Apr 30, 2019
ASD is pleased to share this Guest Blog post from Lucille Rosetti, creator of the website thebereaved.org. The website was created with the understanding that grief and loss affect everyone at some point during their lives. Whether the loss of is anticipated or completely unexpected, the feelings are profound. The website sheds light on the complicated emotions surrounding death and loss while sharing tools to help those who are grieving through this process. In this Guest Blog Post, Lucille outlines the importance of making funeral arrangements in advance and provides helpful resources families can use to start the process.
Guest Blog Post: An Act of Loving Responsibility – 6 Steps to Prearranging Your Funeral
No one looks forward to planning for a funeral, though it’s something we all must do. There’s a surprising amount of detail involved in preparing for a funeral, and it’s something we often put off until much later than we should. To get all of the details in order and prepare for that day, you need to have a game plan, one that will guide you and your loved ones through the process.
The Conversation
Making sure everyone understands what needs to be done can be accomplished with a family sit-down, during which everything can be laid out ahead of time. Having a family conversation about your funeral is often easier than expected once you find the right time to discuss end-of-life arrangements. These might include the creation of a living will, burial decisions, and the memorial service. Discussing such matters is often much easier if the whole family is together; discussing matters on an ad hoc basis can lead to misunderstandings.
Get Your Information Together
Compile your basic information, including your survivors’ information, military service details, educational achievements, marital status, employment status and anything else that could be put into an obituary. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, designate someone to work with the funeral director to write an obituary that can be sent to local newspapers. Double-check facts and spellings carefully to avoid any potential mistakes.
Financial and Personal Info
Your login and passwords will be needed so any financial accounts can be accessed after your death. This should include checking and savings accounts and information about any remaining investments. Your credit card and loan information will also be needed, as well as your Social Security card, will, birth certificate, loan documents, and property deeds, which will help family members settle the official stuff as quickly as possible.
Burial Insurance
Purchasing affordable burial insurance can help because it covers many funeral arrangements, which can easily cost many thousands of dollars. Burial insurance may even help cover your medical bills, personal loans, and other forms of debt. When selecting burial coverage, it’s important to ensure that it will cover your final arrangements and decide whether any leftover coverage should be used to pay for lingering debts.
The Funeral Arrangements
This is where all the careful planning comes in. Confirm whether you want to be buried or cremated. If buried, plan out details, like embalming, and select a casket so your nearest and dearest won’t have to do it for you. If you are cremated, how will your cremains be disposed of? Many people have their ashes buried alongside a spouse or other family member, often with some kind of monument, such as a small headstone or plaque.
Final Details
Other important details might include who will serve as pallbearers, what clothing you want to be buried in, who will deliver the eulogy, who will read prayers or scripture during the service, and what (if any) music you want played during the visitation and memorial service. If you belonged to special organizations or served in the military, you may want to include something that commemorates those unique relationships and accomplishments.
Planning, cooperation, and careful attention to detail are all essential when planning a funeral. Seeking the help of family members can often seem difficult and stressful, though listening to the wishes of your family members may help smooth over some of the difficult matters. Remember, you don’t want it to become a stressful, unpleasant experience. Instead, you want a healing experience that everyone will remember fondly.
Lucille Rosetti is the creator of the grief resource website, thebereaved.org. The site was created with the understanding that grief and loss affect everyone at some point during their lives. Whether the loss of is anticipated or completely unexpected, the feelings are profound. TheBereaved.org website sheds light on the complicated emotions surrounding death and loss while sharing tools to help those who are grieving through this process.
About The Author
Jess Farren (Fowler)
Jess Farren (Fowler) is a Public Relations Specialist and Staff Writer who has been a part of the ASD team since 2003. Jess manages ASD’s company blog and has been published in several funeral trade magazines. She has written articles on a variety of subjects including communication, business planning, technology, marketing and funeral trends. You can contact Jess directly at Jess@myASD.com
