PRE-PLANNING

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Give Loved Ones the Gift of Preplanning for Your Final Arrangements

Death can be a hard topic for people to talk about. After all, there isn’t anything pleasant in thinking about your own death, or the death of someone you love dearly. We tend to shy away from the pain that comes from even thinking about such events.

But what I’ve found in working with grieving families is that avoiding the discomfort of talking about death now just leaves more pain for families after the death of their loved one. And what I’ve seen is that preplanning a funeral or cremation can provide a peace of mind that makes it easier for families to focus on the important part of the funeral or cremation: Remembering their loved one.

 

I believe preplanning today is equal in value to purchasing life insurance. We are making preparations for an event we hope is for in the future. Or, think of it as a gift from you to your loved ones at a time when they are least prepared for the many decisions that need to be made. There are many reasons to consider giving this gift to your family.

Preplanning provides the financial means to pay for your final expenses.
Funerals and cremations do cost money. That cannot be avoided, even if you choose the least expensive options. And most families want to do more than the most perfunctory services. Finding the money to pay for these services can be a source of stress, especially if money intended for the funeral from the deceased’s estate is delayed in being released. Sometimes, families must pay for the final arrangements before they have access to money that was supposed to cover funeral or cremation costs.

When you preplan your final arrangements, you give your family the financial means to pay for final expenses. For example, you might pay for your services ahead of time, or arrange for funeral insurance or a funeral trust. As an added bonus, you pay for your funeral expenses at today’s rates. These arrangements can lift the financial burden on your family and make it easier for them to follow your final wishes.

Preplanning clarifies your final wishes.
No one wants discord at a time of loss. But sometimes, families find themselves arguing over what, exactly, the deceased would have wanted for their final arrangements. The arguments generally come out of the love each member of the family has for the deceased, which leads them to care very much about making the right arrangements. However, these arguments can sour family relationships for years.

Plus, you want to make sure that your wishes are carried out after your death. If your family has to guess, they will do the best they can. But, they might guess wrong. If you want to make sure that your final wishes are carried out, preplanning is the wisest choice you can make.

When you preplan your final arrangements, you can organize every detail, from big decisions like cremation or burial to details like the songs that are sung, the type of casket that is used, and the eulogies that are given. At the time of your death, your family simply follows your wishes. This gift prevents arguments and allows your family the freedom to focus on saying goodbye, not on making hard decisions about your final arrangements.

Preplanning reduces the stress on your family.
Grief by itself is very stressful. But planning a funeral adds its own stress, especially because the planning usually has to take place very quickly. When you leave the planning to your family after your death, you are asking them to make what can amount to hundreds of decisions within, typically, just a few days. They must organize services and celebrations, coordinate family and friends’ travel into town, arrange for payment of services, all while making sure they are honoring your life in a meaningful way, and all while facing the enormous emotional upheaval of grief.

Preplanning is a wonderful way to give your family the gift of peace of mind after your death. Most of those hundreds of decisions are out of their hands. They can focus on remembering your life and comforting each other, rather than worrying about getting the right type of casket or putting together a funeral service. And that can help them to better deal with their grief in the first few days and weeks after you pass away.

Preplanning allows you to choose the right support services for your family.
You want the people and businesses your family interacts with to be compassionate, supportive, understanding, and genuinely caring. But when families have to make decisions quickly, they may not always find this type of atmosphere in the services they choose. That is why preplanning can be a gift to them: It allows you to find the right support services for your family immediately after your death.

For example, you can take the time needed to find the right officiant for your funeral service, the right location for the post funeral reception, and the right cemetery for the burial of your body (or the right location for the scattering of your ashes). You can also take your time finding the right funeral home. By the time you are done planning, your family will ideally have the expert and compassionate support of a number of professionals who can help them navigate your final arrangements.

Cox Funeral Home exists to provide these kind of professional and compassionate services for families facing the loss of a loved one. We serve from the heart, and that means assisting you with preplanning, honoring your final wishes, and supporting your family.

If you want to give the gift of preplanning to your family, we are happy to help. We can help you make final decisions, or simply honor those decisions by implementing your completed preplanning arrangements. Either way, by preplanning, you can make your final arrangements more secure, and less stressful, a final gift to those you love.