Planning your funeral arrangements in advance is a thoughtful parting gift to your family. Planning a funeral of a loved one is very stressful and it has to be done at a time of sorrow which makes it even worse. You can spare your family the pain and stress by making all of the arrangements yourself and you can even pay for your funeral in advance. Here are some things you can have planned out.
Cremation Or Burial
One thing you'll need to decide upon is if you want to be embalmed and buried or if you want to be cremated. This decision is up to personal preference as you may feel strongly one way or another. However, one thing to keep in mind is that cremation is usually less expensive, which could be a consideration if you want to pay for your funeral in advance. You can still have a service at a funeral home and your family may even be able to witness your cremation if that's what you want.
Casket And Resting Clothing
If you choose to be buried, you'll get to select a casket in advance since the casket will determine the final cost of the package. Caskets come in a range of prices, colors, and styles. While you might not get the specific type of casket you choose due to changes that may occur as the years pass, you'll get to choose the price category and basic features such as color. In addition, you can select your burial clothing if you choose to get it from the funeral home.
Transportation Of Your Body
One thing you may want to include in your prepaid arrangements is transporting your body. Flying a body is expensive and your family may be stuck with the cost if you don't make arrangements to pay for it upfront. If you plan to travel a lot in your golden years or spend time in a winter or summer home, then considering how to handle your body when you're away from your final resting place is something to consider.
Type Of Services
You may only want a quick and private service, especially if you are cremated. However, if you are well known in your community or if you have a large family, you may want more than one day of viewing along with a public funeral. You can arrange the number of days your body will be on view as well as the specifics of the songs you want at your funeral and your choice of speakers.
Method Of Payment
There are a few ways to pay for your funeral in advance. You can pay with cash, a life insurance policy, and you may even be able to make payments to the funeral home. One thing you want to know is if the price is guaranteed. Since funeral costs are always going up, the final price may exceed your agreement price after several years. Your family may have to pay the difference if you don't have a guaranteed policy.
Your funeral home may even allow you to make your funeral arrangements in advance without requiring you to pay anything upfront. Whether you pay in advance or not, be sure to let your family know of your arrangements with the funeral home so your final wishes can be honored and your family can be spared making arrangements at the time of your death. Contact a home, like Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home, for more information.
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