What to Expect When You Meet With a Funeral Director

While most people have attended a funeral at some point in their lives, many do not have experience actually planning a funeral. If you’re the person in charge of taking care of final arrangements for a deceased loved one, you may not know what to do. Luckily, a funeral director can help. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect when meeting with funeral directors at funeral homes in Columbia, TN:

Care and Compassion

Planning a funeral and making final arrangements is not something that anyone wants to do. Unfortunately, death is unpredictable, so you never know when the time may come where you may be in this position.

If you have a meeting scheduled with a funeral director at a funeral home, rest assured that you will receive caring and compassionate service. Funeral directors understand that their clients are typically upset and grieving. A good funeral director will work hard to make sure that taking care of the final arrangements of a loved one is as stress-free as it possibly can be, given the situation.

Collection of Vital Information

At the beginning of your meeting, the funeral director will likely collect vital information about your deceased loved one. Make sure that you can provide your loved one’s full legal name, Social Security number, place of birth, and place of death. If you have any documentation, such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, Social Security card, or military discharge papers, bring them to the meeting.

The funeral director collects this information so the funeral home can file for a death certificate on your behalf. A valid death certificate is needed for a number of things, such as collecting on a life insurance policy, filing for Social Security benefits for eligible survivors of the deceased, and settling the estate. You will receive the death certificate within a few weeks after it is filed.

Discussion Regarding the Final Arrangements of the Deceased

A funeral director will talk with you about the final arrangements of the deceased. You will need to let the funeral director know if you plan to have your loved one cremated or buried in a cemetery.

If your loved one purchased a burial plot in a cemetery during life, bring the paperwork to the meeting. In the event that your loved one will be cremated, the funeral home can make those arrangements. Some funeral homes have crematoriums on-site, but if the funeral home that you’re working with does not, the body can be transported to one.

Planning a Funeral Service or Memorial Service

The majority of people opt to have a funeral service or a memorial service to honor and remember the life of a deceased loved one. A funeral director will work with you to set a date and time for your event, as well as assist with all of the details.

Before searching for funeral homes in Columbia TN and making an appointment to meet with a funeral director, you should know if your loved one will be cremated or buried. You can learn more about cremation by contacting the Cremation Society of Tennessee at (615)-302-4842.