Who is responsible for making the funeral arrangements and how should funeral arrangements be handled?
Virginia law provides that a person may designate in a writing, signed and notarized and accepted in writing by the individual so designated, an individual to make arrangements for his or her burial or the disposition of his or her remains upon death. The individual so designated, if any, is responsible for making the arrangements. If the decedent gives instructions in a will or in a separate letter to the executor or to a family member, the body should be buried in accordance with those instructions to the extent practical and reasonable under the circumstances. The person named in a will as executor has the power to provide for the burial even before qualifying as executor to administer the estate. If no instructions are found regarding the disposition of the body or if arrangements were not made in advance, the surviving spouse or next of kin should make the funeral arrangements. Payment is discussed in the next question. The person making the arrangements may need to locate the dee
