Photo credit: Pexels
Editor's Note: A few weeks ago I attended the home going celebration of a wonderful woman of God who is not present with the Lord. The program, the obituary, the songs, the scriptures, the special people to make remarks, everything but the eulogy (although she may have left some ideas for the minister), were all planned in advance by the deceased. She gave these specific instructions to her daughter in advance.
Two years ago on a visit to see my mother she gave me detailed instructions for her home going celebration as well. She has written her obituary and identified the people that she wants to participate in the celebration. On that visit we went to the mortuary to confirm that all of the arrangements for burial, including the casket were in place. We went to the cemetery to confirm things there too.
While the surviving spouse, children, or other responsible people may feel uncomfortable talking about final arrangements at the time of transition from this life you will be glad you they did. When everything is happening at once and everybody is clamoring to get things done and demanding time and attention not having to deal with things like choosing a casket, writing an obituary, planning a program, creating a menu for the repast after the service it's difficult to make decisions and get everything done. I know because while my wife and I talked about her going to be with the Lord, we didn't have time to plan for the things that must be done.
We usually make arrangements for our burial by buying the cemetery plot, that's all we do. I urge you start talking with your loved ones and suggesting they plan their funerals.
Don't forget yourself either. Bless your loved ones and take the pressure off them now by planning your funeral.
Our guest blogger Sara Bailey gives us 7 important things to consider when you plan your funeral.
7 Things to Consider When Planning Your Funeral
It feels weird to plan for your funeral, but it can be highly useful, especially in ensuring your family knows what your final wishes are. There are lots of simple things you can do to keep your funeral affordable and elegant like opting for a natural woodland burial or shopping between funeral homes. Here are some things to consider when planning your funeral.
1. Use a checklist
There can be lots of details to remember when planning a funeral. In order to keep everything effectively organized, it can be useful to review a funeral-planning checklist to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. This can take the burden off of loved ones who are already mourning the passing of someone close to them.
2. Burial insurance
Burial insurance pays the beneficiary who can use the money for final medical costs, remaining debts or burial costs. Plans range in price from about $18 to $286 per month depending on your age, sex, overall health and how much coverage you want.
3. Plan in advance
Anticipating death isn’t an exact process. Although most of us don’t know when we’ll die, talking with a funeral director or particular home in advance can give you a chance to negotiate costs and only pay for what you want.
4. Get on the same page with family
Having end-of-life conversations with family can be hard. Knowing what to say can be difficult in the moment. Write down some of the main points you want to cover. This is a helpful way to organize the conversation and keep a level head about it. Remember to cover everything and help your family understand exactly what you want.
5. Review life insurance policies
Life insurance policies usually have a death benefit written into them, which is basically tax-free money that goes to your loved ones if you pass away. If you have a life insurance policy, talk with your insurance professional to get an idea for what money is available and where it might go. Money from life insurance can be used to pay for the funeral and other costs that might incur.
6. Document your final wishes
One article on final wish documents explains that they are not legally binding, but they often include information on the funeral that you want, the location of assets or insurance policies and the location of a will. This is also a document where you can lay out plans for a funeral. Take some extra time to write out and detail what you need for your passing.
7. Prepay
If you have a good idea of what you want at the funeral, consider prepaying so you or family members don’t have to stress about it in the future. Mourning the passing of a loved one can be difficult and adding the financial stress in there can make it especially difficult. By prepaying, you can take care of all your funeral needs and wishes without worrying if anything will go wrong.
Planning for your funeral may involve some surreal feelings and take some painful steps, but it is necessary. It’s a good chance for you to get in touch with your loved ones and reaffirm that you care about them. According to an article in the Huffington Post, people with a lot of funeral experience mention that the “perfect” funerals are simple ones, which encourage loved ones to speak from the heart and share the joy of life with laughter and tears.
To contact Sara email her at [email protected] and visit her website The Widow Net
Two years ago on a visit to see my mother she gave me detailed instructions for her home going celebration as well. She has written her obituary and identified the people that she wants to participate in the celebration. On that visit we went to the mortuary to confirm that all of the arrangements for burial, including the casket were in place. We went to the cemetery to confirm things there too.
While the surviving spouse, children, or other responsible people may feel uncomfortable talking about final arrangements at the time of transition from this life you will be glad you they did. When everything is happening at once and everybody is clamoring to get things done and demanding time and attention not having to deal with things like choosing a casket, writing an obituary, planning a program, creating a menu for the repast after the service it's difficult to make decisions and get everything done. I know because while my wife and I talked about her going to be with the Lord, we didn't have time to plan for the things that must be done.
We usually make arrangements for our burial by buying the cemetery plot, that's all we do. I urge you start talking with your loved ones and suggesting they plan their funerals.
Don't forget yourself either. Bless your loved ones and take the pressure off them now by planning your funeral.
Our guest blogger Sara Bailey gives us 7 important things to consider when you plan your funeral.
7 Things to Consider When Planning Your Funeral
It feels weird to plan for your funeral, but it can be highly useful, especially in ensuring your family knows what your final wishes are. There are lots of simple things you can do to keep your funeral affordable and elegant like opting for a natural woodland burial or shopping between funeral homes. Here are some things to consider when planning your funeral.
1. Use a checklist
There can be lots of details to remember when planning a funeral. In order to keep everything effectively organized, it can be useful to review a funeral-planning checklist to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. This can take the burden off of loved ones who are already mourning the passing of someone close to them.
2. Burial insurance
Burial insurance pays the beneficiary who can use the money for final medical costs, remaining debts or burial costs. Plans range in price from about $18 to $286 per month depending on your age, sex, overall health and how much coverage you want.
3. Plan in advance
Anticipating death isn’t an exact process. Although most of us don’t know when we’ll die, talking with a funeral director or particular home in advance can give you a chance to negotiate costs and only pay for what you want.
4. Get on the same page with family
Having end-of-life conversations with family can be hard. Knowing what to say can be difficult in the moment. Write down some of the main points you want to cover. This is a helpful way to organize the conversation and keep a level head about it. Remember to cover everything and help your family understand exactly what you want.
5. Review life insurance policies
Life insurance policies usually have a death benefit written into them, which is basically tax-free money that goes to your loved ones if you pass away. If you have a life insurance policy, talk with your insurance professional to get an idea for what money is available and where it might go. Money from life insurance can be used to pay for the funeral and other costs that might incur.
6. Document your final wishes
One article on final wish documents explains that they are not legally binding, but they often include information on the funeral that you want, the location of assets or insurance policies and the location of a will. This is also a document where you can lay out plans for a funeral. Take some extra time to write out and detail what you need for your passing.
7. Prepay
If you have a good idea of what you want at the funeral, consider prepaying so you or family members don’t have to stress about it in the future. Mourning the passing of a loved one can be difficult and adding the financial stress in there can make it especially difficult. By prepaying, you can take care of all your funeral needs and wishes without worrying if anything will go wrong.
Planning for your funeral may involve some surreal feelings and take some painful steps, but it is necessary. It’s a good chance for you to get in touch with your loved ones and reaffirm that you care about them. According to an article in the Huffington Post, people with a lot of funeral experience mention that the “perfect” funerals are simple ones, which encourage loved ones to speak from the heart and share the joy of life with laughter and tears.
To contact Sara email her at [email protected] and visit her website The Widow Net
RSS Feed