Organising a funeral can be distressing and stressful, whether it’s for yourself or a loved one, but that doesn’t need to be the case as there are plenty of things you can do ahead of time so that you can have peace of mind. In this article, we’ll be looking at what you can do to help get your funeral arrangements in place before your time comes.
While the words “plan funeral” mightn’t be at the top of your list of things to do at the moment, it can still be a super stressful thing to leave for your loved ones so we think this could be of great value to you and save a lot of heartache further down the line.
1. Choose a funeral director
The first step is to choose a funeral director. This is an important decision as they will be responsible for organising and carrying out the funeral service. It’s worth taking some time to research different funeral directors in your area and read online reviews before making your decision.
Once you’ve found a funeral director you’re happy with, make sure to have a meeting with them so that you can discuss your specific requirements and ask any questions you may have. If you decide to go with a company that can help you plan much of this, you may be presented with different options that’ll make your decision much easier to make.
2. Pre-arrange your funeral with a funeral director
Pre-arranging your funeral with a funeral director is a great way to take the stress out of organising a funeral service. When you pre-arrange your funeral, you’ll need to make decisions about things like the type of service you want and whether you want cremation or burial. You’ll also need to pay for the services upfront, which can make things easier for your loved ones when the time comes.
3. Decide on a funeral plan
There are many different types of funeral plans available, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your needs. Funeral plans can be prepaid, or they can be taken out as a life insurance policy. Related to this is whether or not you have funeral cover, meaning that your family won’t need to try and find the money to pay for the service once you’ve passed,
They can also be flexible, so you can change them if your circumstances change. It’s a good idea to compare different funeral plans and get advice from a financial advisor before making a decision. If you have assets that you’ll be passing down to loved ones, a financial advisor can help you ensure that you comply with the various rules and regulations.
4. Choose the location of the funeral service
Once you’ve decided on the type of funeral service, you need to choose where it will be held. This could be at a church, chapel, crematorium, or even in someone’s home. Again, think about what would be most appropriate for both yourself and your family, especially with regards to the distance from your home to the church/funeral home, as well as where the wake will be.
5. Decide on the type of funeral service you want
There are many different types of funeral services available, so it’s important to decide on the one that’s right for you or your loved one. Do you want a traditional religious service or something more non-traditional? Would you like cremation or burial? These are all necessary things to consider when choosing a funeral service.
You may not have a preference of your own, but your family may find this aspect distressing, so providing them with different options that they can decide from can be a beneficial thing to do. They’ll likely be worried about what you would have wanted, and if you make it clear what your preferred options would be, it’ll make their lives much easier.
6. Make a will
Writing a rock-solid will is an important step in ensuring that your final wishes are carried out. In your will, you can specify things like who you want to be the executor of your estate, who you want to inherit your assets, and what type of funeral service you would like. If you don’t have a will, there’s a risk that your final wishes won’t be carried out how you would like them to be.
If you have assets that you’ll be passing down to your loved ones, having a will that’s legally watertight and covers everything that needs to be discussed and shared is so important. Confusion over assets is one of the leading causes of family disputes following the passing of a loved one, and by doing this, you can reduce the likelihood of this happening.
