Posts Tagged ‘pre-arrangements’

Because death can happen at any time, there is no “right” age at which to start funeral planning. Some people like to take care of their estate planning soon after they have children, and funeral planning is a big portion of that. Others wait until their retirement years or after a long-term diagnosis has been made. Still others don’t make any funeral plans at all, and it is up to their families to coordinate all the details.

While all of these are acceptable outcomes, most funeral homes recommend that you start funeral before you reach retirement age—ideally when you are doing the rest of your long-term financial planning. It is much easier to set aside funds for burial while you are organizing your finances for retirement rather than waiting until you might have to stretch your dollars or face mounting funeral costs.

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When it comes to advance funeral planning options, one of the most common choices is funeral insurance. Like a life insurance policy, funeral insurance allows you to pay premiums during your lifetime with the promise of a payout upon death. Your beneficiary is then able to use those funds to finance your funeral, so that the financial burden is not placed directly onto your family’s shoulders.

How are They Different?

At its most basic core, traditional life insurance is intended to support life. Ranging in amount from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars, these are flexible financial arrangements that allow you to put a “safety net”under your family. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 25, 45, or 65, life insurance is meant to provide financial support to your loved ones in the event of your untimely death. That is, your family gets the money they need to pay for the mortgage, college, and even daily life as they struggle through a sudden loss.

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One aspect of funeral planning that occurs at the cemetery is deciding which headstone to place on the grave. The headstone, or tombstone as it is traditionally known, has taken many different forms throughout history. From simple markers to more elaborate statues, people have used the headstone as a way to memorialize the loss of a loved one and to ensure that the grave can be found for future generations.

Although today’s headstone options tend to be more subtle than what was used in years past, you can use this opportunity to personalize the grave and make a final contribution to the memory of the deceased.

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Although most people come to Boulder, Colorado to enjoy the unique mixture of urban life and a focus on the great outdoors, this city is also a great destination to enjoy history. In addition to hotels, museums, and outdoor sites, Boulder funeral homes and Boulder cemeteries offer the chance to witness the remains of the American West and give ideals for Boulder funeral planning.

Of these, the most famous site, Columbia Cemetery, regularly tops the lists of things to see and do in Boulder. Even if you think visiting cemeteries for fun is a little out of the ordinary, this one is well worth a trip. As part of the Boulder historical backdrop, you can get a taste of the past while also enjoying the great outdoor spaces that make this city so famous.

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Bellevue funeral homes are a lot like the city itself and are ideal for funeral planning in Bellevue. Located across Lake Washington from Seattle and existing primarily as a satellite city to that metropolitan hub, Bellevue has all the benefits of a large and booming city, but with a smaller feel and a slower pace that many people prefer in the place they call home. For those seeking a much more permanent kind of residence, the appeal is the same. The large concentration of parks and the community focus on affluence, beauty, and upkeep mean that Bellevue cemeteries are among the most beautiful final resting places in the country.

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Like many parts of the city, Austin cemeteries here are rich with history and tradition. If you’re taking a tour of historic Austin, or if you want to learn more about Austin funeral planning and the burial practices here, you should consider taking a tour of the local cemeteries. In fact, one of the most famous cemeteries in the state of Texas is an active part of the Austin funeral home industry, and you may even find the place you wish your own family to be buried.

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One way in which families are saving on costs during the funeral planning process is to consider direct cremation. This process, which entails cremating the deceased without a funeral service, embalming, or body viewing, is the most streamlined option currently offered by the funeral industry. Although there is a lack of ceremony about it that puts many people off, direct cremation is ideal in situations in which no funeral pre-plans were made or the deceased wished for little fanfare.

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It doesn’t matter whether you are planning a green funeral throughout every detail of the service, or if you’d simply like to incorporate a few eco-friendly burial arrangements as you go—funeral planning with an eye to saving the planet is a very popular choice right now. Not only is there the possibility of saving tens of thousands of dollars on funeral costs, but you can also give back to the earth in a positive and constructive way.

In addition to green burial options and funeral planning steps, you can opt for a green memorial. A green memorial is basically a formal commemoration that puts an emphasis on an eco-friendly outlook. Ideal for those who were passionate about the earth during their lives, or for those who want to incorporate something a little unusual for their own funeral pre-plans, here are a few of the top ideas:

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Even under the best of circumstances, funeral planning comes with a long list of costs and responsibilities. With the average funeral cost at around $7,000 (and additional considerations for burial arrangements), it is not easy—or cheap—to say goodbye to those we love.

A number of different programs and options have arisen to help the modern consumer defray some of these costs. Funeral pre-plans allow you to pay for and a plan a funeral in advance, oftentimes with monthly payments or even insurance premiums that can be spread out over a few years. Other options include green funerals that eliminate heavy metal caskets, funeral flowers, and in some cases, burial itself. And for some consumers willing to put in a little extra time and effort, cheap funerals are another distinct possibility.

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One of the most common questions we get here on our blog is “when is the best time to start funeral planning?” By now, almost all of us have heard about the options in funeral pre-plans, which range from setting aside funding via a trust or funeral insurance policy to actually planning the details and paying for caskets and burial plots in advance.

What most of us don’t consider is exactly when planning a funeral is best. Is it when you’re in your 40s? 50s? Facing retirement?

There is no single answer to this question, and only you and your loved ones can decide for sure when to start funeral planning. One thing, however, that is almost always universal is the benefit of funeral planning in the final stages of a disease or terminal illness.

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