Funeral Planning Made Easy – 10 Tips Revealed
1. Keep a registry that details all your important documents.
This can be a journal (notebook) or a file on your computer that is a record of all your funeral planning. Cremation or burial preferences, whether you would like to donate your organs, all insurance policies, your veterans information, where your will is located who has access to your safe deposit boxes and where they are, along with other estate planning info and make sure this book or file is easy to find.
2. You Gotta Tell Somebody…
Especially the person who is designated the “go to” person who will handle all those affairs when you pass on. Draft a document (other than your will) that gives your loved ones a general idea of your wishes.
3. Who Ya Gonna Call?
Make it absolutely clear which funeral home to contact and which services you want. This will prevent any confusion about how much money to spend and eliminate unnecessary expenses that may be incurred. When selecting your funeral home or care provider consider their reputation and longevity of the business for the future. Will they still be in business when you require their services? Most often price and location are the main deciding factors when deciding. Don’t fall into that trap. A good way to find a reputable funeral home is become a member of a memorial society.
4. Educate yourself regarding cremation and burial expenses
Know “how much these things should cost” before you talk to any service provider. What is included in “basic” services. Get an idea of the price of merchandise. Hidden costs quickly add to the final price. For example: what will extra copies of death certificates cost, transportation fees, storage costs, charges for administration, etc.
5. Who will look after you? (if you are unable?)
Make your health care decisions while you are of sound mind. Don’t let someone make them for you. Talk to your family physician and your lawyer. Get them down in writing and make it part of your “registry” . Appoint a power of attorney and make a living will. If it is your desire, get a Do Not Resuscitate Order drawn up. Your health care provider or attorney can assist you in obtaining these forms and advise you where to file copies. Make copies for yourself and family as well.
6. Appoint a financial planner
In the event that you cannot take care of your own financial affairs you should appoint a financial planner. A General and Durable Power of Attorney will allow a trusted friend or family member to to manage your financial affairs. By setting up a living trust and designating a trustee you can have your property taken care of. The fore mentioned articles may help to avoid the expense and trouble of having the court designate a Legal Guardian if you become disabled. Check with your local seniors resource center to see if they may have a workshop that covers this topic. They often have other resources for funeral planning.
7. Have a memorial service without the body present
Consider direct cremation or direct burial to avoid the expense of having a body embalmed and to avoid the need for an expensive casket. Following the cremation or burial, the family should be encouraged to hold a simple memorial service in a home, place of worship or community hall. A memorial service will give everyone a time to share memories and share support for each other.
8.Investigate pre-paid funeral plans
Don’t jump into one because your chosen funeral home suggests you should. Although it is the ultimate Funeral Planning Made Easy, funeral homes make the bulk of their income from pre need sales. The sales people are well paid, most are honest, but consider what will happen to your money in the future. For someone that is terminally ill or living on borrowed time, it makes perfect sense. For others it may not be the best choice. Consider the following:
- The cost of paying in advance as compared to paying at death, will you lose any investment income from the money spent?
- The possibility that the funeral home may go out of business or be bought out by another company.
- If you move to another area of the country, what happens to your arrangements. Can they be transferred?
- Make sure that friends or family know about your pre arrangements. Make sure at least two other people know about your arrangements and have documents that demonstrate exactly what you paid for and have the ability to make sure the contract is carried out in full.
- Will the prices change in the future or are they frozen at the rate you paid.
- Does the package have everything that you need or does is it complete. Are there alternatives that will be less money? Get a complete detailed list of the package to comparison shop.
- Does the funeral home provide you with a complete copy and one for your loved ones so that everyone will know what you have selected.
- The first rule in finances is “pay yourself first” Having said that consider setting up a fund that you pay into strictly for your final arrangements. This way you have complete control and can earn interest on your money.
9. Sign a Disposition Authorization form before you die
If the state you live in allows it, specify in writing whether you are choosing burial or cremation and authorize the funeral home to implement your wishes without further authorization. In some states, you can also appoint the person authorized to pick up cremated remains. File this form with your important documents and ensure someone else has a copy and also knows the location of the original. The original document will need to be presented to the funeral home at the time of death. The next of kin must sign the documents if if cremation is desired and the documents have not been signed prior to death. This usually requires the signature of the spouse and all the surviving children. Having the DIsposition Authorization properly signed and notarized before death occurs can save the survivors time and stress and ensure that your final wishes are carried out.
10. Investigate joining a funeral consumers organization
Most memorial societies or organizations were founded to educate people to to make cost effective sensible funeral planning. Not all societies are equal. Some have gotten lazy over the years. A good society should be able to assist members in making all their final arrangements and obtain good prices for funeral arrangements and cremation services.
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You make many good points about funerals, especially ‘hidden’ ones or more realistically ones that consumers haven’t thought about. I find that many bereaved are ’shocked’ at the cost and planning needed for a funeral but usually it’s because they never had a clue what was involved in the first place… quite understandable of course as ‘we’ generally don’t buy funerals like we do the groceries!!
It’s a constant education process and one that a good funeral director or professional planner will take on board and help as much as possible.
I like the point about documenting your wishes and telling someone. After a personal experience going through the death of a loved one, we decided there has to be a better way to keep all of this information in one place and have it transfer on to your family at the right time.
We’ve been working on a solution at http://www.aftersteps.com if you want to check it out.