3 Ways to Reduce Stress When Planning a Funeral


Losing a loved one and then having to plan their funeral often feels like a one-two punch. As if the grief isn’t overwhelming enough, there are hundreds of decisions that need be made with far-reaching effects.

Cooked tagliatelle on a plateAt Moloney Family Funeral Homes, we meet every day with families from Lake Ronkonkoma, Holbrook, Port Jefferson Station, Bohemia, Center Moriches, and Hauppauge who are coping with the death of a friend or family member. Our care team understands the jumble of emotions, as well as the intricacies of organizing details for a funeral, cremation, visitation, and reception.x

The Moloney family, including owner Daniel Moloney Jr., has been helping our neighbors for over 75 years and want to offer a few tips for reducing stress throughout the funeral planning process.

  1. Take your time. While there are aspects of planning that require immediate attention, the funeral itself isn’t one of them. Our staff can work with you to organize a checklist and talk through a timeline, so you don’t feel rushed. You and your family can discuss needs and preferences, including whether there will be a visitation and reception, what personal details to include, and the selection of a final resting place.
  1. Compile important documents. Putting funeral arrangements in place involves a lot of paperwork – more than you might think – so it’s helpful to have this information handy when needed. Our online preplanning checklist outlines the documents needed to help ease the process. Here’s a glimpse at what the list includes:
  • Vital Statistics
  • Social Security Number
  • Veteran Information
  • Affiliations and special Recognition
  • Persons to Contact
  • Funeral Preferences
  • Location of Important Documents and Passwords

If you’re not able to have these documents in one place, find out where the paperwork is kept so it’s easier to access when the time comes.

  1. Communicate openly about the budget. When it comes to a funeral, there are numerous possibilities available and at Moloney Family Funeral Homes we have services to fit every budget. With meaningful options at every price point, we will talk you each one so you have a clear idea of what’s involved. Don’t let financial concerns hold you back from contacting us or filling out our online planning form. We will work with you to customize the funeral experience from start to finish, including the obituary, flowers, visitation, reception, and burial.

Keep in mind that the number one way to decrease stress for your family is to preplan your own funeral arrangements so your loved ones know exactly what you want. This removes any questions or uncertainties about your preferences, while putting you in control of how you want your final tribute carried out. Preplanning is easier than ever with our online planning form. You can get started from the comfort of home and take your time with your responses.

We say with sincerity that helping families is not a job to us – it is our calling. We are here to answer your questions and help you create the special tribute your loved one deserves. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us anytime.