No one, plausibly, likes to talk about death — despite knowing it’s as natural as birth, and inevitable for all living beings. Any discussion around morbidity might just be too repulsive for many people and is generally a social taboo.
Yet, here you are reading this.
We think we know why.
Without sounding presumptuous, we can safely say that death as a subject still fascinates you, however, repugnant it may be. You are also here because of the audacious title of this article, which has tweaked enough of your curiosity/interest to read further — i.e. “why should I plan my own funeral?” (and the unspoken “how dare they even suggest such an absurd thing! Let me find out more by reading.”)
Whatever your reason, we thank you for stopping by here.
And now that we have your attention, let us expound the reasons to preplan your funeral:
You want to ease the burden on your family
If your wishes are unknown when you die, they will be faced with making difficult decisions at a trying time. Will they know if you wish to be buried or cremated? Will they agree on an open or closed casket? Will they agree on how much to spend? Confusion and disagreements are common occurrences when there is no plan to follow. You can avoid this by leaving behind a plan.
You want to assume the financial responsibility for your funeral
Planning ahead enables you to make financial arrangements to cover your funeral costs. Even if you are leaving behind sufficient money, will your survivors be able to access it? Funeral insurance and funeral trusts are sound financial planning options you can consider ahead of time.
You want your family to have the benefit of a meaningful funeral
A funeral is an important event for a grieving family. Psychologically, it provides a sense of closure and enables the family to begin the healing process. Families benefit emotionally and socially by honoring the lives of their loved ones with a fitting ceremony and by giving them a proper send-off. It is difficult to make the funeral the best it can be when planning it in a short time.
You want your final wishes to be followed
If you have specific preferences for the disposition of your remains and the nature of your funeral services, you can clearly express them in your funeral plan. You may have a preference for burial or cremation, the epitaph on your headstone, or the music and readings at your funeral. Or you may not want a funeral ceremony. Whatever your wishes, they need to be set forth in your funeral plan.
You want to be self-reliant and have your affairs in order at the end of your life
Taking care of your funeral arrangements is a thoughtful and caring thing to do for your family. It is comforting to know that you have done all you can do to ease their burden. And you can be assured that they will appreciate that your caring for them continued after you are gone.
If any of these five reasons appeal to you, then you’re probably someone who will appreciate the benefits of preplanning your funeral.
If you’re still here, then you might want to also ask: When is the Best Time to plan your funeral?
The answer is “Any Time”.
Yes, any time is a good time to plan your funeral, only that we ask that you don’t wait until it is time for the funeral itself. Then, it won’t be YOU doing the planning — it will be SOMEONE ELSE and it will likely be a process at that point, rather than planning.
Like many of life’s events where there are clear advantages in planning ahead, sketching out a simple to-do list — or even an elaborate blueprint — ahead of your funeral has its distinct benefits.
To those who disagree, we ask in return: Can you imagine planning a wedding in just a few days? Or any celebration for that matter?
So, why leave the ultimate celebration of your life to the last minute?
To further draw out the contrasts between planning and non-planning, consider this:
“Pre-need” Funeral Arrangement
These are the funeral arrangements that people make for the living. Preneed funeral plans can be made at any time and offer many advantages. Funeral Homes, cemeteries, and other funeral service companies can help you preplan a funeral for yourself, your spouse or a parent. Also, how-to guides, planning worksheets, and interactive tools are now readily available at websites such as Funeralwise.com to help you create a funeral plan. Planning online is a convenient way to plan and it puts you in control of the process.
“At-need” Funeral Arrangements
These arrangements are made at the time of death, usually by surviving family members or by a trusted friend on behalf of the deceased. Making funeral plans at the time of death is particularly difficult because the time frame is short and emotions are high as survivors are dealing with their grief. Not only is there much work to do, but there are also imminent financial concerns. Payment for funeral services is due at the time of the funeral which can be quite expensive, a considerable hardship for most families – see our discussion of funeral costs.
We believe that planning a funeral in advance is a wise thing to do. Write in with your thoughts in the comments field below.
Adapted from an original article by funeralwise.com.
