Before any arrangements and decisions can be made, a legal pronouncement of death must be declared. If your loved one dies inside of a medical or nursing facility like a hospital or nursing home, the staff will handle getting this declaration made. If your loved one dies at home, you need to immediately contact the local emergency officials to come and take them to a hospital where they can be legally declared dead. Family members who die under hospice care can be declared dead by the hospice staff. This legal declaration must be made before the family can proceed with making any funeral arrangements or handling any legal affairs.

Once your loved one has been declared dead, you and your family can begin making funeral arrangements. If your loved one pre-planned any services, review those choices first. If no prior arrangements were made, select a funeral home, contact them, and meet with the funeral director to discuss options.

If the deceased’s final wishes are unknown, the family will need to decide between burial or cremation, the type of service, and details such as the time, date, location, casket or urn, obituary, pallbearers, officiant, music, and speakers. For active or retired military members, contact the Veterans Administration to explore potential death benefits or service options.

Once you have met the funeral director, they will advise you on any information or paperwork they need for the death certificate or to proceed with making final arrangements.

Information Required:

• Full name and address

• Marital status

• Race/Ethnicity

• Date and city of birth

• Highest level of education

• Father’s name, mother’s maiden name

• Name of spouse

• Occupation and employer

Funeral Directors will need important documents to complete any legal paperwork. These documents include:

• Account statements

• Beneficiary designations

• Life insurance policies

• Military Discharge papers (form DD 214)

• Social Security Number

After your loved one passes away, there are important matters to address regarding their personal life. Start by securing their property, including their home and vehicle, to ensure they are safe.

If your loved one had a pet, arrange for its care with family or friends. Forward any incoming mail to a designated family member handling the estate, as uncollected mail at an empty home can attract intruders.

Notify your loved one’s employer about their passing, and contact any places where they had upcoming appointments to inform them and cancel as needed.