Funeral Pre-Arrangement

Whenever a death occurs, family members and friends are left to make difficult choices in regards to the funeral. While already struggling with the loss of a loved one, they may have very little knowledge of who to call, what the costs of a funeral will be, or even what a loved one would have wanted in terms of funeral arrangements. This can all create a compounded, stressful set of circumstances that will lead to less of a positive outcome than we might want after we ourselves have passed on, which is why pre-arrangement is often the best course of action.

When you pre-arrange for your funeral, you help to relieve the financial and mental burden that a death can cause. There’s a great deal of anxiety in not only seeing to the costs of the funeral, but also in the arrangement of the funeral itself, the contacts that will be need to be notified, and the overall emotional responsibility that is felt to the deceased. It’s no wonder, then, that so many people are now choosing to pre-arrange their funeral.

The Financial Aspects of Pre-Arrangement

When you choose to place money into a fund for your funeral ahead of time, New York State requires that 100% of that money must be placed in a FDIC account. This is both to ensure that your money will be legally protected, and that it will be there in the event of your death. Funeral home directors can help you to decide on the best way to pre-pay for your own funeral, as well as provide several different options as to how the money will be spent.

As a note, SSI/Medicaid recipients may be able to pre-pay for their funeral before using all of your assets, giving you an additional layer of financial protection that can help to ease the financial burden placed upon your family. This means that there are very few people who would not qualify from saving for their funeral in a very sensible way, regardless of their current financial situation, and is yet more encouragement to make sure that you have everything in order before you pass.

Choosing Your Funeral and Burial Space

Another aspect of pre-arrangement will be choosing the details of your funeral, and where you will be buried, which includes:

  • Requests for an open or closed casket.
  • Style of casket used.
  • Whether or not you prefer cremation, and who will have ownership of the ashes.
  • The final resting place of your remains, including arrangements for placement in a family or legacy cemetery plot.
  • Creation and storage of headstone, commemorative plaque, or statues which will be placed at the site of your burial or placement.
  • Floral arrangements, arrangement for a wake if one is to be held.
  • Any transportation costs you wish to cover for rental vehicles.

Many of these pre-arrangement options will help you to both plan for your funeral, and to help to control the costs of the funeral as well. This can mean that your family will both need to spend less, and that you may be able to leave more to them when the time comes. You can also choose from different options available through your attorney according to your will as to whether supplemental money can or should be left to cover funeral costs that are not adequately covered by your pre-arrangement funding.

Choosing the Right Funeral Home

Finally, it is very important to choose the best funeral home when you’ve decided that pre-arrangement is necessary. A great funeral home director will be able to walk you through the entire process, from start to finish, including:

  • Providing necessary information for people who aren’t aware of what’s necessary for a full pre-arrangement. There may be aspects of pre-arrangement that you aren’t aware of, or which you may not have prepared for adequately. A funeral director can go through a checklist of what to cover, and in what amount.
  • Suggestions on how to arrange a funeral in such a way that fits well within your pre-funded budget. Seemingly financially sound choices can sometimes accumulate into higher costs than anticipated, and while there are measures that can be taken to account for them, it’s recommended that you instead create a professional plan instead.
  • Expert handling of the actual funeral itself. Again, with the experience that funeral directors have in the business, the input and consultation that can be provided can actually make a world of difference in the way that the funeral itself occurs when the time comes. By pre-arranging with a chosen funeral home, you also ensure that your requests will be communicated more clearly, and that all costs associated with the funeral will be discussed and decided upon well ahead of time.
  • Ease of decision making for your family. Make your family aware of your chosen funeral home and director, including contact information, so that they will know who and where to call when you have passed away. This can make it far easier for your loved ones to handle the actual details of your funeral, and reduce the amount of time that they will have to dedicate to the task at a period when they may already be wrestling with grief.

Lisovetsky Memorial Home takes great pride in our ability to provide respectful, loving funeral arrangements, and has done so for many years. If you’re curious about what pre-arrangement involves, or wish to get started on the process of arranging ahead of time for your funeral, then our directors have dedicated a great deal of time and energy into making the process as stress-free as possible for people of any age.

When the time comes, your family will only need to make a phone call to our office. We will carry out all of your final wishes, and will use any pre-arrangement plans and funding accordingly, giving you the assurance that you need that it will all be handled according to plan. Speak with our consultants, and learn more about the power of pre-arrangement.