To help relieve their families from stress, at a difficult time, an increasing number of people are planning their own funerals, designating their funeral preferences, and sometimes paying for them in advance. They see funeral planning as an extension of will and estate planning.

At Sweeney Funeral Directors Boyle, we provide written, pre planned funerals and end of life plans at no cost and no obligation.

Funeral Planning Tips

Thinking ahead can help you make informed and thoughtful decisions about funeral arrangements. It allows you to choose the specific items you want and need, and compare the prices offered by several funeral providers. It also spares your survivors the stress of making these decisions under the pressure of time and strong emotions. You can make arrangements directly with Sweeney Funeral Directors Boyle.

An important consideration when planning a funeral is where your friend or loved one will be buried, intered or scattered. In the short time between the death and burial of a loved one, many family members find themselves rushing to buy a cemetery plot or grave, often without careful thought or a personal visit to the site. That’s why it’s in the family’s best interest to buy cemetery plots before you need them. The plot location may not always be an option as some cemeteries operate a system of allocation as they are needed.

You may wish to make decisions about your arrangements in advance, but not pay for them in advance. Keep in mind that over time, prices may go up and businesses may close or change ownership. However, in some areas with increased competition, prices may go down over time. It’s a good idea to review and revise your decisions every few years, and to make sure your family is aware of your wishes.

Put your preferences in writing, give copies to family members and your solicitor, and keep a copy in a handy place. Don’t designate your preferences in your will, because a will is often not found or read until after the funeral. Avoid putting the only copy of your preferences in a safe or with a solicitor. That’s because your family may have to make arrangements on a weekend or holiday, before the document can be accessed.

Prepaying

In recent times more and more people enter into contracts to arrange their funerals and prepay some or all of the expenses involved.

Should you wish to prepay for a funeral, arrangements will be put in place to ensure that money paid will be appropriately set aside for the payment of the funeral.

If you’re thinking about prepaying for funeral goods and services, it’s important to consider these issues before putting down any money:

• What are you paying for? Are you buying only merchandise, like a coffin and grave, or are you purchasing funeral services as well?
• What happens to the money you’ve prepaid?
• What happens to the interest income on money that is prepaid and put into a trust account?
• Are you protected if the firm you dealt with goes out of business?
• Can you cancel the contract and get a full refund if you change your mind?
• What happens if you move to a different area or die while away from home? Some prepaid funeral plans can be transferred.

Be sure to tell your family about the plans you’ve made, let them know where the documents are filed. If your family isn’t aware that you’ve made plans, your wishes may not be carried out. And if family members don’t know that you’ve prepaid the funeral costs, they could end up paying for the same arrangements. You may wish to consult a solicitor on the best way to ensure that your wishes are followed.