Funeral planning: can prearrangement be helpful for your family?

Prearranging your funeral can save your loved ones the burden of making difficult decisions while in mourning.

Many people are uncomfortable thinking about the sensitive and often unpredictable topic of death. The subject of prearranging one's own funeral is thus a very important one, because it can help comfort family members with the knowledge that the proceedings follow the wishes of the deceased. Planning your funeral in advance will also relieve them of potentially stressful financial concerns on the funeral day.

If you're considering prearranging a funeral, seek guidance from local funeral homes. They know all the death-related proceedings and requirements for drawing up a funeral prearrangement contract. They will have a checklist of the various factors for consideration. Everything will be explained to you clearly, and you can then make well-informed decisions.

A typical prearranged funeral plan requires the involvement of the immediate family. You decide on what type of funeral you desire and the services that you would like to contract and pre-pay for; for example, whether it will be a cremation or burial, whether a coffin or casket would be used, and catering options desired. The final plans, in turn, would be provided to the family in the event of your death.

The greatest advantage of prearranging a funeral is that the cost of the various services remains fixed, regardless of future inflation. A lump sum payment may be made for a funeral pre-plan or you may pay in installments, depending on your personal convenience and choice. The money used to pay for these arrangements is usually placed in trust at a financial institution. It cannot be withdrawn by you or the family, unless under exceptional circumstances and with proper documentation.

Remember to inform and advise your family about all the prearranged plans you have put in place. Your family members should be given the final pre-paid funeral contract and other documents.

It really feels good to show foresight and take care of everything in case of an unexpected death. Why not have a go at prearranging your funeral and enjoying peace of mind? Help your family avoid the stress related to your funeral as the sun sets in your life.