Even when a loved one’s death is not unexpected, the actual event is shocking and sad. At a time of grief and vulnerability, bereaved relatives are required to make a whirlwind of decisions about the funeral and associated issues. For many, the task is overwhelming and can compound their grief.
But there is an easy way to help your loved ones avoid that dilemma when you die, says Paula Parks Wicker, a third-generation family member at Parks Funeral Home in Summerville. By pre-planning your own funeral, you can make sure that your wishes are respected while also helping to lessen the burden on your family.
Here are 6 advantages to consider when pre-planning your funeral:
1. Take the burden off your family
Ensuring that all your affairs are in order and the arrangements made in advance removes a tremendous amount of stress from your family at an already difficult time.
2. Personalize your service
There are many details to decide when a loved one passes away – what kind of ceremony, burial or cremation, open or closed casket, which cemetery to choose, how much to spend, and so on. When you pre-plan your funeral, you get to decide how you want to be laid to rest.
3. Give yourself peace of mind
Most funerals are planned during an already stress-filled week. That is not conducive to good decision-making and smart shopping. By pre-planning your funeral, you can take your time, compare options and lock in the arrangements you’re most comfortable with while thinking clearly.
4. Save your family money
Locking in the cost of the funeral now, and paying for it in advance, removes that burden from your loved ones. With the cost of funerals increasing, this can save your family financially as well as emotionally. Parks Funeral Home offers installment plans that allow those pre-planning to pay over time. Those funds are placed in a trust or burial insurance policy so that they are guaranteed to be available. You can prevent the future financial liability for your loved ones at the time of your passing.
5. Make it easy to honor your desires
Most families attempt to honor the wishes of their loved one, but they don’t always know what those are, or have time to arrange for them. You can provide the information required for death certificates and obituary as well as signing your own authorization for services, relieving the burden for family members to do so in a time of need. By pre-planning your funeral, you can make sure that your wishes are detailed and clear.
6. Work with people you respect
Funerals are difficult times, but working with a funeral home with whom you already have a relationship can ease some of the pain. Working in advance with the funeral home of your choice helps them fulfill your wishes and console your family.
When pre-planning your funeral, it’s important to put your preferences in writing and provide copies to family members and your attorney. Locking one copy in a safe deposit box may prove futile if arrangements have to be made over a weekend when the bank is closed. Similarly, avoid enshrining your preferences in your will, which may not be read until after your funeral.
Since 1940, Parks Funeral Home has been proudly serving Summerville and Lowcountry families. Their family-owned business is able to provide the comfort and experience needed to help loved ones get through a difficult time.
Their website provides further resources for loved ones struggling with their grief. Contact them online or at 843-873-3440
