What is the first thing to do when planning a funeral?

Secure a legal pronouncement of death and arrange for the body to be taken into a funeral home or cremation provider's care. After that, there's no need to rush — take time to gather the person's wishes and compare your options.

How can I lower funeral costs?

Compare itemized price lists from several providers, decline extras you don't need, and consider a direct cremation with a separate celebration of life. Also check for veterans', Social Security, and employer benefits.

Do I have to use a funeral home?

No. For a simple cremation you can contact a direct cremation provider directly, which is usually far cheaper than a full-service funeral home.

Guides

Funeral planning checklist

Planning a funeral, whether ahead of time or in the days after a death, means making a lot of decisions at once. This checklist walks through them in a sensible order — the urgent first steps, the arrangements, the paperwork, and the money — so nothing important gets missed and you don't overpay along the way.

In the first 24–48 hours

A few things need attention quickly. Everything else can wait until you've caught your breath.

✓Get a legal pronouncement of death (hospital staff, hospice, or a doctor)
✓Arrange transport of the body into the care of a funeral home or cremation provider
✓Notify immediate family and a few close friends who can help
✓Locate any prepaid plan, will, or written final wishes
✓Secure the person's home, pets, and any dependents

Choosing the type of arrangement

The biggest decisions — and the biggest cost drivers — come down to the form of disposition and how much service you add around it.

Burial or cremation

This shapes almost everything that follows, including cost. Cremation is usually far less expensive, and a direct cremation is the lowest-cost option of all. See our cremation vs burial comparison if you're weighing the two.

Service or no service

You can hold a full funeral with the body present, a memorial or celebration of life afterward, a simple graveside gathering, or no formal service at all. A service can also be held later, separately, which often costs less and gives family time to travel.

Who you'll use

You don't have to use a full-service funeral home. For a simple cremation you can contact a direct cremation provider yourself. Whoever you use, ask for their itemized price list — under the FTC Funeral Rule they must provide one.

The arrangements to decide

Once you've chosen the overall approach, these are the specifics a funeral director will ask about.

✓Casket, urn, or a simple container
✓Whether to have embalming or a viewing (both optional, and not required for cremation)
✓Date, time, and place for any service
✓An officiant, readings, music, and who will speak
✓Flowers, an obituary or death notice, and a guest book
✓Where the body or ashes will finally rest

Paperwork and notifications

Some of this falls to the funeral home; the rest is for the family and the estate to handle over the following weeks.

✓Order several certified copies of the death certificate — you'll need them for banks, insurers, and benefits
✓Notify Social Security, the person's employer, and any pension providers
✓Contact banks, insurers, and utility companies
✓Find the will and contact the executor or a probate attorney if needed
✓Cancel subscriptions, memberships, and redirect mail

Paying for it — and keeping costs down

Funeral costs add up quickly, but you have more control than it can feel like in the moment. A few habits protect you from overpaying.

✓Get itemized quotes from two or three providers — prices for the same service vary widely
✓Decline extras you don't need; embalming and premium caskets are rarely necessary
✓Consider direct cremation with a separate memorial to cut costs sharply
✓Check for help: veterans' benefits, Social Security's lump-sum payment, and employer or union benefits
✓You can buy a casket or urn from a third party — the funeral home must accept it

FAQ