You may have seen commercials about funeral insurance while watching your favorite TV show. While this is one way to deal with funeral costs, there are simpler ways to take care of this necessary expense. But first, let’s discuss the process and benefits of funeral planning using our prepaid funeral checklist.
Benefits of Making Your Own Funeral Arrangements
To be clear, no one enjoys making funeral plans. We know this is an uncomfortable subject for many. However, there are many benefits to making your own arrangements.
The most important reason for taking care of this task is that it takes the burden away from your surviving family members. But there are other benefits as well.
Pre-paying will allow you to select the type of funeral service you would like – whether you prefer a traditional funeral followed by burial or cremation followed by a memorial service. Also, pre-planning and pre-paying often allow you to lock in current prices for funeral expenses. Finally, many companies allow you to pay in monthly installments with automatic drafts from your joint bank account.
How to Create Pre-Paid Funeral Plans
Are you ready to complete your funeral pre-planning? Here is a prepaid funeral checklist with tasks you need to complete.
Select a funeral home.
Your local funeral director will be able to walk you through all the decisions you need to make to create your own funeral plan. Schedule a consultation at a full-service funeral home in your area.
Decide the type of funeral services you would like to have.
When people make their final arrangements, they typically record whether they wish to be buried or cremated. However, there are other things to consider in addition to the method of disposition. For example, do you want to have a religious service? Do you have a place selected for the visitation and funeral? Do you wish to have a graveside service?
Select funeral items.
Some people choose to pre-pay for all of their final expenses, including the casket (or urn), burial plot, and headstone. You might be able to lock in current rates for these items – talk with your funeral director to see if this is possible.
Fill out a pre arrangement form.
Most funeral homes have a pre arrangement form for those interested in purchasing a pre-paid funeral plan. The form asks about your final wishes but also includes the information required to complete the death certificate and write the obituary.
Discuss funeral costs.
Funeral directors are incredibly knowledgable about the pros and cons of the different ways people cover end-of-life expenses (funeral insurance, prepaid funeral plans, life insurance, etc.) Ask about how to save money with a prepaid funeral plan.
Share information about your pre paid funeral with a trusted family member.
It’s vital that you share information about your prepaid funeral plans with several members of your family. Tell them you have taken care of your final expense (including your cemetery plot and burial costs).
Turn to Alabama Funeral Homes to Discuss Prepaid Funeral Plans
It’s common for people to worry that there won’t be enough money left in their estate to cover the future cost of their funeral. Put your mind at ease by scheduling an appointment with Alabama Funeral Homes and Cremation Centers staff. We would be happy to discuss our prepaid funeral checklist and help you record your preferences.
