Funeral Plan: Plan Now, Die Later

Most of us will need to have a funeral plan at some point of time or the other in our lives. There are many different elements involved in planning a funeral and it is a very emotional event that needs to be properly addressed. Not many people want to talk about the funeral as it may be too depressing and even too macabre a subject to delve on, but, unfortunate an event as it may be, it is a fact of life and there is no getting around it. There is need to hold a funeral to bury the dead and it is a means of paying our last respects and celebrates the life of the deceased.

Take Costs And Details Into Account

Having a funeral plan means taking into account the costs and details which often may prove to be quite overwhelming and, having a plan would give peace of mind as well as lessen the emotional as well as financial strain for the bereaved. In this regard, there are certain steps that one can take such as drawing a will, planning the actual funeral, deciding on the type of ceremony, and tallying the total cost.

No matter that one is wealthy or not, it is important to draw up a will unless, one wishes the state to take over after one passes away. A lawyer should be consulted for drawing up the will. For the funeral plan, one should shop about as well as consult different funeral directors and compare prices for caskets, embalming as well as the cost for professional services.

It may be better not to go in for one-stop shopping which may include prayer cards, thank-you-notes as well as guest registers, as these will all add up to the funeral bill. One will also need to decide on how the body is to be disposed off - whether to cremate it or bury it. In case of burial, one would need to purchase a cemetery plot and, for above-the ground burial, a mausoleum crypt may be required.

One will also need to decide on the type of funeral service that would include having members attending as well as a member of the clergy conducting services at the church or in a funeral home. The type of casket also needs to be selected and, the choice would rest between open or closed caskets. In case one desires a memorial service, then should be expressed in the funeral plan.

Finally, one would need to tally the cost of the funeral and, decide whether to pre-pay the cost through bank savings, trusts, life insurance or through annuities. This should give occasion to congratulate one for having faced up to the inevitable and, drawn up a feasible funeral plan and it will allow the bereaved to concentrate on grieving as well as recovery and, planning now and dieing later, is certainly a sensible course of action.