Top Reasons to Delay a Funeral
Historically, funerals have taken place within the week following death because there were no alternatives. Without refrigeration, embalming, or cremation options, bodies had to be disposed of quickly. This meant that the funeral and/or memorial service took place regardless of the time of year or the extenuating circumstances. (more…)
The Modern-Day Wake
These days, a wake is considered more of a formal tradition of the past than a way to say goodbye to a loved one. Historically, wakes were held when families cared for the body of a loved one at home (as opposed to a funeral home). There was no central location where bodies were prepared for burial, so families would keep the body in a room in the house for the one or two days it would take to make all the arrangements. (more…)
Talking to Elderly Parents about Funeral Plans
Almost any discussion about advance funeral plans with the people you love is going to be uncomfortable. Not only do you have to bring up finances and religion (two things that put a strain on many families), but you also have to confront the idea of your own mortality. (more…)
Importance of Pre-Planning and End-of-Life Discussions with Family
Conversations about death are never easy – and conversations about your own death are even more complicated. Not only are there financial issues to bring up (a tricky subject in many families), but there is no way to talk about your end-of-life plans without emotions getting in the way. (more…)
Even though over 40 percent of Americans opt for cremation over burial, there are still many different kinds of religious, cultural, and personal taboos that make cremation a difficult decision. This is especially true if your family has traditional views regarding funeral planning or has a long history of burial in a particular cemetery.
If you’ve decided on cremation but aren’t quite sure how to tell your family, we suggest you set aside a time to have this important conversation. It’s never a good idea to leave this sort of thing as a surprise, so the sooner you can open up to those you love, the more time you’ll have to enjoy what’s left of your time together.
When it comes to funeral planning, some people prefer to have everything taken care of ahead of time. In addition to setting aside money for a funeral, this includes choosing things like caskets and headstones ahead of time. And if you really don’t want to leave anything to chance, you can also write your own obituary.
After all, no one can sum up your life quite as well as you can. Awards and achievements—those things that look good on paper—might make for a nice newspaper article, but they rarely capture who you are as a person and what kind of message you want to leave behind. If writing your own obituary and placing it with your estate plans is something that appeals to you, here’s how you can best go about it. (more…)
There are many reasons why you might need to say “no” while planning a funeral. Maybe intrusive family members are making it difficult for you to plan the small, intimate memorial service the deceased asked for. Perhaps you’re feeling pressured to buy larger and more elaborate caskets from the funeral home. It’s possible that you might even need to go against the advice of others to forgo a military funeral or close the funeral to the public.
When a beloved pet dies, it’s common for people to go through traditional funeral planning steps. Pet caskets, pet cemeteries and cremation services, and other memorial options all exist to help you cope with the loss of your animal companion, and there is a growing trend in the funeral industry to put people in contact with the necessary resources to help with this kind of loss.
Loss and death are very personal things, and no one can tell you how the grieving process will affect you as an individual. You might be the type of person to break down, unable to function for the first few weeks as you navigate life alone. You might veer in the opposite direction, clicking into a “get things done” mode until you’re emotionally ready to confront your loss. These are both valid responses—as are any other reactions that fall somewhere in the spectrum between the two.
There are many different ways to approach funeral pre-planning. Some people choose to include a funeral plan when they draw up their will, usually around the time that retirement and estate planning hit their peak (between the 50s and 70s). Others take out funeral insurance at the same time they buy life insurance or other long-term policies. Still others face the prospect of death only after the loss of someone close, when death and all its burdens are fresh in the mind.
There is no “wrong” time to start funeral planning, though most financial experts recommend that you start making decisions sooner rather than later. However, even in the face of this advice and evidence that pre-plans can help save time, money, and quite a bit of heartache, people continue to put off the inevitable. For more in depth guidance, download our guide “7 Insider Tips You Need to Know Before Funeral Planning”
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