Why Funeral Arrangement Pre Planning is Important
Few people like to discuss death but practical people realize that planning for the end of life is important. They know that the expense of final arrangements and the burden they can cause loved ones is something that doesn’t have to happen if they plan ahead. If one lives in Philadelphia, PA for example, there are funeral homes who can advise individuals on how to pre plan funeral arrangements. They can help with selecting the ceremony, plot or mausoleum, grave stone and other details, and they can also help with cremation plans, if a person wishes to be cremated. Wherever one lives it is easy to pre-arrange funeral details and have peace of mind that they have been taken care of in advance of one’s demise.
Pre-planning a funeral and pre-paying for it are two separate things. Some people like the peace of mind they get by signing a guaranteed contract with a funeral home to help lock in pricing with today’s rising funeral costs. It’s important to read the fine print and ask questions to ensure that one’s funding for the funeral will cover all final costs. Another option is to plan the funeral with the funeral home and get a list of the items one wants included. Then this list can be kept with one’s will to direct survivors as to the arrangements one wants upon death. If a person wants to ensure that there are funds available to pay for the funeral, he or she can create a separate savings account for this purpose and designate it as the account from which funeral expenses should be paid.
A number of funeral homes offer pre-planning checklists on their websites to help people get started with the planning process. Budget will dictate much of the decision making. Once individuals have had some time to reflect on their wishes, funeral home directors can discuss a variety of options with them. Type of ceremony, flowers, music, casket or cremation urn type, transportation, cemetery plot and other options will be covered and listed in the plan. The funeral directors can be most helpful in planning, as this is their business and they know what decisions need to be made to ensure that one’s wishes are carried out at the time of death.
Most people are not comfortable discussing death, but pre-planning a funeral can take the stress of the situation off the shoulders of grieving family members. While it is not necessary to pre-pay for a funeral, some people like to do this to give themselves peace of mind and to avoid the inevitable inflation that occurs with rising funeral costs. As with any other purchase, it is wise to get several estimates and weigh the contract stipulations carefully before signing. Ultimately the goal of funeral pre-planning is to ensure that one’s wishes are carried out upon one’s death. This can be accomplished with a well-thought out funeral plan.
