Seasons of Life
Pre-Planning Final Arrangements Peace of Mind for Everyone By Linda Barnes
Making final resting plans now rather than later eases the burden for everyone. Pre-planning your own celebration of life is a gift to your family, who would otherwise have to make many difficult decisions under the stress of grief. It made the loss of my younger brother a bit easier, knowing exactly what he wanted. I did not know he wanted cremation, until we discussed it and put it in writing. Funeral homes have the expertise to assist with planning and answers to all the questions you are likely to raise. A funeral director will work with you, along with experienced, trained staff. In addition to making arrangements with a funeral home, a will and other appropriate legal documents will likely require the advice of an attorney. Final arrangement plans and legal documents are highly recommended. It may be better not to keep them together in one place—a will might not be found or read until after memorial services have taken place. It is especially important to let family members or trusted others know where to find the plan for your funeral arrangements. Wouldn’t you rather have a service or celebration that includes your own personal choices? You can choose all the details: casket, music, flowers, cemetery plot, who will conduct the service and where, pall bearers, obituary, and so on. Many people opt for a theme that
reflects a hobby, favorite sports team, or other highlight of one’s life. More mundane details include obtaining proper permits and the death certificate, arranging transportation, working with the cemetery, ordering a monument, and making plans for visitation. Those who pre-arrange have the peace of mind that they have saved their loved ones the undue stress of trying to guess their wishes. It’s important to understand that pre-planning is not the same as pre-paying. Pre-planning has virtually no downside—you get to choose the elements of your memorial, and your family won’t have to make those decisions. Pre-paying, on the other hand, has pros and cons that need to be considered. Pre-paying might reduce costs or be a way to pay down assets, should you need Medicaid assistance. On the other hand, creating a trust or special insurance policy that pays your beneficiaries instead of a specific funeral home may be a better way to go, especially if you’re likely to move out of state.
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May 2021
2/12/21 11:42 AM
