1. Make sure your will is up to dateYour will is very important. Without one, a probate court judge will be tasked with deciding how your assets are distributed to your heirs. This could lead to loved ones disagreeing over who gets what and creating added stress. Furthermore, certain assets you wish to pass down to specific assets may not happen.
2. Designate an executor of the estate
The executor of an estate is responsible for carrying out the wishes of the deceased and settling the estate. This includes making sure assets are distributed, debts are settled, and accounts are closed.
3. Select a method of disposition
One of the first decisions to make when planning a funeral is how to care for your remains. Do you want to be buried or cremated when you die? This is important because it impacts other decisions that need to be made. For instance, if you’re cremated you can care for the remains right away and hold the service when your family is ready. Alternatively, if you wished to be buried and have a wake, the service will need to be held soon after death occurs.
A rising trend in funeral service is the desire for more environmentally friendly options. More and more people are conducting green funerals or using alternative cremation methods like flameless cremation. If you wish to have a green service, talk to your funeral director and family.
4. Planning the service
Are you religious and want a more traditional funeral service? Perhaps you want something more casual and celebratory. The next decision to make is what kind of service you want. For years, the traditional funeral service has been popular and most common. However, more and more people are choosing to plan a more upbeat celebration of life service. Both types of services aim to celebrate a life well lived. Ultimately, the choice you need to make is what the service should include.
5. Flowers, music, and other considerations
Personalizing your service is important. You were special and your service should be too. In most cases, the family will choose to decorate the space with your favorite flowers. If your planning more of a party or reception, they might want to play your favorite music during it. Other ways people personalize the service are by planning a theme and decorations, serving your favorite food, or creating a special element for it.
For instance, you might want to have an ash scattering ceremony at a special place. Maybe the guests celebrate your love of crafts by having a craft station setup to create a keepsake from the service. Talk to your funeral director about we can help celebrate your life and make the service personal.
6. Who will be involved?
As you plan your service, start to think about who you want to be involved. If planning a traditional funeral, you’ll need an officiant to conduct the service. You may also wish to have certain loved ones do a reading, say a prayer, or perform a song. Certain family members may want to be involved in the service, so make sure to talk with them about. If you’re being buried, you’ll need to select some pallbearers to carry the casket.
Keep in mind that not everyone may feel comfortable getting up in front of a room of people. If you have something in mind for a friend or loved one, make sure to talk about it with them first.
7. Share ideas with your family
Last but certainly not least, make sure to talk about your final wishes with your loved ones. As mentioned above, they may have certain ideas and want to be involved in the planning process. Talk to them about some of the things they would like to include, and what you’re thinking. They might have a creative idea you might not have consider and want to include.