Montevista | Funeral Pre-Planning Documents: What to Create
Funeral Pre-Planning Documents: What to Create
Pre-planning your funeral involves making decisions, but those decisions won’t help your family unless they’re properly documented. Creating the right paperwork ensures your wishes are clear, accessible, and legally enforceable when needed.
This guide explains what documents to create when pre-planning, what information to include in each, and how to organize everything so family can find what they need. You’ll learn the difference between informal wishes and formal arrangements, and which documents serve what purposes.
Essential Funeral Planning Documents
1. Funeral Wishes Document (Most Important)
This is your primary planning document—a written record of your preferences that family can reference when making arrangements.
What to Include: – Your full legal name and identifying information – Disposition preference (burial, cremation, or other) – Service type and location preferences – Religious or secular service – Specific music, readings, or ceremony requests – Cemetery and burial plot information (if selected) – Casket, urn, or container preferences – Headstone or marker wishes – Clothing for burial or viewing – Obituary guidelines – Reception preferences – Specific people to notify – Budget parameters – Special requests or wishes
Format: Can be handwritten or typed. No legal requirements for format—clarity matters most.
Purpose: Provides comprehensive guidance for family even if you haven’t made formal arrangements with a funeral home.
2. Formal Pre-Need Contract (If Applicable)
If you’ve made formal arrangements with a funeral home, you’ll have a binding contract specifying services and products.
What It Includes: – Itemized list of selected services – Product descriptions (casket, vault, etc.) – Prices (guaranteed or non-guaranteed) – Payment terms – Refund and cancellation policies – Portability terms – Cemetery arrangements (if included)
Purpose: Legally binding agreement ensuring the funeral home provides what you’ve selected and paid for.
Where to Keep: Original with funeral home; copy with your important papers and given to family.
3. Cemetery Deed or Contract
If you’ve purchased a burial plot, mausoleum space, or columbarium niche, you’ll have ownership documentation.
What It Includes: – Cemetery name and location – Plot/space number and location – Ownership details – Transfer rights – Rules and regulations – Purchase price and payment records
Purpose: Proves ownership and provides location details for burial.
Where to Keep: With important papers; copy to executor and family.
4. Pre-Payment Documentation
If you’ve pre-paid funeral costs, keep records of how funds are held.
For Trust-Funded Arrangements: – Trust agreement – Deposit receipts – Annual trust statements – Trustee contact information
For Insurance-Funded Arrangements: – Insurance policy – Premium payment records – Beneficiary designation – Insurance company contact information
Purpose: Proves funds are available and shows family how to access them.
5. Supporting Personal Documents
Keep these documents accessible with your funeral planning paperwork:
Birth Certificate: Required to obtain death certificates and complete funeral arrangements.
Social Security Card/Number: Needed to notify Social Security and claim death benefits.
Military Discharge Papers (DD-214): Required for veterans to claim burial benefits and military honors.
Marriage Certificate: May be needed for spousal cemetery rights or benefits.
Life Insurance Policies: List all policies, policy numbers, and company contact information.
Obituary Draft (Optional): Some people write their own obituaries to ensure accuracy and include desired information.
Photo for Obituary: Select a photo you’d like used.
List of Important People: Names and contact information for people to notify.
Information to Include in Your Funeral Wishes Document
Your funeral wishes document should answer these questions comprehensively:
Personal Information
- Full legal name (including maiden name if applicable)
- Date and place of birth
- Social Security number
- Current address
- Parents’ names (for death certificate)
Disposition Decisions
- Burial, cremation, or alternative method
- Specific reasons for this choice (helps family understand)
- Embalming preferences
- Viewing or visitation wishes
Service Preferences
- Type of service (traditional, memorial, celebration of life)
- When service should be held
- Where service should be held
- Religious or secular
- Officiant preferences
- Open or closed to public
Ceremony Details
- Specific music selections
- Readings, poems, or scriptures
- Who should speak or deliver eulogy
- Special rituals or customs to include
- Elements to avoid
Final Resting Place
- Cemetery name and location
- Plot number and section (if purchased)
- Preferences if plot not yet purchased
- Burial or cremation interment preferences
- Scattering wishes (if applicable)
Products and Merchandise
- Casket type and preferences
- Urn preferences (if cremation)
- Burial vault or liner
- Headstone or marker style and inscription
- Flowers or charitable donations
Personal Touches
- Clothing for burial or viewing
- Items to be buried or cremated with you
- Photo displays or memory tables
- Video tribute preferences
- Reception style and location
Administrative Details
- Obituary information and where to publish
- Organizations to notify
- Charitable donation suggestions
- Budget limitations or guidance
- Pre-payment status and location of documents
Important Contacts
- Executor name and contact information
- Attorney name and contact
- Funeral home (if arrangements made)
- Cemetery contact
- Life insurance companies
- People to notify immediately
Creating Your Funeral Wishes Document
Option 1: Use a Template or Form
Many funeral homes provide pre-planning worksheets you can complete. Templates ensure you don’t forget important information.
