Funeral Arrangements Record

Who this is for

One sheet for the arrangements. The people to ring, what has been decided about the service and the committal, and each cost with its estimate, the actual figure and who is paying — written down so it does not have to be held in the head.

The person making the arrangements after a death, and the relatives helping, who are being asked the same questions by several people and want one place with the answers.

What this helps you track

• Who the funeral director, the person leading the service and the other contacts are, with their numbers
• What has been arranged: the date, the place, the type of committal, the gathering afterwards
• Each cost with the estimate given, the actual figure and who has agreed to pay it
• What has been paid and what is still outstanding

How to use it

1. Write the name of the person who has died and the date at the top, then fill in the arrangements as they are made — the service, where it is, who is leading it, the committal and any gathering afterwards.
2. Enter each cost as it is quoted, with the estimate and who has agreed to pay it. Write the actual figure when the invoice comes and tick paid when it is settled. The costs table continues on the second page.
3. Fill in the contacts table. The common roles are printed; add the names and numbers as you have them, and any others in the browser or workbook.
4. The difference column and the totals are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, subtract and add by hand.
5. Keep the sheet with the paperwork. It is the record of what was arranged and what it cost, which is often asked for later.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What do I have to do legally after a death?

The sheet does not say, because it differs by country and sometimes by region. The registrar, the funeral director or the person leading the service will tell you what is needed where you are; the contacts table has a row for each.

Does it assume a particular kind of funeral?

No. The fields say service, led by and committal, and take a religious service, a humanist or civil ceremony, a direct cremation, a burial, or any other arrangement. Leave blank whatever does not apply.

Why is there a who-is-paying column?

Because funeral costs are often met from more than one source — an estate, a prepaid plan, a relative, a benefit or a policy — and it helps to record which is covering what while it is being decided.

Does the sheet give any idea of what a funeral costs?

No. Costs vary widely with place and choice, and the funeral director or provider will give a written estimate. The sheet records that figure and the final one.