeral after a terminal diagnosis: what to decide first, who to name, how hospice helps, what to put in writing and how to handle costs.
- Prayers for a Funeral Service: Where They Fit, How to ChooseHow to choose prayers for a funeral service: where they fit in the order, common prayers in Christian, Jewish and Muslim services, and mixed-faith options.
- Pre-Planning Your Funeral When You Are Single: Who Acts for You and How to Set It UpHow to plan your own funeral if you have no spouse or children: who decides by law, how to name an agent, where to keep your wishes and whether to prepay.
- Questions to Ask a Funeral Director: A Practical ChecklistThe questions to ask a funeral director about prices, embalming, caskets, paperwork and payment, plus what to bring and your rights under the FTC Funeral Rule.
- Readings for a Funeral Service: Scripture, Poems and How to ChooseHow to choose funeral readings: scripture and poems to consider, what a church may allow, how long a reading should be, who reads, and copyright for programs.
- Shopping Around for a Funeral Home: How to Compare PricesHow to compare funeral homes: use your FTC Funeral Rule rights to get prices by phone, read the price list, and know what to ask before you choose.
- Terminal Diagnosis: Next Steps for Care and PaperworkWhat to do after a terminal diagnosis: questions for the doctor, palliative care, advance directives, money and work, hospice and telling family.
- The Order of the Good Death and the Death Positive MovementWhat the Order of the Good Death is, what death positive means, its eight tenets, and practical steps: your consumer rights, greener options and planning ahead.
- What Does a Funeral Director Do?What a funeral director does, from collecting the body and filing the death certificate to running the service, plus how they are paid and if you need one.
- What Is a Funeral Celebrant? What They Do, Cost and How to ChooseWhat a funeral celebrant does, how they differ from clergy and funeral directors, what humanist and civil celebrants offer, typical fees and how to find one.
- What to Bring to the Funeral Home: A ChecklistWhat to bring to a funeral arrangement meeting: death certificate details, insurance and cemetery papers, veteran records, clothing and photos.
- Writing Your Own Funeral Service: How to Plan the Ceremony You WantHow to write your own funeral service: choose the ceremony, sketch the order, pick music and readings, and record your wishes so your family can find them.