Terms: Funeral Arrangement Conference

Following the death of a loved one, members of the deceased’s immediate family, his or her next-of-kin or the person legally responsible for handling the funeral, memorial service and/or interment will meet with a funeral director at an arrangement conference. During this meeting, the family and the funeral director will:

• discuss the type of service and interment desired

• determine when and where the service(s) should be held

• explore the options available to personalize the deceased’s service(s)

• select the specific goods and/or services offered by the funeral provider

During this meeting, the family member or legal representative must also receive a copy of the firm’s General Price List.

Typically held the day after a loved one dies, the funeral arrangement conference is usually conducted at a funeral home, but it can also be held at the family’s home, a hospital, a hospice or some other caregiving facility, or any place mutually convenient. In addition, because this meeting typically takes several hours and involves many details, it helps to prepare for the funeral arrangement conference, but it is not unusual for families to meet with a funeral director more than once to plan and finalize the services.

Once everything has been determined, the deceased’s legal representative will sign a legally binding contract for the goods and/or services the funeral provider will provide.

Synonyms: An arrangement conference is also called an arrangements conference, arrangements meeting, or funeral arrangement.