When my grandmother passed away, I was astonished to learn that I had been named the executor of her estate. After splitting up her belongings amongst my aunts and uncles, I turned my attention to planning her funeral. I didn't know where to start. Fortunately, I was able to find an excellent funeral home that understood how to help people plan beautiful memorial services. It was amazing to go through the process of planning the music, the speakers, and even the set-up of the room. This blog is all about planning gorgeous memorial services for the people that you love so that you aren't left grappling with difficult decisions.
Even though planning your own funeral may not top the list as one of your most favored things to do in life, once you have the arrangements already made, it can relieve a lot of burden that you would otherwise be leaving to your family to handle. For some, the idea of making arrangements for their own funeral can be a little intimidating, but part of that intimidation comes along with inexperience. With a look at some of the more common questions new funeral planners usually have, you will likely feel much more comfortable with the process.
Do you actually have to go to funeral home to make the plans?
While it is always a good idea to set up your funeral arrangements with a specific funeral home, this is actually not a necessity. You can make the plans on your own along with the help of an estate planning attorney who can act as a legal witness to your final wishes.You can even write down the plans at home and have the documents notarized, letting your loved ones know that you have made your plans and where they can be found after you pass on.
If you set up arrangements at a particular funeral home, what happens if you move?
This is always a good question to ask the funeral director if you do choose to make your arrangements with a specific place. Each funeral home has their own policies about transferring payments for arrangements made with them or cancellations and refunds. If you are fairly certain that you will not be staying in the same location for the rest of your life, it may be a better idea to make arrangements with an estate planning attorney who can help you set up a trust fund account to pay the expenses and a more flexible funeral plan.
Will you be expected to pay for the entire service at the time of planning if you plan with a funeral home?
In most cases, no. The funeral home will allow you to make payments as you can to cover the costs of your funeral. You may be responsible for planning fees that cover the costs of your meeting and time spent with a planner initially, but the remaining balance for your planned funeral can be paid over time. Most funeral homes place your money in a trust account that is held in your name until your time of passing.
Share19 April 2016
