No one wants to think about their death any sooner than they must, but planning your funeral service in advance, called “preplanning” or “prearranging,” is a responsible, caring act that can reduce stress for your grieving loved ones. It’s easy to understand how making decisions now about your final arrangements can help assure those left behind that your wishes are being honored.
1. Take responsibility for your arrangements. Just as estate planning and creating a will are responsible actions, planning your final arrangements in advance makes emotional and financial sense and protects your loved ones from the burden of planning services for you.
2. Eliminate guesswork for your family. When you prearrange your funeral service, you’ll help alleviate your family’s burden of making difficult decisions at what will be an already difficult time. With your wishes recorded, they won’t be left to guess what you would have wanted.
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3. Personalize your service. Making your final arrangements in advance allows you to let your family know some of the things that would be important to you to have in your service such as songs, readings or other personal details.
4. Avoid emotional overspending. By communicating exactly what you want ahead of time, you can help guide your family through a difficult process of decision making.
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5. Lock in today's prices. If you choose to fund your prearranged funeral plans, you can lock in today’s prices for products and services that likely will be more expensive in the future. It is important to work with a funeral professional to understand your options.
Whether you simply want to ensure that your wishes are carried out, or you want to protect your family from making difficult decisions at a time of loss, planning your final arrangements in advance is an important responsibility, and one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones.
So don’t wait. Start planning now. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 310-474-1579.
About the Author:
Jolene Mason is the general manager of Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary, FD 951, is a proud Dignity Memorial provider in Los Angeles. The Dignity Memorial network of more than 1,800 funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers is North America’s most trusted resource for funeral and memorialization services. Dignity Memorial providers offer an unmatched combination of products and locations serving families with care, integrity, respect and service excellence. For more information, call (310) 474-1579 or visit http://www.pbwvmortuary.com.