Once you've chosen a funeral home and had the opportunity to start discussing your preferences, the next logical step is to pre-arrange the service. Pre-arrangement is not a preoccupation with death; it is a personal tool for preparation. Many people pre-arrange in a sincere desire to be helpful to their families and avoid questions and confusion later on.
The first step is to get together with your family. Offer your thoughts and then listen carefully. Give their ideas special attention. Since your funeral will most directly affect your family, it is essential to include their suggestions in your plans.
Next, go ahead and arrange a conference with your funeral director and family members. Use this opportunity to ask as many questions as necessary, and to discuss the choices that will help to create a tribute that is appropriate and meaningful for you.
Your funeral director has the proper forms needed for making these arrangements. He or she will likely keep a copy of these forms on file, but you should ask for copies as well. Keep them with your valuable papers, review them periodically, and update them as necessary. Remember, with a pre-arrangement plan, you are in charge.
Funding the pre-arranged service is also a choice many people make to further ease a possible financial burden on their family members. It allows you to arrange the specific kind of service you desire based on today's prices and be assured of an adequate fund for the future payment of the service.
There are several options available for funding the pre-arrangement, and they may vary somewhat in each state or province. Talk to your funeral director about funding the pre-arranged funeral service. He or she will be able to give you helpful information and thoughtful guidance.
