We do not mean to make light of funeral preplanning. However, making your own funeral arrangements does not have to be difficult once you have the right mindset. Here are some tips for taking this important step in the end-of-life process.
Tips for Funeral Preplanning
If you work with a funeral home, you can make all your final arrangements in one day. Here are some tips for funeral preplanning.
Focus on the benefits of making your own funeral arrangements.
If you are bothered by thinking about your death (or the death of a close loved one), we encourage you to focus on the many benefits of going through the preplanning process.
Preplanning will allow you to record your final wishes. Most people have a preferred method of disposition (cremation versus burial). However, you may also have preferences on your eternal resting place, the funeral location, or the songs you want performed at your funeral service. Preplanning will allow you to record these preferences. Not only will this give you peace as you age, but your preplan will also be a blessing for your surviving family members who may struggle to make decisions during such an emotional time.
Choose a funeral home that can walk you through the process.
You may have a lot of questions about burial or cremation. You may wonder how to prepay for a casket or select a cemetery plot. Your funeral director knows about funeral products and the pros and cons of the different cemeteries. They may also give you ideas on adding personal touches to your funeral plan that will make your funeral services meaningful to your family and friends.
Reduce your funeral costs by prepaying for your funeral expenses.
Please understand that a preplanned funeral is different than a prepaid funeral. Most funeral homes have an online form that allows you to fill out personal details needed to fill out forms at the time of your death. These forms also allow you to record your preferences for your services.
However, as you preplan for your burial or cremation, you might also consider the benefits of prepaying. Prepaying will reduce the financial burden on your family. Sometimes, you can also save money by preplanning and paying for your services because prepaying can “lock in” the service price. Meaning, you will not have to pay the inflated service prices 20 years from now.
If you are worried about leaving behind enough money for your funeral, talk with your local funeral director about prepayment options. There are a variety of ways people pay for funeral goods and services, including a life insurance policy, a funeral trust account, final expense insurance (or a funeral insurance policy), or a payment plan. Learn the pros and cons of prepaid funeral plans (and the state funeral laws that govern such programs) from your local funeral director. Then you can decide how best to earmark the money to cover the funeral cost.
Give your family easy access to your funeral plan.
Our final tip for preplanning is to make your plans easily accessible to your next of kin. Some people do this by leaving behind an itemized list of instructions for each family member in an easy-to-locate box. Do not put your plans in your safe deposit box or will, as these may not be accessed until after the service takes place.
Need Help Preplanning? Contact Alabama Funeral Homes & Cremation Centers
Are you ready to record your preferences for yourself or your loved ones? Begin by filling out the pre arrangement form on our website. Then make an appointment to discuss how to cover the necessary funeral expenses by prepaying for your funeral costs in advance.
Alabama Funeral Homes & Cremation Centers has been assisting families with end-of-life services since 1967. You can depend on our compassionate staff for trustworthy service. In fact, we’ve made that our tradition. Contact us today for an immediate need or preplanned service.
