Leave A Legacy By Pre-Planning Your Final Arrangements
By North American Life Plans
Thinking about your final arrangements can be difficult, but with thoughtful planning today, we can relieve loved ones of worry and burden later.
The first step is to decide about how you want to be remembered. Funeral practices vary widely and are influenced by religious and cultural traditions, costs and personal preferences. Planning ahead allows you to choose the specific items you want and it spares your survivors the stress of making these decisions under the pressure of time and strong emotions.
Once you’ve made these decisions, 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.
A few more tips:
- Don't designate your preferences in your will because a will often is not found or read until after the funeral.
- Avoid putting the only copy of your preferences in a safe deposit box. Your family may have to make arrangements on a weekend or holiday before the box can be opened.
- It's a good idea to review and revise your decision every few years.
Finally, at an average cost of $8,000 - $10,000, funerals rank among the most expensive purchases many consumers will ever make. If you’ve ever lost a loved one, you know funeral homes, cemeteries and other service providers expect to receive payment in full at the time of the funeral. This can be a hardship on loved ones if you haven’t planned ahead, so the second step is to set aside funds to cover your final arrangements.
There’s no time like the present to get started. For more information about the free, no obligation final arrangements planning service available to KRTA members, please call North American Life Plans at 1-888-362-1214 weekdays between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Central Time.