How to Plan an Ash-Scattering Ceremony

There are many options for holding a memorial service after a cremation.

What to Do When Someone Dies

After the death of a loved one, the volume of decisions and responsibilities can feel overwhelming. This article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step checklist to help surviving family members navigate what needs to be done from the moment of death through the weeks and months that follow the funeral. Organized by urgency rather than strict chronology, it covers immediate actions, funeral planning, legal and financial responsibilities, and practical tasks related to the deceased’s home, accounts, and personal affairs. Designed primarily for close survivors but useful for anyone offering support, the guide brings clarity and structure to a difficult time, helping families focus on what matters most while ensuring essential details are not overlooked.

Giving Tuesday Spotlight: Funeral Service Foundation

Tuesday, December 1, is Giving Tuesday, a day when we’re asked to step back from the shopping that dominates the days after Thanksgiving and do some good with our dollars. You might have a favorite charity to support on Giving Tuesday – or maybe you’re donating to a loved one’s favorite charity in their memory.

A funeral director in 2020: 'I worry about masks'

Sammy G. Oakey III is a fifth-generation funeral director, the president of in Roanoke, Virginia. In the 150 years since his great-great-grandfather founded the business, it has never changed quite as fast as it has in 2020.

How the Pandemic Is Changing Funerals

As the covid-19 pandemic changes the way we live and interact, . Funeral directors have rapidly responded to calls for social distancing by offering , including livestreaming, recordings, and outdoor funerals with a six-foot buffer between attendees. These new solutions have attracted notice and made headlines around the world. Here’s what newspapers and other news sources are saying about funerals in the age of covid-19.

Video Funerals Help Families Mourn During COVID-19

At a time when precautions against COVID-19 mean that large public gatherings are banned in some places and discouraged most everywhere else, how can we continue having funerals? It’s important to honor and remember the lives of our loved ones who have died, and mourning together with others who loved them is a crucial part of the grief process. We can still do this, even if we can’t get together in one place for a funeral. 

How to Pre-Plan a Funeral

Planning your own funeral may not be easy, but deciding your funeral arrangements in advance can give peace of mind to your family when the time comes. Learn why funeral pre-planning is helpful, then use our detailed checklist to guide you through the steps of pre-planning a funeral. 

Funerals During the COVID-19 Coronavirus Epidemic: How to Plan

As the new coronavirus strain COVID-19 travels around the globe, it’s not always easy to know what to do to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. In many areas of the U.S., public gatherings have been banned or discouraged. We're practicing social distancing, staying home as much as possible. 

The Surprising Ways a Funeral Director Can Help You

If you've never had to help plan a funeral, your idea of a funeral director's job is probably a little vague. They arrange the funeral, right? They handle the burial or cremation, and are at the visitation and the funeral service to make sure everyone's in the right place at the right time. Is that it?

How Funeral Directors Can Help a Family

A funeral director can be one of your most important allies in the days and weeks after a loved one's death. Whether the funeral was prepared for years in advance, or the death was unexpected and you're making all the arrangements in a grief-stricken hurry, there's so much you can lean on a funeral director for. Here are eight important tasks a funeral director helps a family with.

This Therapy Dog Works in a Funeral Home

"Ally" the goldendoodle is trained to comfort people as they grieve.

How to Plan a Funeral After a Death

A loved one has died, and now it’s up to you to plan the funeral. It is challenging to plan a service and grieve at the same time, You don’t have to do it alone — expert funeral directors are available to help. Use Legacy’s checklist to guide you as you find a funeral home and   that is meaningful and comforting.

How to Shop for a Funeral Home

Compare costs and services to figure out what makes the most sense for your family.

How to Pay for a Funeral

The average funeral in the United States costs between $8,000 and $9,000. That’s about one-fifth the average cost of a wedding, and it can be one of the highest expenses a family will face. 

Tom Flynn, the Man Behind "America's Cemetery"

Tom Flynn, the founder of America's Cemetery, who was honored with the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association's 2018 Lasting Impact Award , died June 18 after a battle with cancer.

Five Ways to Cover Funeral Costs in Advance

Banks, insurance providers, and funeral homes all offer solutions for pre-planning funeral expenses.

Should I Have a Traditional Funeral Service?

Through countless variations, the classic funeral format endures.

Why Choosing Funeral Music is So Important

It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning.

Take the Time to Talk

For most of us, talking about end-of-life issues with loved ones isn’t easy. But it can be a rich and rewarding experience that connects families and strengthens relationships.

36 Questions That Will Make You Fall in Love (With Your Family)

The Funeral and Memorial Council created Talk of a Lifetime to help families have better conversations.

Caskets for Veterans: A Meaningful Gift

One funeral home in Texas has found a special way to honor men and women who’ve served their nation.

Green Funerals and Natural Burial (Video Transcription)

Funeral director Shari Wolf of Natural Grace Funerals in Los Angeles discusses environmentally friendly death care options for families.