Bring a list of personal and family details, financial account information, and any prior wishes you've already written down. Most pre-planning meetings also go faster when you bring identification and proof of any existing funeral or burial arrangements. A pre-planning meeting is a conversation with a funeral home or a pre-need counselor about arranging and sometimes paying for a funeral in advance. The documents below help the counselor set up accurate records, apply any discounts, and avoid duplicate charges if arrangements already exist elsewhere.
Table of Contents
- Identification and Personal Details
- Existing Wishes and Prior Arrangements
- Financial and Insurance Paperwork
- Religious, Cultural, and Service Preferences
- Information About the People Involved
- Frequently Asked Questions
Identification and Personal Details
Bring a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport. The funeral home uses it to confirm your identity and spell your legal name correctly on any paperwork. You'll also need basic biographical information for the death certificate the funeral home will eventually file: full legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, and parents' names including mother's maiden name.
Having this written down saves time and reduces errors compared with recalling it from memory during the meeting. If you've served in the military, bring your discharge papers (DD-214). Veterans may qualify for burial benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs, including a headstone or marker, and the funeral home needs the discharge paperwork to verify eligibility.
- Driver's license or passport
- Social Security card or number
- Birth certificate, if available
- Military discharge papers (DD-214), if applicable
Existing Wishes and Prior Arrangements
If you've already written down funeral preferences, bring that document. This might be a letter of instruction, notes from a previous conversation with family, or a form from another funeral home. Check whether you or a family member purchased a cemetery plot, mausoleum space, or niche in the past.
Bring the deed or contract for that property, since the funeral home will need to coordinate burial or interment logistics with the cemetery. If you have a pre-need contract with a different funeral home, bring that contract. Some pre-need arrangements can be transferred between funeral homes, though the transferred funds and services depend on state law and the original contract's terms. The counselor you're meeting with can tell you whether a transfer is possible and what it would involve.
Financial and Insurance Paperwork
Bring documentation for any funds you plan to use to pay for the funeral. This includes a pre-need insurance policy, a funeral trust account statement, or a payable-on-death bank account set up for funeral expenses. Funeral homes that sell pre-need policies typically place the funds into a state-regulated trust or use them to buy a life insurance policy naming the funeral home as beneficiary.
Bringing proof of any existing policy prevents the counselor from setting up a second, overlapping arrangement. If you're pre-paying in a lump sum or through a payment plan, bring a form of payment and ask the counselor for a written itemization of what is guaranteed at today's price versus what may be subject to future cost increases. State laws on pre-need contract protections vary, so ask directly what happens to the money if the funeral home closes or is sold.
- Pre-need funeral insurance policy documents
- Bank statements for any dedicated funeral trust or savings account
- Life insurance policy information, if you intend to use proceeds for funeral costs
- Any existing payment plan paperwork from a prior arrangement
Religious, Cultural, and Service Preferences
Bring notes on any religious or cultural requirements for the service, such as a request for a specific clergy member, a particular ritual washing or preparation, or a timeline requirement tied to religious practice (some traditions call for burial within a day or two of death). If you belong to a congregation, synagogue, temple, or mosque with its own burial society or cemetery, bring contact information and any membership documentation.
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The funeral home will often coordinate directly with that organization. List any specific requests for the service itself: music, readings, type of casket or urn, clothing, and whether you want a viewing, a graveside service, or no formal service at all. Writing these down in advance means the people you leave behind aren't guessing at your preferences later.
Information About the People Involved
Bring the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the person or people who will be responsible for making final decisions if you aren't able to, often called the next of kin or a designated agent. If you have a signed document naming someone as your funeral agent or healthcare proxy with authority over disposition, bring that paperwork too.
Also bring a list of family members you'd want included in an obituary: spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, and any other relatives, along with their names and relevant dates like graduation years or marriage anniversaries. Having this ready prevents the funeral home from calling your family later to track down details during an already difficult time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to bring a lawyer or have power of attorney documents?
Not for the pre-planning meeting itself, but if you've named a healthcare proxy or funeral agent, bring that document so the funeral home knows who has authority over your wishes.
What if I don't have all the paperwork yet?
Bring what you have. A pre-planning counselor can start the file with partial information and follow up later for missing documents like a birth certificate or DD-214.
Can I update these documents after the meeting?
Yes. Most funeral homes let you revise a pre-need file as circumstances change, such as a new address, a different clergy preference, or an updated beneficiary.
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