Guide To The Arrangement Conference

Guide To The Arrangement Conference


In this issue I thought it most appropriate to address the Arrangement Process. I have been noticing and hearing, that a lot of families are facing the loss of a loved one for the first time and truly don’t know what to expect. By giving you access to this information most of your anticipated anxiety and stress should be greatly reduced.



The arrangement conference should be a relatively stress free event. During this conference with your funeral director; certain basic questions pertaining to the deceased are asked in order to complete specific law required paperwork, and details are talked over about service preferences. This conference actually can be broken down into 8 easy points.



The Eight Key Points Of The Arrangement Conference



1. Compile Vital Statistic Information: First and foremost the funeral director is legally obligated by state and/or federal law to file certain paperwork pertaining to your loved one. These questions are necessary to do this. One such document is the Death Certificate another the Social Security Administration Form SSA-721 and if your loved one is military or government affiliated there may be a few others. The information usually needed by your funeral director is as follows:



The Name, Address, Birth Place, Birth Date, Marital Status, Social Security Number, Father’s Name, Mothers Maiden Name, Occupation, Education Level Military Affiliation and Ethnicity of the Your Loved One. This portion of the conference usually takes about 7 to 10 minutes.



2. Deciding Ceremony Preferences: All funeral homes offer a full range of services to fit your requests. Your usual options are as follows: Traditional, Contemporary or Graveside Funeral Service Immediate Burial Without Formal Rites Funeral Followed By Cremation Cremation With Memorial Service Direct Cremation Don’t feel limited to only what is offered. If you have a special request PLEASE tell your funeral director. If there is a way to further personalize your loved ones service that has not been thought of; it is the funeral directors duty to help satisfy your wishes within the constraints of the Law and basic local morals. Your Funeral Director will help guide you in deciding that perfect service that memorializes your loved one to your exact wishes.



3. Selection Casket or Urn: This is straight and simple. Selection should be left totally up to the family. The funeral director should explain all merchandise in detail, so that the client family can make an educated decision. A few things to consider are material type (Bronze, Copper, Stainless Steel, Carbon Steel or Wood), Interior Material, Color, Size and Cost. (To receive more information on selecting caskets look at the Selecting A Casket Video on our Merchandise Page, then feel free to browse our full merchandise.)



4. Selection of Outer Burial Container: Most cemeteries require some type of outer burial contain. An Outer Burial Container or Vault serves two main purposes: 1. It serves as a receptacle of protection for your loved one. The casketed remains is place inside of the vault / outer burial container and then sealed. Upon this sealing process the casket is guarded against water and other elements of the earth.



2. and A vault or outer burial container helps to equalize the weight of the earth keeping the grave from sinking in and adding extra protection to the casket as the cemetery uses heavy equipment during their daily operations. A full line of vaults is available by your funeral director and he / she will gladly explain.



5. Review Cemetery or Final Placement Options:



There are many nice cemeteries available in our area and we by no means have any preference one over the other. This option is TOTALLY left up to the family. Whether choosing ground burial, entombment, inurnment, or scattering of the cremains, your funeral director will help with coordinating this part of the service. (Note: Cemetery expenses are separate from the funeral expenses. The family MUST take care of cemetery arrangements unless something has been worked out prior.)



6. Signing of the Contract and Service Authorizations: At this point the funeral director has made sure that he has understood all of your wishes and prepares his itemized statement for review. If you agree to the items discussed then a contract will need to be signed.



7. Determine The Method Of Payment:



A family usually a few options when considering payment. Most funeral homes accept the following forms of payment:



Assignable Insurance Policies Certified or Cashier’s Check Visa MasterCard Discover Card American Express Money Order Personal Check (ask your Funeral Director) Cash



8. Finalization of Details: At this point the major issues have been addressed and the funeral director knows what he needs to do in order to satisfy you wishes but there are still a few things that need to be addressed.



How do you want the initial “Death Notice” to read in the newspaper? Do you need help preparing the Obituary for the Newspaper? When the Obituary must be ready so that it can run in the Newspaper on the desired day? When the clothing is needed? What Clothing is needed? Is there any particular hairstyle that is desired? Will the Church or Family be providing the Funeral Programs?



The Arrangement Conference should easily be done within 1 hour without rushing. I hope that this article helps to clear up any questions and ease the arrangement process. Remember, your Funeral Director is a highly trained licensed professional, and should be compassionately willing to help with every detail.