Pre-Arranging Your Funeral: Four Things to Consider
Pre-arranging your funeral can help ease some of the burden family members experience after a loss, but there are some key details you'll want to tend to so your family is truly free to grieve. Here are just some of the many things you should consider discussing with your funeral home director.
Consider Prepayment
Prepayment provides a host of benefits. It can help when you need to do a spend-down for Medicare, and it can also come in handy when you want to make sure your funeral costs are covered in advance. Remember that arranging your funeral without prepaying is similar to sharing a wish list with the funeral director. Prices are subject to change, which means your family may end up paying more than you ever planned for. If you can't afford to prepay in one lump sum, you may be able to set up a financing plan with the funeral home.
Notify Next of Kin
If you pre-arrange your funeral without telling your family members, it may be in vain. Without knowing your plans, your family may go ahead and pay for services with another funeral home. Keep a copy of your paperwork at home, but provide a trusted family member with a backup copy. If anything should happen, or if the funeral home is unable to find your records, your family member can provide proof of payment and arrangements.
Ask About Government Benefits
In some cases, you may qualify for social security or veteran's burial benefits, which can help offset the cost of your funeral. Your funeral home director can help you determine which options you might be eligible for, and you may even be able to fill out some paperwork in advance. The paperwork can be kept on file with your funeral plans and processed when the time comes. Be sure to discuss any government benefits you are eligible for with the family so you don't have multiple relatives filing these forms on your behalf.
Get Creative
Of course, because you are planning your own services, you can choose the setting and events that make the most sense for you. Your funeral plan can outline how long the wake and funeral should be, where the luncheon might be held afterward, and which types of music you might want played during the services. Your funeral home director can provide lots of great hints and suggestions you can use when planning a service to memorialize the life you've lived.
If you would like to pre-arrange your funeral arrangments, contact a funeral home like Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home to learn more.
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