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April 28, 2022

Pre-Planning Your Own Funeral

Planning for your own death can seem like a frightening or somber task, but having a list of your wishes ready, can help ease the burden on your friends and family as they deal with your passing. And planning for the financial expenses that come with any death can also help those who love you as they navigate your death.

There are many ways to record your wishes - including written documents, videos, or voice notes. Making an online folder or emailing your requests to several members of your family, or to close friends is also a useful way to ensure your wishes are clear. Remember, you don’t have to list every little thing - your loved ones may also want to contribute their own ideas to remember you - but guidance never goes unappreciated.

First: Find, and meet with a local funeral home

A local funeral director can help you decide on important things like cremation vs burial. They can also help you with the following:

  • Choosing a casket or urn that is within your budget
  • Planning the inscription messaging for a gravestone or plaque
  • Securing a burial plot

A funeral director can help you plan a budget for your funeral and advise you on any insurance you may want to take out to help cover the costs.

Second: List out any service requests

Think about your preferred service venue, who will speak, what music will play, who will act as pallbearers, and what photos you might like to show. Also, think about what you’d like to happen after the service - like a small gathering at a relative’s house or at a club that is meaningful to you. You may also want to list out a charity for any gifts, plus the clothes you would like to be buried in or any meaningful items - like photographs or jewelry - that you would like buried with you.

Third: ensure you have an up to date will

Planning what happens after you die is an incredibly considerate act for the executor of your will. Making a will and keeping an up-to-date list of things like house-, car- and life-insurance, bank accounts, investments, loans, credit cards, subscriptions, and utilities will make post-death planning that much easier on those grieving your passing.

Finally: keep everything in one place and let your loved ones know

From a list of those you would like notified when you pass, to details on burial, cremation, and service wishes, to insurance policies and household documents - having a single filing plan (electronic or physical) will make everything easier for those surviving you to access.