Free planning tool

Funeral Wishes Planner

Answer what you can, skip what you can’t, and print a clean, family-ready copy. It’s free, and your draft stays on your device.

Four short parts. Open one, fill in what you know, and skip the rest. You can come back any time on this device.

Part 1: About me What the funeral home needs for the death certificate. Your family is often asked these questions on the hardest day, so this helps most.

Please don’t write your Social Security number here. The funeral home will ask for it privately when it’s needed for the death certificate.

My name

Full legal name (first, middle, last)

Maiden name, nicknames, or other names I have used

Name I would like used in my obituary

Birth and home

Date of birth

Place of birth (city, state, or country)

Where I live (city, county, state)

My parents

Father’s full name

Mother’s full name, including her maiden name

Marriage

Marital status

Spouse’s full name (include maiden name)

Education and work

Highest education completed

Usual occupation (what I did for most of my working life)

Kind of business or industry

Military service

Branch, years served, rank (leave blank if none)

Where my DD-214 or discharge papers are kept

Military honors at my service

Faith, community, and contacts

Church or faith community

Sunday school class, ministry, or small group

Clubs, lodges, organizations, and volunteer work

My doctor (name and phone)

Executor or power of attorney (name and phone)

Part 2: My family Who survives you and who went before. Funeral homes use this for the obituary and the memorial folder.

Who should handle things

Person I want to make my arrangements (name, relationship, phone)

Backup person (name, relationship, phone)

Who should be called first (names and phone numbers)

Survivors for my obituary

Children and their spouses (names, and city they live in)

Grandchildren and great-grandchildren (names or how many)

Brothers and sisters (names, and city)

Others to include (special friends, in-laws, caregivers, pets)

Preceded in death

Family members who died before me (parents, spouse, children, siblings)

Part 3: My service Your choices for the service and burial or cremation. Answer only what matters to you.

The basics

I prefer

Funeral home I prefer, if any

Kind of service

Where and who

Where the service should be (church, funeral home chapel, graveside)

Minister, priest, or person to officiate (and phone)

Visitation

Music, readings, and words

Hymns and songs

Organist, pianist, or soloist I would like

Scripture, poems, or readings

Verse or poem for the memorial folder or prayer card

People I would like to speak or give the eulogy

Pallbearers

Pallbearers (usually 6 to 8 names)

Honorary pallbearers or groups (for example, a Sunday school class)

Flowers and memorials

Flowers

Charity or church for memorial gifts

Special touches (photo boards, a video, items to display, a favorite meal)

Final resting place

Cemetery, mausoleum, or columbarium (name and city)

Plot details if I own one (section, lot, grave), lot owner, and where the deed is

If cremated, what to do with my ashes

Headstone or marker wishes (inscription, already purchased?)

How I would like to look

Clothing I would like to wear

Casket or urn wishes

Jewelry and glasses: what stays with me, and what goes to whom

Hairdresser, hairstyle, or makeup preferences

A photo for the obituary and where to find it

Part 4: Papers and notes Where things are, and anything else your family should know.

Where things are

Where my will and important papers are kept (no account numbers)

Any prepaid funeral plan, burial insurance, or cemetery property already in place, and where those papers are

My words

Things I would like in my obituary (work, faith, hobbies, what I am proud of)

A note to my family

Anything else

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Funeral Wishes Planner

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