WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PLAN YOUR FUNERAL?

Anytime is a good time to plan your funeral.  Why? Because there are clear advantages to planning ahead. Can you imagine planning a wedding in just a few days? Or any celebration for that matter? Why leave the ultimate celebration to the last minute?  We believe that planning a funeral in advance is a wise thing to do.

AT NEED VS. PRE-NEED

“At need” funeral arrangements are made at the time of death. They are usually made by surviving family members or by a trusted friend. Making   arrangements at the time of death can be particularly difficult because time is of the essence and survivors are dealing with the grief of their loss. Making funeral plans before you need them avoids many of these difficulties.

“Pre-Need” arrangements are the funeral plans that people make for themselves while living. Their primary objectives in planning ahead are to relieve their survivors of this burden and to ensure that the funeral is carried out according to their wishes.

TOP 5 REASONS TO PREPLAN YOUR FUNERAL

1. You want to ease the burden on your family. If your wishes are unknown when you die, they will be faced with making difficult decisions at a trying time. Will you be cremated? Will they agree on an open or closed casket? Will they agree on how Much to spend? Confusion and disagreements are common occurrences when there is no plan to follow. You can avoid this by leaving behind a plan.

2. You want to assume the financial responsibility for your funeral. Planning ahead enables you to make financial arrangements to cover your funeral costs. Even if you are leaving behind sufficient money, will your survivors be able to access it?

3. You want your family to have the benefit of a meaningful funeral. A funeral is an important event for a grieving family. Psychologically, it provides a sense of closure and enables the family to begin the healing process. Families benefit emotionally and socially by honoring the lives of their loved ones with a fitting ceremony and send off. It is difficult to make the funeral the best it can be when planning it in a short time.

4. You want your final wishes followed. If you have specific preferences for the disposition of your remains and the nature of your funeral service, you can clearly express them in your funeral plan. You may have a preference for burial or cremation, the epitaph on your headstone, or the music and readings at your funeral. Whatever your wishes, they need to be set forth in your plan.

5. You want to be self-reliant and have your affairs in order at the end of your life. Taking care of your funeral arrangements is a thoughtful and caring thing to do for your family. It is comforting to know that you have done what you can to ease their burden. And you can be assured that they will appreciate that your caring for them continued after you are gone.

Content credit: funeralwise.com