The need for a funeral is a very real circumstance of life. While most people prefer not to think about it, there is time in everyone’s life when the necessity arises.
The truth is, most people wait to make funeral arrangements until the very last moment. This typically causes a lot of extra challenges and complications in an already difficult time.
When the planning for a funeral is left to the last minute, it’s not unusual for the loved ones of the deceased to end up paying a great deal more and have to deal with a variety of other challenges. Although, most people would agree cost shouldn’t even be a factor when concerned in the passing of a loved one.
In today’s trying economy, most people can’t afford to overlook it. The idea is not to cut any corners, but to be able to get the most out of the money they are able to spend. The truth is funeral costs can be more than what the deceased’s loved one’s resources can supply.
Funeral pre-planning can ensure affordable costs and the person who passes is given the funeral they deserve. Anyone who has not already gone through the trial of arranging a funeral for a loved one will be unaware of the difficulties that are usually presented.
Although it can be uncomfortable to consider death, if you are in a position to make pre-arrangements for your own funeral you will be saving your family a great deal of trial in the future.
Most people don’t realize that funeral pre-planning can be taken care of relatively quickly and then can be put out of the mind. While nobody wants to think about these things, you will most likely rest easier knowing the arrangements are out of the way.
For one, once the pre-planning is done, you will no longer have any reason to be worried about what your family will do in the event of an unexpected tragedy.
In tragic cases of an unexpected passing, it can be difficult to find the time for proper planning. However, in the cases of elders and loved ones who suffer from terminal disease, it can also be wise to begin early preparations at the right time.
Obviously, nobody wants to give up hope in the case of their sick or elderly loved ones, and it is not suggested here that they should – but there usually will come a time when everyone in the family can agree is right for preparations.
Pre-planning should not be thought of as giving up hope, but rather as an affectionate way of ensuring a respectful and worthy funeral for their loved one.
1. Pre-Paying – If you are in a position to pay for funeral costs in advance, you will be saving your family the risk of running into severe financial problems. A lot of people will overlook this because their family is in a good financial place.
The problem with this is that it’s impossible to know what type of financial situation your family will be in in the future. There are other important factors to consider such as changes in the economy and the rising prices of funeral costs in general. By pre-paying, you will actually be saving your family the difference of the rising cost.
2. Write and Distribute Preferences – It’s important to make a clear and concise list or description of your preferences ahead of time. This document should be copied and distributed to applicable people within your family.
A copy should also be kept in a safe and accessible place, in the event the others may be lost. Putting preferences in your will is usually not helpful as wills are generally not found and read until after funeral proceedings have concluded.
3. Understand Costs – Before making an investment into the funeral arrangements, take some time to determine what the costs are for and what the value of the items or services actually is.
It’s easy to get lost in the details of funeral arrangement and overpay. Determine what is actually required and how much is reasonable to pay overall.
None of us wants to talk about death or dying. Nor do we want to think about planning for your own funeral. Regardless of our feelings, funeral planning is something most of us will eventually have to do at one point in our lives. In planning a funeral remember no one is going to charge you for asking questions.
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