Advantages: Comprehensive, organized, nothing overlooked Where to Find: Funeral homes, estate planning attorneys, online resources
Option 2: Write Your Own
Create your own document in whatever format works for you.
Advantages: Complete customization, as detailed or simple as you want Format Options: – Word document or PDF – Handwritten in a notebook – Digital note-taking app – Letter to family
The format doesn’t matter as long as it’s clear and accessible.
Option 3: Video or Audio Recording
Some people record video or audio messages explaining their wishes.
Advantages: Personal, captures tone and emphasis, memorable for family Disadvantages: Not searchable for specific details; should supplement written documentation, not replace it
Option 4: Formal Legal Document with Attorney
Work with an estate planning attorney to create funeral directives as part of your estate plan.
Advantages: Integrated with will and other documents, professional guidance When Appropriate: Complex situations, concerns about family conflict, desire for maximum legal weight
Organizing Your Funeral Planning Paperwork
Create a funeral planning file or folder containing:
- Funeral Wishes Document (primary reference)
- Pre-Need Contract (if applicable)
- Cemetery Deed (if purchased)
- Pre-Payment Records (trust or insurance)
- Birth Certificate (certified copy)
- Social Security Card (copy)
- Military Papers (DD-214 if veteran)
- Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
- Life Insurance Policy List (with contact info)
- Contact List (people to notify)
- Obituary Draft (if prepared)
- Obituary Photo (selected photo)
Label the folder clearly: “[Your Name] – Funeral Planning Documents”
Where to Store Your Documents
Primary Storage Location
Keep originals in a secure but accessible location:
Good Options: – Fireproof safe at home – Locked file cabinet in your home office – With other important papers in your home
Avoid: – Bank safe deposit box (may be sealed after death before family can access) – Hidden locations only you know about
Who Should Have Copies
Provide complete copies to:
Must Have: – Spouse or partner – Adult child designated to handle arrangements (if applicable) – Executor of your estate – Attorney
Should Have: – All adult children – Close family members who might be involved – Funeral home (if you’ve made arrangements)
Consider Giving Copies To: – Close friend or advocate – Doctor or care facility (if in assisted living)
Digital Copies
Create PDF scans of all documents and store digitally:
Options: – Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud) – Email to yourself and family – Password manager (with instructions for access) – Estate planning software or services
Important: Tell family how to access digital copies.
Keeping Documents Updated
Review and update your funeral planning documents:
Every 2-3 years – Check if preferences have changed
When life changes occur: – You move to a new area – You change your mind about burial vs. cremation – You purchase a cemetery plot – You make pre-payment arrangements – Health status changes – Family circumstances change – You update your will or estate plan
How to Update: – Revise your funeral wishes document with new date – Provide updated copies to everyone who has the original – If you have formal arrangements, contact the funeral home to update your file – Discard old versions to avoid confusion
Making Sure Family Can Find Your Documents
Even perfect documentation doesn’t help if family can’t find it. Ensure accessibility:
Tell Multiple People: Don’t rely on one person knowing where documents are.
Write It Down: Include document location in your will, on your emergency contact card, or in a letter to your executor.
Make It Obvious: Store in a logical location like a file cabinet labeled “Important Documents.”
Provide a Map: Create a simple document: “Important Papers Location Guide” listing where to find various documents.
Avoid Obscurity: Don’t hide documents in unusual places. Obvious beats clever.
Key Takeaways
Proper documentation ensures your funeral wishes are known and honored:
- Funeral wishes document is your primary planning document with all preferences
- Formal contracts (if applicable) provide legally binding arrangements
- Supporting documents include birth certificates, military papers, insurance policies
- Multiple copies should be distributed to family, executor, and attorney
- Accessible storage means family can find documents when needed
- Regular updates keep information current as circumstances change
- Clear communication about document location prevents family from searching
Your carefully made plans only help if family knows about them and can access the documentation. Taking time to organize and share your paperwork properly completes the pre-planning process.
Document Support at Monte Vista Memorial Gardens
Monte Vista provides comprehensive pre-planning worksheets and helps you organize all necessary documentation. During consultations, we walk you through what to document and how to ensure your family can access information when needed.
Call 510-299-1174 to schedule a pre-planning consultation where we’ll help you create and organize all the documents your family will need.