About Serene Farewells
An independent educational publisher helping families understand funeral, cremation, burial, memorial and preplanning decisions.
What Serene Farewells is
Serene Farewells publishes free guides and planning tools about funerals, cremation, burial, memorial services and planning ahead. Our mission is simple: help families understand their options and make informed decisions — whether a death has just happened or you are planning your own wishes years in advance.
Most people arrange a funeral only a few times in their lives, usually under stress and time pressure. We try to explain the terminology, the choices, the costs and the rules in plain language, so you can ask better questions and make decisions that fit your family, beliefs and budget.
What we publish
- Guides organized into six topics: funeral planning, cremation, burial, memorials and celebrations of life, funeral costs and financial help, and planning ahead.
- Free planning tools that run in your browser without an account, including What Do I Do Now?, a personalized checklist and a cost calculator.
- Buying guides for urns, keepsakes and memorial supplies, which may contain affiliate links (see below).
Who edits it
Serene Farewells is edited by Steven Royster, a Licensed Funeral Director in the State of Florida. Steven oversees what we publish and reviews content for practical accuracy, clarity and usefulness.
How content is created and reviewed
Our guides are researched and written by Serene Farewells and edited by Steven. Each article shows its editorial status:
- Edited by Steven Royster — the page has been edited for Serene Farewells and follows our editorial and sourcing standards.
- Reviewed by Steven Royster, with a date — Steven has specifically reviewed that page for professional accuracy as of the date shown.
We cite government agencies and other primary sources for benefits, regulations and legal rules, and we flag where requirements vary by state. Read our editorial policy and sources and fact-checking policy.
What we do not do
Serene Farewells is not a service provider. We are not a funeral home, cemetery, crematory, law firm, medical provider, financial adviser or insurance provider. We do not arrange funerals, transport or care for the deceased, sell funeral contracts, provide grief counseling, or give legal, medical, financial or tax advice.
If a death has just occurred, contact a funeral home, the hospice or medical staff involved, or — if the death was unexpected or you think there is an emergency — call 911.
We are not affiliated with any funeral home, and we do not accept payment from funeral providers for favorable coverage. If that ever changes — for example, if we add a directory with sponsored listings — sponsored placements will be clearly labeled.
How the site is funded
Serene Farewells is free to use. We may earn commissions when readers buy products through some links on our buying guides — as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We never place affiliate links in urgent "what to do now" guidance, and commercial relationships do not determine what we say about funeral options. See our affiliate disclosure.
Contact
Questions, corrections or suggestions: use our contact page. Please remember we can't help with arranging services.