Preparing For A Death
Losing someone you love is very painful and difficult. Having to plan a funeral when you are still grieving can add to that pain. To make the process easier, some families opt for funeral pre-planning instead.
Funeral pre-planning is the process of planning a funeral while you are still alive. It may sound peculiar to plan for death. However, this will bring peace of mind not only for you but for the people you will potentially leave behind.
Throughout this article, I will discuss the steps of the funeral pre-planning process. I will also talk about the various benefits of doing this.
Steps in Funeral Pre-Planning
Funeral pre-planning is a very long procedure, and you will need to dedicate some time to this. Take a look at the steps in the planning process:
Setting A Budget
Funerals can be costly, based on the prices of coffins alone. If you do not plan the funeral in advance, you might get blindsided and pay an exorbitant amount of money. Pre-planning will allow you to spend within your means so that you will not be forced to take out loans. You wish to provide a proper send-off to your loved one, but you should not go into debt for it.
Determine how much you can afford for a funeral if you had to take out the money right now. Do not base your budget on your future potential income and assets. A lot can happen between now and the funeral. It might be ideal to set a budget based on what you can afford and spend even less than that.
Choosing A Funeral Home
The next step that you should do is to choose a funeral home that will take care of things for you. You should decide on one based on location, affordability, convenience, and reliability. Choose a funeral home that can accommodate the budget that you set. Also, it should be easily accessible in terms of travel time. You may also want to consider where you intend to hold the burial or spreading of ashes.
Planning The Service
Once you have a designated funeral home or funeral director, you can start planning the service. There are several things that you have to take into consideration for the service.
Casket Or Urn
First, you have to choose if it will be an open-casket or closed-casket ceremony. You also have to select the casket itself. If the body is ultimately cremated, you do not need to spend a lot on an expensive casket. In this case, look for a suitable urn for the ashes.
Location
The next thing you need to decide on is the location of the service. You can hold it in the funeral home, in your own home, a church or chapel, or somewhere outdoors.
Officiant
If you are religious or hold the service at a place of worship, choose an officiant based on that religion. The officiant does not necessarily have to be a priest or pastor. It can be anyone of your choosing as long as they are certified.
Pre-planning a funeral will make things easier for you and your loved ones when that day comes. You can do this process as early as you want, and you could also combine this with your estate planning.