“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” – Isaac Asimov (1920-1992)
Taking time to plan your funeral takes a lot of stress off your family at an already difficult time. When done correctly, planning your funeral can be a wonderful experience for everyone, including you.
Here are some of the areas that you should focus on when planning your funeral:
Who’s in Charge?
You will want to designate one person that will be responsible for making all of your funeral arrangements. If you don’t designate someone, it will be up to your family to sort it out after you die. This can make things very stressful and cause a lot of family drama. By picking one person, it eliminates confusion and allows your family to focus on healing and celebrating your life.
Write Down Your Wishes
Imagine planning the most epic party that honors your life and you don’t have to worry about what anyone is going to eat, wear, or drink? That’s exactly what you get to do when you plan your funeral. Further, no one will question if it’s what you really wanted, because you planned it, and it’s a way for you to be a part of the day without any of your family members stressing about the details.
You can go crazy with the details, but here are a few important things to be sure to plan:
- Will you be cremated or buried?
- Will it be a funeral service or a memorial service?
- Where do you want the service held?
- What will you wear?
- Who do you want to speak (or perform)?
- What kind of music do you want?
- Will you have pallbearers?
The Funeral Arrangements
Since funeral home prices can vary greatly, you will want to shop around and identify a few options. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has very strict Funeral Rules that require all funeral homes to have itemized price lists available for customers. Also, the FTC outlines what things are required for purchase and what is not required.
Funerals Cost Money
Dying is not cheap, and funerals can get very expensive depending on the details you have planned. You can pay a funeral home in advance with a preneed contract; however, if they go out of business or mismanage your money, your family will have to deal with it after you die. If you do purchase a preneed contract, make sure all the costs are specifically stated in the contract, you obtain a copy of the price list and you keep a copy of the contract and price list with your important papers. You can set up an account in your name that is payable on your death to the person that you designate to facilitate your funeral arrangements. Life insurance specifically for funeral costs is also an option.
Tell Your Loved Ones
When you put together your plans, think about anyone that you want to tell about your plans. While it’s never fun to think about a loved one dying, it will give them peace of mind that the details are in place when you die. They may also really enjoy hearing from you.
Legal Help with End of Life Planning
If you need help preparing or planning to ensure your wishes are honored, contact DiFranza Law. Lisa DiFranza offers attorney services, including last will and testaments, living wills, designations of health care surrogates, probate, guardianship, and long-term planning for clients in Florida. Schedule a consultation today.