Step 1: Get an official pronouncement
Before anything else can happen, the death must be officially pronounced. If the death occurs in a hospital, nursing home, or under hospice care, the staff handles this. If the death occurs at home or outside a medical facility, contact local authorities first — call 911, and responders will guide what happens next.
Step 2: Notify the people who need to know first
Immediate family, and anyone named as the deceased's agent or emergency contact, should hear the news from a person — not learn of it from paperwork. If the deceased left funeral or burial instructions, or holds a pre-need arrangement with a cemetery or funeral home, find that document early; it answers many of the questions ahead.
Step 3: Engage a licensed funeral director
In New Jersey, a licensed funeral director typically manages the legal and technical requirements on the family's behalf: transportation of the deceased, filing of the death certificate, permits, and communication with the cemetery or crematory. You do not need to have a funeral home chosen in advance — hospitals and hospice teams can hold a short time while you decide, and our office can provide referrals to directors we work with regularly.
Step 4: Decide on burial or cremation — but not alone
Burial and cremation are both honored traditions, and the right choice is the one that aligns with your family's values, beliefs, and the wishes of the deceased. New Jersey requires that final disposition occur within a reasonable timeframe — typically within a few days without refrigeration or embalming — so this is one decision that cannot wait indefinitely. Your funeral director will guide you on the specific timeline. Our Family Planning Guide explains the options — traditional burial, community burial, cremation, and entombment — in plain language.
Step 5: Contact the cemetery
Once a funeral home is engaged, they will usually contact the cemetery for you — but families are always welcome to reach us directly at any stage. We ask for at least 48 hours' notice for weekday interments and confirm every detail in writing. If a grave, niche, or lot already exists in your family, bring whatever paperwork you have; our records team can locate the deed and rights even from partial information.
What can wait
- Monument and inscription decisions — weeks or months
- Thank-you notes and acknowledgments
- Estate matters beyond the death certificate
- Decisions about a permanent place for cremated remains — though a recorded resting place brings many families peace sooner rather than later
If the loss is happening now
Our at-need services page is the fastest way to reach a dedicated member of our staff. We respond within one business day, and there are no forms to complete before speaking with someone.
Prefer to send a written request? The form below is the fastest way to reach us — we respond within one business day. If you'd rather speak with the office during business hours, our staff can be reached at 908.352.7940.