How to plan your own funeral

You don't have to plan every detail at once. Consider starting with the decisions that matter most to you, then add more detail over time.

Funeral planning checklist

Planning your own funeral comes down to four practical steps:

1. Decide

• Decide on burial, cremation or another option
• Choose the type of service you want
• Note any personal, cultural or religious preferences

2. Document

• Put your wishes in writing
• Store your plan somewhere accessible, not only in a will

3. Share

• Tell the right people where your plan is kept
• Consider sharing a copy of the plan

4. Plan how to pay

• Estimate what your funeral may cost
• Identify how those costs may be covered

After you have completed your plan, consider reviewing it periodically and update it when something changes.

The sections below cover each step in more detail. This funeral planning worksheet is available to record your decisions and keep everything in one place.

Decide what you want for your funeral

Before anything can be documented or shared, a few foundational decisions need to be made. You do not need every detail worked out, but your core preferences can make the rest of the process easier.

Burial or cremation

This is often one of the first decisions in funeral planning, and it can shape much of what follows. Burial may involve selecting a cemetery and plot. With cremation, you may want to decide how or where your remains will be kept, buried or scattered.

Some people have strong personal, religious or cultural preferences. Others are more flexible but still want the people handling their arrangements to know their wishes.

Type of service

A funeral service can take many forms. Consider what feels right for you:

• A traditional funeral with viewing and burial: Often a more formal gathering that typically includes time for family and friends to pay their respects before the service
• A graveside service: A brief ceremony held at the burial site
• A memorial or celebration of life: A gathering that may be held after cremation or burial and often focuses on honoring the person
• No service: Some people prefer that no formal gathering be held

There is no single right answer. The goal is simply to document what you want so the people handling your arrangements have a clear place to start.

Personal, cultural and religious preferences

If specific traditions, rituals, readings, music or speakers matter to you, note them. If there are things you specifically do not want, write those down too.

You might also include preferences for a service location, memorial donations or other personal details. Focus on the things that matter to you rather than trying to plan every part of the event.

Document your funeral wishes

Once you have a sense of what you want, writing it down is what makes your preferences usable. If you are open to more than one option, noting that can be just as helpful.

A written record of your funeral wishes might include:

• Your core preferences: Burial or cremation, type of service and any personal requests
• Key contacts: A funeral home if you have one in mind, a cemetery if applicable and any prearranged agreements already in place
• Relevant records: Where important personal, military or funeral-related documents can be found
  

For sensitive records, consider noting where the information is stored rather than copying personal account numbers or other sensitive details directly into your funeral plan.

Funeral preferences kept only in a will may not be available when arrangements need to be made. Consider keeping your funeral plan as a separate document somewhere accessible.

The funeral planning worksheet can help you capture these details in one place.

Share your funeral plan

Tell at least one person you are comfortable involving — such as a spouse, adult child, other family member or close friend — where your plan is kept. Consider giving copies to more than one person. This step can be easy to overlook, but it helps make your written plan usable when it is needed.

A few things worth communicating:

• Where your plan is stored: A physical location, digital file or both
• Who has a copy: The people who have received one
• Who to contact: A funeral home, cemetery, religious or community contact or anyone else you would like involved

If your plan changes, update the people who have copies.

Plan for funeral costs

Thinking through how your funeral may be paid for is a practical part of the planning process. Funeral expenses can vary depending on location, the type of service and the choices made.

What funeral expenses may include

Funeral expenses may include funeral home services, transportation, burial or cremation, a casket or urn, cemetery costs and service-related items.

Rather than relying only on a national average, consider requesting prices for the goods and services you are actually considering.

Under the FTC's Funeral Rule, funeral providers are required to provide certain pricing information, including itemized prices. Reviewing those prices can help you better understand and compare potential costs.

Ways funeral expenses may be covered

There is no single approach to covering funeral costs, and what works depends on individual circumstances. Some people may use personal savings, life insurance, prepaid funeral arrangements or a combination.

If life insurance is part of your plan, beneficiaries may choose to use policy proceeds for funeral or other expenses depending on their needs.

Planning ahead and paying ahead are also two different decisions. You can document and share your funeral wishes without paying a funeral provider in advance.

Things to consider before prepaying for a funeral

If you are considering a prepaid arrangement, take time to understand how it works before committing money. Consumer protections and requirements can vary by state.

Questions to ask may include:

• What is guaranteed? Ask which prices, goods or services are fixed and which costs could change
• What happens if you move or change providers? Ask whether the arrangement can transfer or whether funds may be refunded
• How are the funds held? Ask whether money is placed in a trust, insurance policy or another arrangement
• What are the cancellation terms? Understand whether you can cancel and what portion of your payment, if any, may be returned

The FTC's Planning Your Own Funeral page offers additional consumer considerations around prepaid funeral arrangements.

How final expense life insurance may fit into your plan

Some life insurance products are designed with final expenses in mind. These policies may help provide funds that beneficiaries can use for funeral, burial or other expenses.

Guaranteed Issue Final Expense life insurance is designed to help with final expenses like funeral costs.

If you are considering life insurance as part of your funeral planning, learning about the benefits of owning guaranteed issue life insurance or reviewing the different types of life insurance can help you understand the options available.

Keep your funeral plan up to date

Preferences, relationships and financial arrangements can change. Reviewing your plan from time to time can help keep the information useful.

Consider revisiting it when:

• Your funeral or service preferences change
• The people who have copies or may handle arrangements change
• Your financial arrangements or prepaid plans change

When you update your plan, let the people who have copies know and share the revised version with them. It may also be a good idea to outline your funeral in conjunction with your living will and end-of-life planning.

Funeral planning FAQs

Can I plan my own funeral?

Yes, and it is more straightforward than most people expect. You can document your preferences for burial or cremation, the type of service you want, any personal or religious details that matter to you and how you expect expenses may be covered. Writing those decisions down and sharing them with the right people is really what the process comes down to.

Where should I keep my funeral plans?

Somewhere the people who need it can actually find it. That might be a physical file at home, a digital document or both. The more important step is telling at least one trusted person where it is stored and giving a copy to whoever will be involved in carrying out your wishes.

Should I put my funeral wishes in my will?

You can, but it is worth knowing that wills are often not reviewed until after funeral arrangements have already been made. If your wishes only appear there, they may not be found in time. Keeping a separate, accessible copy of your plan is a more practical approach.

Can you prepay for a funeral?

Yes. Some funeral homes offer prepaid arrangements that let you plan and pay for services in advance. Before committing, it is worth asking what is included, what costs are guaranteed, how your funds are held and what happens if you move, change providers or want to cancel.

How can I prepare for funeral expenses?

There is no single approach, and what makes sense depends on your situation. Some people set aside savings, others rely on life insurance proceeds and some look into prepaid arrangements. Estimating what a funeral in your area might cost and noting where your financial information is kept can make your plan more complete for whoever will need it.