You might be thinking about making plans for your own funeral. However, if you're like most people, you may not know what things you should be doing and asking about in order to make things easier on your family and to ensure that your final wishes are followed. Use the following tips to help you plan your funeral.
Ask the Right Questions When You Pre-Pay
One reason to pre-pay for the casket, plot and other funeral costs yourself is to spare your grieving relatives the responsibility of having to do those things later. However, it is important to ask the right questions to make sure there won't be a problem in the future.
For example, what if you pass away overseas and cannot be moved back? Will your family receive a refund for what you've paid? What if you change your mind about where you want to be buried? Do you lose all the money you've paid in? Knowing the answers to these questions now will help you make the right decisions and ensure that your family won't have any trouble fulfilling your wishes.
Think Twice about Being Embalmed
To save money, you can explore the possibility of not being embalmed. Different states have different rules about this; for instance, many states require embalming if you choose a public viewing. However, in some states you don't need to be embalmed if you only want a closed casket for the funeral services and for your family, a small private viewing. Talk to a local funeral home director about your state's requirements so you know what ptions are available.
Provide Contact Information for Guests
You may want to invite specific people to your funeral that your loved ones do not know. Co-workers and other people you see on a day to day basis might want to pay their respects, but your relatives won't know about them or how to reach them. In that case, it is a good idea to compile a guest list yourself and to ensure that you have the most recent contact information for everyone on the list. Make sure you tell a few loved ones about this list and where you store it.
Keep the above tips in mind as you make plans for your funeral services. Be sure to consult reputable funeral directors in your neighborhood so you can be confident that you have taken all the necessary steps.
To learn more, contact a funeral home like O'Halloran & Murphy Funeral & Cremation Services.
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