Some people will avoid this subject like the plague, but planning ahead is often the most financially responsible decision you can make. Many people may think their life insurance policies are enough to cover these final expenses. This is not always the case, and planning ahead spares bereaved families from dealing with minute details.
Many people may not feel comfortable making these plans ahead of time, but try to keep in mind that getting all of these arrangements planned actually gives families a little peace of mind. Not having to worry about final expenses takes a lot of stress out of families who are already dealing with other difficult situations. Families do not usually have an extra $6000 in the budget when an unexpected death occurs. Paying for these services ahead of time takes this added stress out of an already difficult time.
Let’s start with a quick pre-planning funeral checklist to make your life easier
- Plan and make arrangements with a funeral establishment directly. You can discuss the specific items that you would need and compare the prices with other funeral service providers. Discussing these minute yet important details will save your relatives and close ones a lot of time, hassle, and effort.
- Another need to be included while pre-planning your funeral checklist is where the remains will be buried. You don’t want your relatives and family members scurrying from one cemetery plot to the other in a whole lot of mess and confusion. Buy cemetery plots before you need them.
- To keep up with the dynamic prices, it is good to review and revise your decisions every few years. Because you are making arrangements in advance, you must also consider the chances of increased expenses for the same in future. You are planning maybe years ahead of time. Also, make sure your family is aware of your pre-planned funeral decision.
- Write out your preferences and make sure to give away copies of that to your family members and concerned relatives. Avoid putting a copy of your preferences in a locked safe deposit. Your family must be able to access the document while making arrangements for your funeral.
If you are thinking, ‘Why pre-plan a funeral?’, let me tell you that life insurance policies rarely pay out in time for families to cover funeral costs. Making funeral arrangements in advance allows families to pay for these services when they can afford them. Sometimes, payment schedules are available for families who are on a budget. When all of these details are discussed ahead of time and everything is planned, there are no surprise expenses. Deaths can occur when families are unprepared, adding more stress to grieving loved ones. Depending on how elaborate they are funerals can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Having these arrangements made prior to a death is a great way to spare a family serious financial hardship and unnecessary grief.
Why preplan a funeral?
To opt for a reasonable and affordable package
Pre-planning a funeral also gives people the option to shop around for different rates on cremation services and funeral homes. In many instances, following an unexpected death, families are distraught and unable to make good financial decisions. Having a clear mind to make financial decisions ahead of time saves families money. Most funeral homes even offer specials on paying for services ahead of time. Having a plan in place makes the bereavement process go so much smoother and families can focus on emotionally supporting one another.
To eliminate redundancies and guesswork
Planning ahead of time also gets you what you want out of your own funeral. Often times family members have a difficult time deciding what their loved one would have wanted. Having a plan already in place takes all of the guesswork out of the situation. Pre-purchasing funeral services leave the decisions to the person who is planning the event. Many families will mistakenly pick out the most expensive casket because they are not sure what their deceased loved you would have wanted. Pre-planning can eliminate this type of unnecessary expense. This can save the family a lot of money in the long run.
To avoid excruciatingly high funeral costs!
It’s obvious that most people hate to deal with this subject, but funeral costs are too high to ignore. Making a plan for this expensive service helps to save families hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Pre-planning ultimately gives you peace of mind. Not worrying about final expenses makes the business of living so much easier. Financially, pre-planning your funeral is an incredibly smart decision. I know we’ve beaten this topic hard enough, but I just can’t say enough that in addition to saving money, this can greatly reduce added stress to a family in mourning.
In the end:
Pre-planning your own funeral may seem like a morbid task, but there are so many benefits to exploring cremation services and funeral homes before it is too late. Most people make last-minute arrangements easier for families with pre-planned funeral checklists that would serve a greater purpose in the end. Yes, you might not be around later but you can surely make it easier for your family to deal with your loss by pre-planning your funeral and reducing the burden on your close ones.