3 Easy Steps to Plan Your Funeral
Planning your own funeral or memorial service is more detailed than simply picking out a burial site. It involves planning for your last days, as well as what will happen to your estate when you are gone. Funeral arrangements are easiest when people take the time to make preparations themselves before it is too late.
When planning your own funeral, take the following steps:
Step 1: Documents
It is important to have an estate plan or will and testament. You can meet with an attorney to address your estate needs. Planning for your passing involves making sure you have made a plan for your estate and beneficiaries. A good estate plan should include a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care as well. This document allows a named individual to make medical decisions for you in case you become incapacitated. In this document, you can clearly state who is best to make funeral arrangements for you once you are gone. This is an important feature many overlook. It is important to keep these documents somewhere safe. It is also important to let trusted and designated individuals know their responsibilities, as well as where to find these important documents. You must sign and notarize all documents to make them legally binding.
Step 2: Consider Funeral Options
It is best to make important funeral decisions now while you are still alive. This eases the burden on grieving family members when you are gone. One of those decisions is what happens to your body once you are gone. You have three major choices: Burial, cremation, or donation. Be sure you know what option is best for you and your loved ones.
While burial is the most traditional, it is also the most expensive option. If you choose burial, be aware that you must also purchase a plot, a liner, and a burial casket.
Cremation is becoming an increasingly popular funeral option. It is far less expensive than burial, and your family can keep your remains or scatter your ashes in a private ceremony. Even when choosing cremation, families can still opt for a viewing of the body during a wake or ceremony.
You may decide to have your body donated to science for the purposes of advancing humankind. You can choose to donate your body to a medical school or to a specific cause, such as Alzheimer’s research.
Step #3: Convey Your Wishes
After you have made funeral arrangements, it is important to convey these wishes to your family members. Let them know what you have decided and how you wish for them to proceed after your passing. Letting family members know your funeral arrangements will help ease their minds and give them peace knowing what is to come. These conversations are challenging for many individuals and family members. If you think it is too difficult to have this conversation, speak to a professional at Callaghan Mortuary & Livermore Crematory today. We can help you plan for this conversation and give you the help you need to move forward.
