Funeral Planning

Funeral Planning

"How do I start planning a funeral?"

The first step in planning a funeral is determining which of the three types of funeral arrangements you're going to make:

  • At Need - means that someone has died and you are looking for a funeral service provider to take your person into their care immediately. Funeral, cremation, burial, or other arrangements will made in the next day or two at a meeting with a funeral director. The best way to start this is by calling our funeral home at 651-774-9797. Calling is the quickest way to get accurate pricing for your needs and a member of our staff headed to your location. You can also visit our online planning tool if you're not ready to make a call.

  • Imminent Need -  means that someone is very ill and will likely need funeral services soon. Whether that's within the next six months or within the next few days will determine whether you talk to a pre-need specialist or with a funeral director. For this type of arrangement you can call us at 651-774-9797 and we'll get you in touch with the right person. You can also start planning online if you prefer.

  • Pre-need - or preplanning is when someone is not expected to need funeral services within the next year but wants to plan for when the time comes. Most people do this to get a plan in place so their survivors aren't burdened with issues of cost, guessing what someone would've wanted, and figuring out who has to decide. For this type of planning you'll arrange a meeting with our pre-planning specialist, Annie Saukko. Email her at annie@muellermemorial.com, call 651-774-9797, or you can pre-plan entirely online.

What do I do when someone dies?

If a death occurs outside of a hospital, long-term care, or hospice facility the first step is to call 911. The police are generally the first to arrive and will coordinate with the county medical examiner to determine if the body can be released or if further investigation is necessary.


If the death was at a facility, was expected, or doesn't require further investigation, the family will then be advised to call a funeral provider. That is generally when people call us anytime, 24/7 at 651-774-9797. You'll speak to a real person and we will generally have a registered or licensed professional to your location in the Twin Cities metro area within 90 minutes, unless you want more time with your person before we take them into our care.


Around that time we'll make a plan to meet with you, or the next of kin, and any family or friends they would like included in the arrangement meeting. These arrangements generally take place within 24 to 48 hours of taking the deceased person into our care.

What can I expect when planning a funeral or cremation service?

If the death was at a facility, was expected, or doesn't require further investigation, the family will then be advised to call a funeral provider. That is generally when people call us anytime, 24/7 at 651-774-9797. You'll speak to a real person and we will generally have a registered professional to your location in the Twin Cities metro area within 90 minutes, unless you tell us you want more time with your person before we take them into our care.


Around that time we'll make a plan to meet with you, or the next of kin, and any family or friends they would like included in the arrangement meeting–this is usually immediate family. These arrangements generally take place at either our St Paul or White Bear Lake location within 24 to 48 hours of taking your person into our care.

Who Will Go With You?

One decision that will need to be made when a death has occurred is who will go with you to the funeral home. Grief can make your thinking a little cloudy so it's good to try and have at least one other person with you to help keep it all straight.


There are a lot of questions to go over, so if you're able to leave young kids cared for at home it helps to maintain focus, but if that's not an option, bringing them is just fine. Usually the people making arrangements are immediate family and/or closest friends.

Who Will Make the Decisions?

In Minnesota the legal next of kin, and the person who is entitled to make funeral decisions, is:

  1. A spouse
  2. If no spouse, a children by blood or adoption
  3. If no spouse or children, the deceased person's parents
  4. If no spouse, children, or parents; their siblings
  5. If no spouse, children, parents, or siblings; their grandparents 
  6. If no spouse, children, parents, siblings, or grandparents; their cousin
  7. If no spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents, or cousin; their nearest ancestor

source


This is true unless there is a legal document telling us someone else has been named Executor. (Power of Attorney expires at the time of death.) People in longstanding domestic partnerships do not qualify as next of kin without legal documentation.


If the person who died had a prearranged funeral, and that funeral was fully funded, our obligation is to those wishes.

Who Else is Involved in the Arrangements?

You've got your people, but who else will be at the funeral arrangements? One of our licensed funeral directors will be there to listen first to what your family wants, then to gently guide you to the services that reflect your wishes. If you have a vision for what you want, let the funeral director know, and they will work to make it happen.


If you're planning on a church service, burial, or luncheon, the funeral director will begin coordinating with the church, clergy, musicians, cemetery, venue, or caterers at this meeting.

Do you have the information gathered for the paperwork?

When a death occurs, it is a legal matter that requires paperwork. To better prepare yourself for the arrangement at the funeral home, it may be helpful to gather documents needed. Below are a list of documents needed when a death has occured:

  • Account Statements of the deceased
  • Life Insurance Policies
  • Beneficiary Designations
  • Deeds for Real Estate
  • Automobile and Boat Titles
  • Stock & Bond Certificates
  • Pre-nuptial Agreements
  • Post-nuptial Agreements
  • Loans
  • Leases
  • Copies of Bills (utility, cell phone etc.)
  • Last Will and Testament and any Codicils
  • Revocable Living Trust
  • Tax Returns

If you need any help, please don't hesitate to contact us.