You can take some stress off your family’s shoulders by pre-planning your funeral. When you plan the funeral in advance, your loved ones can simply attend the memorial and celebrate your life. Follow some steps to pre-plan your funeral.
Cremation, Burial, or Donation?
You have to decide what to do with your body after you pass away. Most people choose between burial or cremation, although donating your body to science is also an option. You can still have a funeral, regardless of the choice. This is a personal decision, so there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Choose what feels right to you.
Finding A Funeral Director
After you decide what to do with the remains, you’ll need to visit a funeral director. The funeral director can help you buy everything you need for burial or cremation, such as the casket or the urn. The funeral director can also plan the service, so it includes everything you want. You will go over the details of the service with the funeral director, allowing him or her to understand your desires. You should discuss everything, including the conductor, flowers, pallbearers, and music. You can also choose different people to speak at your funeral if you wish.
Make Cremation or Cemetery Arrangements
You will also need to make cremation or cemetery arrangements. If you’re going to get cremated, you have two options. You can get cremated before the memorial service or after. If you get cremated before the memorial service, you’ll need to contact the crematorium of your choice. However, if you choose to hold a funeral service and then get cremated after, the funeral director can work with the crematorium on your behalf.
If you want to get buried, you’ll need to make cemetery arrangements. The funeral director can also help with this. Some funeral homes even have cemeteries, making it even easier for you to get the plot.
When you buy a plot, consider if you just need one or if you need additional plots, as well. For example, do you want your spouse to be buried next to you? You should buy both plots at the same time, or someone else could purchase it.
Payment Made Easy
Another thing to consider is how you want to pay for your funeral. Pre-paying is an option, but that’s not necessary. You can also make arrangements for your funeral to be paid for after you pass away. You can do this with life insurance, a final expense plan, or from a pay-on-death account. The funeral director can help you choose which option is best for you. The director can even help you choose life insurance if you want to go that route. Once you choose the payment method, you won’t have to worry about your family having to settle the bill.
Go Over the Plan With Your Family
Your family should know that you have pre-planned your funeral. They will be relieved that they don’t have to handle the duties after you pass away. Go over the plan with them so they know what to expect. You can also ask them if anything is missing that’s important to them. While this sounds like a difficult conversation to have, it actually brings families together.
Pre-Planning Ease of Mind
Now is the perfect time to begin pre-planning your funeral. Once you get it out of the way, you can go back to focusing on living your life and making memories with the people you love. At the same time, you’ll be at peace, knowing your loved ones won’t have to deal with planning your arrangements after you pass away. Pre-planning a funeral makes an already hard day, much easier for you family. If you would like to get a head start and pre plan your funeral, give us a call at (402)-474-3600. We know it can be a difficult conversation to have, but our staff is here to help make that process easier.
I appreciate that you mentioned how you have the option to have your body cremated before or after a memorial service takes place. Ever since I turned 68 this year, I have been thinking about planning my funeral and would like to make sure that my ashes can be scattered across my favorite lake. Maybe I should tell my family that I would like to be cremated so that my wishes can be granted.