What Does a Funeral Director Do?

For anyone that has ever lost a loved one and went through the pain of attending a memorial service and went through the burial process, you vaguely understand all the different aspects that are involved in the emotional draining situation. There are dozens of different moving parts that must be organized and fall into place to ensure that the solemn day goes without any disturbances.

One of the key components of this process is the funeral director. They are employed by the individual funeral home, many times have a bachelor degree in mortuary science, and are one of the most important people in planning a funeral. There is a lot of confusion and questions surrounding funeral directors and what their responsibilities are. Understanding what a funeral director does can help you understand the benefit of working with one of these professionals.

Before the Funeral

This is where funeral directors are going to be the most beneficial. One of the first things that they will do is work to get the body and death certificate to the funeral home and help you in any way to get it there.

After that, they start the funeral plan process for the funeral and the memorial service. They talk with the family and loved ones and discuss all of the final wishes of the deceased and discuss how the final resting place for the loved one. This can go one of two ways.

The first way is the easiest and wisest decision, which is to have everything planned before tragedy strikes. This means having the conversation with your family about how you want your body to be handled after you pass away. Do you want to be cremated or buried? Do you want your body donated to science? The best way to handle this situation is to tell your family your final wishes. This will make it much easier on them, and they won’t have to make those difficult decisions themselves. Some people have lived with the fear of making the wrong decision after their loved one passed away. They can help settle on the plans for the body, regardless if that’s burial or cremation. They will help you pick out a coffin or casket based on your budget needs.

After that, they can begin to iron out the details of the burial and the ceremony beforehand. They will help decide and organize any music, lay out the order of the events, and set up the transportation from the funeral home to the burial site. These are some of the bigger items that they help the families handle during the process, but this is only a fraction of what a funeral professional does to assist and guide the family members after the passing.

Licensed funeral directors will also handle a lot more behind the scenes duties that most families are never aware of, like ordering and caring for the flowers that arrive, accepting any donation that are donated on behalf of the deceased, and giving the information of the deceased to any newspapers or media outlet in the area. These are all important tasks that the funeral service director handles that the grieving family doesn’t have to worry about.

During the Funeral

During the actual funeral itself, the director is there for any last second questions or changes that need to be made. They will also be there to ensure that everything goes smoothly and there are no hiccups with the ceremony or during any transitions. They can answer any questions that you have and help direct any family members or friends.

After the Funeral

After the funeral is over, and the deceased has been laid to rest, the duties of the funeral director aren’t over, there are still a few more tasks that they must complete. One of the first things that they will assist with is to arrange for you to scatter any ashes or preserve them how every you decided.

The next is to ensure that the family members receive all the cards, flowers, and other parting gifts that the guests may have left. They will meet with them to deliver all those goods and ensure that all of the loose ends are tied up.

One of the lesser known jobs of a funeral home director is to connect the family members with additional assistance that they may need after losing their loved one. If the family is struggling to get through the loss, the funeral director can guide them towards grief counseling to help ease the pain and get them through the difficult time. They can also provide assistance with any Social Security questions or Veterans Affairs questions that the family may have.

Summary

Countless different decisions and jobs must be done after someone passes away. For a family, these decisions and tasks can quickly become overwhelming and add emotional stress to a family that is already going through a difficult time. This is why a funeral director is so important. They take that pressure off of the family members and allow them the time to process and grieve, without having to worry about the funeral or any related events.

If you’re looking for one of the best ways to make this process easier on your loved ones, a great way to do that is by purchasing a burial insurance policy. These policies are very similar to a life insurance policy, but are used to offset the costs of all funeral expenses. These plans are sold by private insurance companies and are an affordable way to protect your family from having financial burdens from the rising costs of a funeral. If you feel you have adverse health conditions that would keep you from qualifying, you can always look into a guaranteed issue life insurance policy.

According to the funeral industry, the average funeral costs around $7,000, some of them can easily reach $10,000, which can be difficult for a grieving family to pay for after losing a loved one. These bills can make an already difficult situation a thousand times worse. One of the best ways to provide for your family, regardless of what happens to you, is to have the proper insurance, and burial insurance is an affordable way to do that. There are several different options for giving your family the protection they need, preneed insurance, a pre-need funeral plan, or a traditional insurance policy are all different options with various advantages.

There are several factors to consider, but you should always ensure that you won’t leave your loved ones with thousands of dollars of debt after your passing. Our agents can help you find an affordable policy to fit your needs without breaking your bank. There are dozens of different companies to choose from when looking for a burial insurance policy, but we can help you find the perfect insurance company for you.

If you have any questions about a funeral director job, preplanning a funeral, or about final expense insurance, please contact us today. We would be happy to answer those questions and ensure that your family is going the best care for their funeral needs.