Posts Tagged ‘pre-arrangements’

One of the biggest steps you’ll take during the process of estate and funeral planning is to create a will. This legally-binding document contains directives how to disburse your estate after you are gone, including how and where your property and assets are divided (as well as the care of any dependents you leave behind). Although the traditional method has always been to draft a will under the direction and guidance of a lawyer, the ease of online transactions has made online wills more popular than ever before.

And while there are benefits to drafting an online will, it’s not the right solution for everyone. If you’re in the funeral planning stages and are considering looking to the Internet for your will and estate needs, here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

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There are many different ways to pre-plan a funeral, ranging from funeral insurance policies and fully arranging all the details to pre-paid packages that cover your entire funeral costs. All of these options come with their own pros and cons, and choosing which one is right for you can take a little bit of advance research.

One of the less common options is to have a POD account (Payable on Death) set up for the beneficiary of your choosing.

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Although funeral plans and healthcare directives don’t always overlap, they cover issues that many people address at the same time. While funeral plans provide financial support and instructions for after death occurs, healthcare directives address these issues while you’re still alive…and too ill to make the decisions on your own.

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You’re a planner. You’ve made all the arrangements for your funeral long before it’s necessary, selecting the right package and payment plan and getting your affairs in order with plenty of time to spare. According to all the rulebooks, you’ve done things right and can rest comfortably knowing that your family won’t have to deal with the financial and emotional stresses of planning a funeral.

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Although rates of advance funeral planning are on the rise, the majority of people aren’t financially prepared to pay for a funeral. With a price tag of anywhere from a few thousand to up to $10,000, it’s not easy to come up with the money necessary to make the final arrangements—especially if you’re forced to wait weeks or even months for a life insurance policy to pay out.

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Although it’s not an ideal situation, there are cases in which a loved one in another location dies, and there is no one living nearby to help with the funeral planning. Because the nature of body disposal requires that most funerals be planned within a week’s time, it can be difficult to make all the necessary arrangements from another city or even another state.

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Most people associate hospice with issues related to end-of-life care, not funeral planning. After all, hospice is supposed to be about coping with terminal illness as a family and enjoying whatever time is left together.

However, because hospice exists to make the transition to death easier, it’s actually quite common for organizations to offer support and resources for funeral planning. The better prepared you are for the aftermath of death—including the social, emotional, spiritual, and financial ramifications—the easier it is to say your goodbyes while you still have time.

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There are many different types of official arrangements for funeral planning and other end-of-life issues. From wills and living trusts to funeral insurance, the right amount of preparation can leave a clear and easy path for the loved ones you leave behind.

Of course, not everything is always so formal. For many people, a discussion about burial wishes or resuscitation orders is enough. These require a lot less planning and legal work, leaving you to enjoy life while you still have it.

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Ethical wills are one of the oldest funeral planning tools in existence—even though they have a lot less to do with funerals and a lot more to do with leaving a legacy behind. Historically popular in the Jewish culture as a way to pass ethical values from one generation to the next, ethical wills are now being adopted by a large percentage of the population, across generations and religions. In fact, the American Bar Association recommends writing an ethical will as an addendum to traditional estate planning.

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There are no laws in the United States that require you to choose a funeral home for all your funeral planning needs. Technically, you could coordinate the entire interment on your own (or under the guidance of a licensed provider), as long as you adhere to all the legal requirements in your county and fill out all the appropriate paperwork that accompanies death.  For more in depth guidance, download our guide “7 Insider Tips You Need to Know Before Funeral Planning”

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