Funeral Planning – Can I actually plan my own funeral?

While no one likes to talk about death and its subsequent issues like funerals, burials or memorials; not to mention the grief and heartache, these are all part of the inevitability of death. Some people may joke in passing about what they will have written on their tombstone, but actually planning out funeral arrangements and putting things in place for the eventuality are a sobering exercise seldom undertaken. However, funeral planning is a great way of easing our loved ones’ grief. It will help avoid big decisions being imposed on bereaved when they are very likely unable to make rational choices.
Funeral planning can also be done by family members when a loved one has already passed away or when one knows of their own, or a family member’s terminal illness.

So just what is funeral planning all about?

Funeral planning involves evaluating and selecting a funeral home, burial options and possibly, even support to help the bereaved with grief recovery.  It is especially helpful when pre-arrangements including payments are made, which spare the family from having to use money for funeral expenses, which means they have money to support the household till other arrangements are in place.

Also, looking through the details involving a funeral give offer several benefits:

 

• A chance to review exact arrangements and have only what is most pertinent
• An opportunity to clear up misconceptions and make an informed decision. For e.g., cremations are believed to be cheaper, though in reality funeral planning is done piecemeal so the price is entirely up to the decision maker, whereas, there is likelihood that a cremation is can get rather expensive –more so with any additional services opted for.
• For those that wish to donate their body or an organ to science, this exercise gives them that opportunity to work that out.

 

Once you have decided that funeral planning is for you, what should be considered when looking around for options?

 

• To start with, you should realize that it is not a comfortable and anticipatory process. But look at the fact that your family will have one thing worked out for them in a critical time and brace yourself. Choose what you want and realize that anything that you work out now will eventually mean a lot to them.
• Consider all the available options – what services are offered at what costs, what is most important to you, etc., before zeroing in on what is most feasible depending on your own unique requirements.
• Facts to be discussed could include the location for the service, who will officiate the funeral, the wording of the obituary and naming the pallbearers gives you a chance to designate that importance to someone you pre-select.
• Other decisions include whether you would like a viewing (where people would pay their last respects to you), the type of music you would prefer, lists of people you would like contacted, and any other details that you know would make things easier for the bereaved.
• Even elaborate arrangements such as what jewelry will be worn by you, what type of flowers will be preferred, or whether you will specify memorial contributions in your name, all can be worked out.
• Remember that it is both impractical and impossible to plan everything at once. Rationally decide what you want to tackle right away and what you want to give some more thought or seek advice on. Especially when making payments, weigh the fact that your money will be locked down right away, and don’t spend thousands more than you know you should on expensive and potentially avoidable overheads.
• You can also opt for a pre-arrangement, should you choose to move to another location or get a preference for another cemetery anything to have an option for anything that could need changing.
• Funeral planning helps to prevent family from being taken advantage of in a time of crisis.  However, caution also needs to be exercised with the one making the funeral planning arrangements, too. Having a discerning friend come along, or review the arrangements can help avoid this.

It is hardly surprising therefore, that more and more people are funeral planning and getting organization into their own final day on earth.