If someone you love passes away with no funeral instructions or pre-planning arrangements, it can leave you with many unanswered questions. If the deceased left no directions about the service in their will, or passed without one, you may wonder who should be in charge of their burial or cremation. To help you during this challenging period, here’s a guide to how to navigate this type of situation. 

Who Should Take the Lead

There are many tasks involved with planning a funeral, including whether to bury or cremate your loved one and what type of memorial to hold. It can get complicated when someone doesn’t leave instructions for the family, especially if there are cultural or religious differences or distance between family members. However, the responsibility usually falls on the next of kin, or the nearest relative. This is usually a spouse or the deceased’s children. If you aren’t available or unable to be in charge of this, follow the next of kin hierarchy until there is someone willing to take it on. 

How to Make the Necessary Decisions

There may be people in your extended family who have many opinions about what your loved one would have wanted, such as a religious service or particular burial location. If you’re having trouble deciding how to plan the funeral, try not to think about others’ personal preferences and focus on what you know about your loved one. For example, if they had a green thumb or loved nature, an eco-friendly burial may be a solution.

Instead of arguing over minor details, encourage everyone to participate in the service in some way, like doing a reading during the service or writing the obituary. They’ll feel part of the decision-making process, which will reduce the strain in the family during this difficult time.

If you’re planning a funeral service for a loved one in Stratford, CT, contact Adzima Funeral Home. Their compassionate team has been family-run for over 100 years and will walk you through the details in a supportive and respectful way. They are also on-call 24/7 to help you during this trying period. They offer obituary writing, casket and urn purchases, and final burial or cremation. Learn more about what they do online or call (203) 375-2200 to talk to a funeral director.