There are many benefits to planning a funeral in advance. It is often comforting to take someone else with you to the arrangement conference.
There are many benefits to planning a funeral in advance. For most families, planning a funeral at the time of death is stressful and time-consuming. By planning your own funeral as much as possible in advance, you free your family during their time of grief. You can also potentially save some money by planning in advance because you may be able to lock in lower costs that will go up as time goes on. If you do decide you want to plan in advance you may choose to make pre-need arrangements. This means that you will decide on and pay for many of the funeral products and services in advance. When you do this, you enter into a contract with a particular funeral provider. From there, you pay for the services upfront or possibly in installment payments. If you choose to go the pre-need route, then you will make those arrangements at the location of the funeral provider. This meeting is usually called a pre-need conference or arrangement conference.The first thing to do is sit down and think about things beforehand. While you certainly do not need to make all your decisions before the arrangement conference, it can help give you a sense of what your wishes are.It is often comforting to take someone else with you to the arrangement conference. You may want to take a trusted family member who knows you well, knows your preferences, and also has knowledge of your financial situation. It can also be helpful to have a family member with you so that they will be fully aware of your choices. However, keep in mind that this is your funeral and the decisions to be made are fully yours. If you feel that a family member will try to sway you towards something you don’t want to do, it is best to have the meeting without them. The funeral director will listen to your wishes and record them.Once you have your meeting, don’t be afraid to ask to take the contract home to review it. Make sure the payment terms are affordable for you and favorable. If you have a lawyer or financial advisor you can also have them look over the contract. Pre-planning is a wonderful way to show your love and support for your family. If you have any questions about pre-planning or how to get started, contact your funeral director.
