A Unique Funeral Service

Earlier this year, a close friend of mine passed away. This sweet woman was incredibly unique. Besides adoring vintage clothing, she always had extremely short hair. After her death, her son wanted to plan a funeral service with her unique style in mind. So, he immediately started working with the helpful staff at a respected funeral home in our hometown. After relaying his desires to the professional employees at the funeral home, my friend’s son decided to omit a viewing on the night before the funeral. Instead, he had the funeral home staff bring his mother’s body to the church two hours before the funeral service. He also gave anyone who wanted to speak at the funeral service an opportunity. On this blog, I hope you will discover the wonderful ways the staff at a funeral home can help you plan a unique funeral for a loved one.

4 Things To Remember When Planning Your Own Funeral

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One of the best things you can do for your loved ones is to pre-plan your own funeral. This way, when you pass away one day, those you leave behind can deal with their grief and mourn without also having to make funeral arrangements. You will also get some peace of mind from knowing that the funeral and the related costs are well managed and taken care of in the manner you wish. But while pre-planning a funeral is a great choice for most people, it is not always an easy process. Here are four things to remember as you pre-plan your funeral to make the process easier and more effective.

1. You don't have to spend a fortune.

Older adults often figure they do not have too many years left. If you're in your 70s or 80s and have a lot of retirement funds still on hand, then you may be tempted to spend a lot of it on a lavish funeral. This is certainly your right, but keep in mind that there's no need to overspend. If you and your loved ones would be happy with a simpler funeral, do not let anyone talk you into handing over more of your cash than necessary—even though you can't imagine spending it all within your lifetime. The less you spend on your funeral, the more you will leave to your heirs. It's still important to save on funeral costs, even if you have a lofty retirement account.

2. The funeral is for those you leave behind.

When choosing music, the venue, and other aspects of your funeral, keep in mind who the service is really for. It's not really for you; you will be gone. Rather, it should be a service or celebration that helps your loved ones grieve and heal. It's perfectly okay to choose music, decorations, and a facility that you love, but don't do so to the detriment of your family. For example, if you love jazz music but your family members all prefer country, consider throwing in a few country tunes now and then to make the service more in line with their preferences.

3. There are sometimes additional costs to consider.

Most funeral homes offer a funeral pre-planning package that includes almost all of the aspects of your service and memorial. However, there are often still some small costs that are not included in such packages. Flowers, for instance, must sometimes be purchased from a separate vendor at the time of the actual funeral. When planning your funeral, take a very careful look at what the package you choose does and does not include. Then, open a bank account and deposit funds to cover any additional costs that are not included in the package. Let a few of your heirs know about the bank account so they can access it to cover additional costs upon your death.

4. You may live longer than expected.

If you have a terminal illness, then you may have a more precise idea of how much time you have left on earth. On the other hand, if you are still healthy, it's important not to short yourself on time! You may live for much longer than expected, so take this into account when planning your funeral. For example, if you buy a suit for yourself to wear on the day of your funeral, it may not fit or still be stylish if you don't pass away for another 15 years! Make contingency plans for any aspect of the planning that may change or become outdated should you live longer than expected.

Contact a company like Naples Funeral Home Inc to learn more about pre-planning a funeral.

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16 April 2018