While it is certainly understandable that you may initially balk at the idea of planning your own funeral and burial, there are several good reasons to do so. In fact, incorporating a funeral planning component in your estate plan benefits your loved ones as well as offers you peace of mind. To help explain, the Phoenix estate planning attorneys at Morris Hall PLLC discuss why you should include funeral planning in your estate plan.
Funeral Planning & The Cost of Dying
Thinking of your death and funeral in terms of the cost may be difficult to do; however, the reality is that dying is expensive. Moreover, by addressing the issue ahead of time you can prepare your estate and your loved ones for the eventuality of your death and the associated expenses. Experts tell us that, on average, you can expect to pay around $10,000 for a relatively modest funeral and burial service. Of course, purchasing a high-end casket, planning a larger service, or adding a more elaborate tombstone will increase the overall cost.
Estate Planning Protects Your Loved Ones
If you have ever experienced the loss of someone close to you, you understand how the days, weeks, and even months that follow can pass by in a grief-filled fog. Your loved ones are likely to experience the same emotional response following your passing. One thing you can do now to help protect your loved ones is to incorporate a funeral planning component into your comprehensive estate plan. Consider the following reasons why doing so is a good idea:
- Your surviving loved ones will not make good decisions. Your surviving loved ones will not be in the frame of mind that allows them to make wise choices about much of anything because they will be saddled with grief. Moreover, they may completely forget any of your wishes when planning for the disposition of your body and your service. By planning the details yourself, you relieve them of the responsibility to make such difficult decisions under such emotional circumstances.
- Conflict may arise amongst loved ones. Someone must oversee your funeral and burial. If it isn’t clear who that person is, conflict can be the result. When two or more people think they know what you would want, it can cause the entire process to become a battle. When you create your own funeral plan, you can decide whom you want to oversee the entire process, thereby eliminating the likelihood of conflict.
- Your loved ones may be taken advantage of by salespeople. Grieving survivors often purchase services they don’t really need and spend considerably more on the funeral than was necessary because they make easy prey for salespeople. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission even has a set of rules for funeral homes that are intended to protect surviving loved ones from being taken advantage of and/or spending money they would not spend if they were thinking clearly.
- Financing your funeral and burial can be difficult for your loved ones. Along with the risk that your loved ones will be taken advantage of, dying without a funeral plan in place puts those same loved ones in the position of trying to fund your funeral while in the middle of grieving your loss. If the funds are not readily available, this adds additional stress to an already stressful time. A funeral plan can provide funding in a variety of ways, including an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT).
Contact Our Phoenix Estate Planning Attorneys
For more information, please join us for an upcoming FREE seminar. If you have additional questions or concerns about why you should include funeral planning in your estate plan, contact the experienced Phoenix estate planning attorneys at Morris Hall PLLC by calling (602) 249-1328 to schedule your free consultation today.
This blog should be used for informational purposes only. It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney in your community who can assess the specifics of your situation.
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