It’s a prospect none of us wants to think about, but eventually all of us will pass away, and the ones we leave behind will have to handle the arrangements for us while dealing with their own grief. Funeral arrangement pre-planning is a great way for you to help “soften the blow” for your family at this critical time. The more the actual details of your funeral have been planned in advance, the fewer decisions your loved ones will have to make at your departure, allowing them the freedom to say their goodbyes without the added stress and expense of making arrangements for your remains. It’s also the best way to help your family fulfill your wishes, because you’ve made the arrangements yourself.
Pre-planning your funeral is a fairly painless process, involving making a few important decisions and paying the costs for those choices in advance. A trusted
licensed funeral service will be able to guide you through the specifics, but here are a few things you need to think about.
Burial or cremation
While traditional burial has been the norm in our culture for many years (largely due to religious background), cremation is a normal practice around the world, and it’s seeing a resurgence of popularity here in America as an affordable alternative to burial. Part of your pre-planning with your family should involve choosing whether you want to be buried or cremated. You can also order and pre-pay for your urn or casket so those costs are covered.
Choosing a funeral package
Funeral arrangement pre-planning also includes deciding what kind of funeral you want, along with what type of budget you can afford. Your local funeral service will usually offer a variety of packages and prices to help make this decision simple for you. Also, be as detailed as you like with planning the service itself: do you want a simple ceremony, or does your family need the freedom to have a more elaborate memorial?
Choosing a cemetery plot
Another decision to be made is what will be done with your remains. If you choose cremation, you can choose to have your ashes buried, scattered, stored in an urn, or some other choice that carries meaning for you and your loved ones. If you’re to be buried, you will need a cemetery plot. If your family doesn’t already have a plot reserved, it’s a good idea to purchase a plot from the cemetery of your choice, saving your family the stress and expense of doing this on your behalf.
Special arrangements
If there are any special arrangements that you want or need concerning your funeral, you should discuss these with your family and with the funeral directors. For example, if you’re a war veteran, you should let the funeral service know so they can arrange for veterans military honors. (You may also qualify for veteran’s financial assistance from the government.)
Remember, the more funeral arrangement pre-planning you do now, the less of a burden your family will bear at your departure. For affordable funeral services and compassionate guidance in pre-planning, Funeral Alternatives of Snohomish County is a family-owned service with licensed directors who can answer any questions you have. They can be reached 24 hours a day at 1-888-381-6993, and be sure to check their website for additional special offers.
Funeral Alternatives Blog
Written & Published By MORBiZ
