Planning

You can ease the burden on family and friends by planning in advance of need. Here are two essential tools for your use.

First, print off the Planning Form from this website. Currently this form is only available in pdf format. You can download a free version of Adobe’s Acrobat Reader (the pdf reader program).  You can also call the office and have us send you the form by regular mail.

Record all your decisions, and then make copies for yourself, next of kin, and perhaps your lawyer. Send the original copy to Funeral Consumers Alliance at the address on this page. FCA will make its own copy for your file and forward the original signed form to the funeral home you choose. Thus, your next of kin has only to phone the funeral home after your death and the plans will be set in motion. Usually all the last minute paperwork can be completed by fax machine and the relatives may not have to go to the funeral home at all (except for Plan B-3).

Second, print off a copy of Checklist A–Information to be Assembled Before Death (either the web version or simple version are both printable) and start filling in the area at the right when you assemble the information and describe where the papers are located. Put this checklist with the Planning Form copy in a secure but readily available folder which can be easily found after death. Tell your next of kin where you keep important papers like this (NOT in a safe deposit box which may be closed for a period of time after your death. You may want to put copies of these documents in the safe deposit box, in case of fire or disaster, however.)

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