Discussing your own funeral can be an uncomfortable process for some, but taking the initiative for a pre-paid funeral plan can make things easier for your loved ones in the future. A pre-paid funeral plan lays out specific instructions for funeral arrangements and often pays for the cost of the funeral ahead of time. You can think of it as a strategy or blueprints for the future. Funeral pre-planning often helps to lift the burden on loved ones of planning a funeral while dealing with grief, and can ease the financial pressures as well. Pre-paid funeral plans are also an excellent choice for those who want peace of mind that the service will be carried out as they wish.
Is funeral pre-planning right for me?
There are many reasons you might choose a pre-paid funeral or pre-planned arrangement. Funeral pre-planning is an excellent choice for those who have specific wishes for things like the funeral service, casket or cremation, or obituary. It is also a popular cost-saving option for those who have the funds to cover the costs in advance.
Pre-paid funeral costs
Cost is one of the main considerations in funeral pre-planning. In the United States, the average funeral costs anywhere between $6,000 to $12,000. Planning ahead for these costs can help you and your loved ones budget accordingly. Because funeral costs tend to rise over time due to inflation, pre-paid funerals allow you to pay today’s rates rather than the future’s. Depending on your finances, you may want to pay a lump sum upfront, or you may prefer to arrange a payment plan and make installments over time.
At Bateman-Allen Funeral Home, the funds for a pre-paid funeral plan are placed in a Future Interment Master Trust, where interest is earned until they are needed. This ensures that even if the cost of the funeral increases, the interest earned will cover it. However, it is important to note that items not billed by the funeral home, but by an outside vendor (like floral arrangements, cemetery plots, and newspaper death notices), cannot be guaranteed as part of your pre-paid funeral plan. It can still be helpful to include them in your arrangement, though, as it will make the planning process easier.
While you are not required to pre-pay for a funeral in order to make prearrangement plans, it is a popular choice for those who want to avoid inflation and price changes, and those who want to alleviate their loved ones of the financial considerations that accompany a funeral.
Funeral pre-planning arrangements
Another reason someone may choose pre-planned funeral arrangements is to ensure their wishes and preferences are clear. This is a deeply personal and intimate process, and pre-planning allows for more time and consideration to be taken when making these important decisions. It can also help guide loved ones through the process rather than leaving them to imagine what you would have wanted.
Funeral pre-planning allows you to be practical and detailed and gives you the opportunity to make choices that reflect your and your family’s budget, religion, lifestyle, and personal preferences. While some may choose to create extremely precise plans, others may prefer to leave some flexibility in their plans.
If setting those plans seems like a lot of pressure, don’t fret. You are welcome to amend your plans as you need. Bateman-Allen Funeral Home prides itself in keeping very accurate records of your preplanned arrangements and any prepayments that have been made. If you decide to preplan and prepay, you may contact us at any time to review your selections and make changes if you so choose.
How to pre-plan a funeral
Funeral pre-planning can be an emotional process, so take your time to make sure you and your loved ones receive the care you need. It may seem intimidating at first, but remember to take things one step at a time.
1. Find the right funeral home
One of the first things to do is connect with a local funeral home. A good funeral home will have a caring and compassionate team ready to help guide you through the process. You and your loved ones will work closely with the funeral home to make the rest of your pre-arrangements, so it is important to work with someone prepared to provide a personal experience and treat you and your family with honesty, dignity, and compassion every step of the way.
During this time, you may also want to establish the main contact to work with the funeral home. Designating a certain loved one for this role can help avoid confusion in the future. Some people will choose a close family member to fill this role, while others may choose someone less emotionally tied who can make more impartial decisions on their behalf.
2. Make your pre-made funeral arrangements
There is an overwhelming number of options to consider during this step, and this is where the guidance of a funeral home or funeral director will be most valuable. Not only can they help you understand the options and select the best choice for you and your loved ones, but they will be able to help you consider the finances attached to each choice. It can also be helpful to involve your loved ones in this process to get their input if you so choose.
Interment method
There are a number of interment methods to choose from to suit your budget, religious or moral beliefs, and personal preferences. The most common methods are ground burials and cremation. However, many families choose alternative options such as aquamation, resomation, burials at sea, or home burials. If you’d like more information about these options, browse this list of funeral burial alternatives.
Funeral or memorial service
Whether you hold a funeral or memorial service will depend on the interment method you choose. You may also elect to hold a living funeral instead. Regardless of the type of service, there are many details to consider. Whether you’re planning for yourself or for a loved one, our funeral planning overview can be a helpful guide.
Location
Many families choose to hold a funeral service at their selected funeral home, place of worship, cemetery chapel, or at the gravesite. These locations are generally equipped to handle the logistics of a funeral service, which can make planning and logistics much easier. However, others may choose to hold a service at a loved one’s home, an outdoor space, or another alternative location. This is a personal choice, and one you should make based on what you are most comfortable with.
Program
Once you’ve selected a location, consider how you would like the ceremony to be conducted. In the United States, a typical service lasts about an hour, but it can be shorter or longer depending on your religious beliefs, number of guests, and personal preferences. You may also want to designate an officiant during this time. This is the person who will lead the ceremony and ensure things run smoothly. Officiants are sometimes religious leaders, family members, or close friends. If there are certain people you’d like to have speak at your funeral, designate them now so they can work with the officiant when the time comes.
This is also a time to consider your preferences for music, flowers, food, guests, and gifts. These are, again, all deeply personal and should be made according to your budget and your wishes. However, many people leave some flexibility in this area to allow their family to adjust for unexpected changes (like an unavailable caterer, floral expenses, etc.).
Final place of rest
The location of your final resting place will often depend on the interment method you’ve selected. Traditional burials may require a hearse to accommodate a casket. If this is the case for you, you’ll also want to select a casket, a headstone or grave marker, and any clothing and/or jewelry you’d like to wear. Those who have chosen cremation may want to select an urn.
After the ceremony, your closest loved ones often gather in the final place of rest. If there are any words you’d like to share, passages to read, or music to be played, make a note of it here. This is an intimate moment for families, so you can be as specific or flexible as you feel suits you and your loved ones.
3. Assess your pre-paid funeral costs and select a payment method
The funeral home can provide you with an estimate of the costs. You may want to adjust your plans from here depending on whether you are under- or over-budget. Once you and your loved ones are comfortable with the estimate, you can establish a payment method. Some people have the means to pay for the entire cost up-front, while others may opt for a payment plan. You can discuss this and other options with your funeral home.
4. Communicate your final wishes
Be sure to share your funeral plans with the necessary loved ones so that everyone knows what to expect. It is also helpful to put all of your decisions in writing. The funeral home will keep a detailed record of all your decisions, so you may be able to ask for a copy of their records when your planning is complete.
You’ll also want to make a plan for what happens to your belongings after the funeral. While this is often done in a will, you can also provide something more personal through a voice recording or letter. This is also helpful in cases where something in the will ought to be known before the funeral because families don’t often review the will until after the funeral.
Funeral pre-planning checklist
- Select a funeral home
- Make arrangements
- Interment method
- Funeral/memorial service
- Location
- Program
- officiant
- speakers
- music
- flowers
- food
- friends
- memories
- gifts
- Final resting place
- Assess cost and payment
- Share your plan
If you would like to learn more about funeral pre-planning or are ready to make an appointment, contact Bateman-Allen Funeral Home by calling 610-876-5237 to talk and/or schedule a time to meet with our experienced team.
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