November 01, 2026
By Josh Hilliard, Product Marketing Manager for Passare
Quick summary
Shared payment links allow funeral homes to collect payments faster while giving families a private, convenient way to contribute to funeral expenses online.
- Simple cost splitting: Relatives can contribute toward an invoice without creating accounts, downloading third-party apps, or viewing private contract balances.
- Four-step workflow: Staff generate a case-connected link, distribute it via text or email, receive private payments, and auto-sync records to the ledger in real time.
- Secure privacy safeguards: The standalone payment page conceals sensitive case details and total balances from secondary contributors across supported at-need cases.
Collecting payment after a funeral service is a delicate task to balance. You want to serve families with compassion and care, but constantly following up on unpaid balances can get uncomfortable for everyone.
Not to mention the task families face trying to split expenses across long-distance relatives, just to have to deal with the mail-in check hassle.
Digital payment options are making this process more convenient and accessible for everyone. In 2025 alone, families made 8,070 payments, totaling $16 million through Passare’s online Planning Center. This indicates that when given the choice, families prefer digital convenience. In fact, in the same report, we found 78% of families chose to pay by credit card and 22% by ACH in 2025.
Now, shared payment links make settling accounts even easier. In this article, learn how shared payment links give funeral homes a secure way to get paid faster, while empowering families to easily and privately share funeral costs from anywhere.
What's the main benefit of using shared payment links?
Online payments already exist in various forms, from standalone merchant portals and email invoices to third-party payment apps. So, you might be wondering: “What makes a shared payment link any better or easier for my families?”
The main benefit of shared payment links is the removal of friction. Multiple family members can contribute to an invoice instantly without creating an account or downloading an app.
Traditional online payment methods often require creating new accounts, downloading apps, or navigating confusing login portals. Shared payment links remove those barriers entirely. Instead, multiple family members can contribute toward a funeral invoice through a single, secure link that requires no login.
But while shared payment links make splitting costs easier for families, managing them through separate, third-party payment platforms still creates administrative headaches, leaving your staff to manually chase payments, reconcile balances, and update case records.
By bringing shared payment links directly into Passare, that entire process becomes seamless and automated from start to finish.
How it works in Passare: The shared payment link workflow
1. Create a link in seconds (no retyping required)
Instead of opening a separate merchant portal or external invoicing tool, you generate a secure payment link right from the Payments & Adjustments page in Passare. Because the link connects directly to the case, there is no need to re-enter invoice numbers, case IDs, or dollar amounts.
2. Share the link via text or email with zero friction
Copy the link and send it straight to the primary contact, or share it across multiple family members via text message (SMS) or email. Because it fits right alongside your Planning Center and arrangement communications, sending a link feels like a natural continuation of your care rather than an awkward financial disruption.
3. Let relatives pitch in with complete financial privacy
Family members can open the link on any phone, tablet, or computer, enter their payment details, and contribute the exact dollar amount they choose, no account creation or app download required.
And contributors never see confidential contract line items or the total outstanding balance. To prevent overpayments, the payment link automatically expires once the balance is paid in full.
All of these measures keep the focus on the memorial, not the math. Families can support each other without the primary planner feeling like their private contract is on display.
4. Watch your ledger update itself
The moment a payment clears, the transaction automatically applies to the case in Passare. Your accounting ledger updates in real time, completely removing the chore of matching bank deposits, entering receipt numbers, or reconciling across disconnected software.
Frequently asked questions about shared payment links
- How do shared payment links protect family privacy?
- Answer: The payment link opens a standalone, secure payment screen that hides case details, line-item contracts, and total balance information, ensuring financial privacy while allowing any relative to contribute.
- What payment methods are supported?
- Answer: Credit cards and ACH bank transfers powered through Passare’s integrated payment processing.
- Are payment links available for pre-need cases?
- Answer: Shared payment links are designed for active/at-need cases. (See product verification note).
- Do family members need to create a Passare or Planning Center account to pay?
- Answer: No. Anyone with the link can make a payment securely by entering their billing details and email address.
Make payments easier for everyone
With shared payment links in Passare, giving families flexible, private payment options is as simple as sending a link. No extra apps, no awkward conversations, and no manual bookkeeping required.
Plus, you close cases faster and get paid on time. With automated tracking and effortless cost-sharing, your funeral home maintains a healthy cash flow while offering the modern, compassionate service today’s families expect.
And there’s more where that came from. Passare has 100+ features built to make running your funeral home easier. Learn more in a demo with our team.
Share the benefits of Passare with the rest of your team!
- For the funeral director → A funeral director's guide to Passare
- For the manager → A manager's guide to Passare
- For the admin → An admin's guide to Passare
