Why You Should Still Pre-Arrange Your Funeral Even If Your Wishes Are in a Will

Many people include their final funeral wishes as part of the will and estate planning. While it is a great idea to include your final wishes in your will, you should also take the time to still pre-arrange your funeral with a funeral home in your area. Doing so will take the burden off your loved ones grieving your loss and avoid them making changes that you did not want.

Other things you should do while pre-arranging your funeral include:
Step 1: Choose a designated person to oversee your funeral arrangements.
Ask a close family friend or relative to be the one to oversee your funeral arrangements. You will want to also list this person in your will to avoid family disputes later. Explain to the person you select that you are pre-arranging your funeral and that you just need them to handle the finer details after your death on your behalf. 

Step 2: Make sure your will and other legal documents are accessible after your death.
You want to make sure you tell your spouse or trusted family or friend where they can find your will and other legal documents after you die. Keeping them in a safe, safety deposit box, or at your will and estate attorney’s office are all great locations.

Step 3: Review your different funeral options.
You want to decide what will happen to your body after you die. Do you want to be buried in a casket or cremated and your ashes stored in an urn? Some people also like to be cremated and have their ashes spread at a designated location they enjoyed and loved. In addition to deciding what will happen to your body, you also need to think about what type of burial casket or urn you would like. Furthermore, if you want to be buried in a cemetery, you need to make sure you have purchased a plot. Lastly, you will want to decide what you want to be written on your headstone. 

Step 4: Review your wishes with your family and designated overseer.
Once you have planned out your funeral, it is a good idea to gather your family and designated overseer. During this gathering, let everyone know what you want after you die. Inform them that you have included these wishes as part of your will. Let them know who will oversee your final funeral arrangements. By informing your family what you want now, it can help avoid disagreements and disputes later after you die. 

Step 5: Decide how you want to pay for your funeral.
You could set aside money in your will to cover your funeral expenses. However, as prices continue to increase, it may be better to prepay your funeral expenses in today’s dollars. This way, you can maximize your investment and not worry whether what you set aside will cover the costs after you die. 

To get started on planning your funeral in Ajax, Brampton, and the GTA, please feel free to contact Brampton Cremation & Visitation Centre at 905-458-2222 today!