Prearrangement -- 125
Things that Must be Done on the Most Difficult Day of Your Life
The following is a detailed list of the 125 things that must immediately be taken care of following death. Bold
items indicate details that can be planned, arranged and/or prepaid for before the time of need.
A. SECURE VITAL STATISTICS (REQUIRED FOR DOCUMENTS)
- Full legal name, complete address, telephone number and email
- Religious name (if any)
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Marital Status
- Name of spouse (if married)
- Spouse’s maiden name (if wife)
- Educational attainment
- Citizenship (US/Canadian/Mexican)
- Father’s name
- Father’s birthplace
- Mother’s name and maiden name
- Mother’s birthplace
- Number and full names and addresses of all children/grandchildren/great grandchildren
- Social Security number
- Veteran’s Serial/Service number
- Date and place of service, date of discharge
- How long at current residence/former residence(s)
- Occupation, job title, nature of work and employment history
- Location of work, place, telephone number and email
- Family origin
B. PAY SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING
- Estate/Inheritance taxes
- Funeral expenses
- Purchase of family burial estate, mausoleum crypt, cremation niche
- Family burial estate, mausoleum crypt, cremation niche opening and closing costs
- Permanent memorialization
- Monument/Marker engraving
- Funeral Director
- Clergy
- Organist and vocalist
- Florist
- Obituary
- Clothing
- Long distance telephone or wire service
- Food
- Transportation
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Medical practitioners
- Ambulance
- Hospital/Nursing Home
- Medications & drugs
- Current & urgent bills (mortgage/rent, taxes, installment payments, etc.)
C. COLLECT DOCUMENTS AND PAPERWORK
- Will (check will regarding special wishes)
- Prepare legal papers, certificates and permits
- Birth Certificate/legal proof of age
- Citizenship papers
- Social Security card or number
- Marriage license
- Veteran’s discharge certificate
- Submit insurance policies (life, health, accident, property, auto) and government forms
- Disability claims
- Bank books and listing of accounts
- Other financial accounts
- Property deeds
- Cemetery deed or proof of ownership
- Auto titles or bill of sale
- Income tax returns, receipts and cancelled checks
D. DECIDE AND ARRANGE WITHIN A FEW HOURS
- Make Cemetery arrangements
- Secure interment space and get exact location of burial/disposition
- Arrange for opening and closing of the grave/mausoleum/niche space
- Secure endowment care
- Arrange graveside committal service
- Secure use of cemetery chapel for committal prayers
- Decide on embalming and other preparation of deceased
- Choose restorative art
- Funeral Home preference
- Location of funeral service
- Service type (religious, fraternal, military, etc.)
- Time and place for visitation and funeral service
- Arrange for special religious services
- Provide information for eulogy
- Select casket (open or closed?)
- Select outer burial container and/or burial vault
- Select urn/niche space (if cremation)
- Provide vital statistics about deceased for newspaper
- Clothing for deceased
- Jewelry and glasses for deceased
- Select cosmetology and hairdressing for deceased
- Selection of scripture and readings (poems, etc.)
- Clergy to officiate
- Marking of grave (either temporary or permanent)
- Select memorial marker/monument setting and inscription
- Select charitable contributions for memorials in memory of deceased
- Register book, memorial/prayer cards
- Select pallbearers
- Floral arrangements and transportation before and after services
- Select music
- Organist/Pianist/Vocalist
- Arrange for funeral coach
- Arrange limousine for family and pallbearers
- Arrange funeral car list for family and guests
- Clothing for you and minor children
- Decide who will look after minor children and/or pets
- House cleaning
- Extra chairs
- Transportation for family and guests
- Reviewing and signing all paperwork (i.e. burial permit)
- Answering innumerable phone calls, emails, letters and wires
- Necessary meetings with funeral director, lawyer, clergy, cemetery
- Arrange transportation and lodging for out-of-town guests
- Acknowledging those who help in a special way (contributors of flowers, food, donations, etc.)
- Decide how many certified copies of death certificate to order
- Food for family and out of town relatives and guests
- Items for memento display and/or memorial board
- Decide on memorial video production, pictures, music, etc.
- Arrange for writing thank you notes
E. PLAN TO NOTIFY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
- All family members
- All relatives
- All friends
- Minister and church
- Funeral Director
- Pallbearers
- Cemetery
- Doctor
- Employer of deceased
- Employers of relatives not going to work
- Organist, musicians, vocalists
- Newspapers regarding notices
- Social Security Administration
- Veterans Administration
- Insurance agents
- Religious, fraternal, civic organizations and unions
- Attorney, accountant, financial planner and executor of estate
- Credit card companies
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