Benefits of Preplanning

Why You Should Pre-Plan Your Funeral?

It may be hard to accept, but death is unavoidable and thus something we should prepare for. Although you might not want to think about preplanning your funeral, it’s something that everyone should at least give some thought to. If not for your own peace-of-mind, then for the well-being of those you leave behind. 

As funeral directors, we often get asked when the best time to plan a funeral is? Truthfully, the answer is any time before you have to plan a funeral. You wouldn’t wait to plan a wedding or a baby shower until a few days before, so why wait to plan a funeral? Pre-planning a funeral not only allows you to record your wishes, it gives you and your family the peace of mind to know that everything is taken care of.

There are two types of funeral plans, pre-need and at-need (sometimes referred to as immediate need). At-need funeral plans are made by the surviving family members after a death has occurred. It can be a difficult experience for the survivors because emotions are high, time is short, and their grief needs to be managed. Not only that, but the imminent financial concerns can add to the stress of everything. 

Pre-need funeral plans are much less stressful and more advantageous. Rather than rushing to complete arrangements, you can think about what you want your service to include and talk about the options with your family. Making funeral arrangements in advance also offers several benefits which we’ve outlined below.

You Can Choose the Way You'll be Remembered

Have you given any thought as to how you want to be remembered? Maybe you had a long career in the military that you'd like to celebrate. Maybe you love animals and would like to encourage donations in your memory to your local humane society. When you make funeral pre-arrangements, you put your wishes on paper so that your loved ones will know exactly how to celebrate your life and honor your memory.

You’ll Make it Easier on Your Loved Ones

Did you know that there are more than 70 details that need to be tended to in the first 24 hours after a death? When you pre-arrange, you make those first 24 hours easier for your loved ones. You can also save them money. The stress of making last-minute funeral arrangements often causes people to make unnecessary purchases. By taking care of the arrangements yourself, you free them from spending more than they need too.

What are the Benefits of Pre-Planning Your Funeral?

There are additional benefits of funeral pre-arrangement related to cost and payment.

You Can Protect Yourself and Your Family from Rising Funeral Costs

Like most things, funeral costs tend to rise every year. That means that a funeral today will probably cost less than the same funeral three or four years from now. Paying for your funeral now can save your loved ones money. If you’d like to explore the subject of locking in funeral costs, please call us.

More Payment Methods

Preneed funeral plans offer families more convenient payment options than those who are in immediate need. Those who choose to preplan often have three choices when it comes to paying for the service. 
  1. You can pay for your funeral service in advance, which is often referred to as a prepaid funeral. Choosing this option will place your money into a trust where it can earn interest over time. This means when you pass away, your family could get a refund on the costs or have extra money to add something meaningful to the service. 
  2. You can take out an insurance policy. If you qualify, when you do pass away, the policy will be used to cover some or all of the funeral expenses or estate taxes. 
  3. You can pay over time. Most families are paying for the funeral costs at a lump sum after the funeral has concluded. Instead you can make smaller, incremental payments over time to start eating at the cost. In this instance, you can add these payments into your monthly budget.

You’ll Empower Your Family

They will know exactly what needs to be done. That’s because you’ve taken all of the guess work out of planning your funeral. When you pre-arrange your funeral, everyone benefits. You know that your wishes will be carried out and your loved ones know exactly how to honor you.

What do you need to pre-arrange your funeral? See our Planning Checklist.



Turn to the Professionals


Many people are more comfortable making these decisions with funeral professionals. If you would like us to help, call us or send us an email using the Contact Us form. 

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