by Laura Beth Caldwell

Created on: November 05, 2009   Last Updated: January 06, 2011

The death of a loved one can be a tremendous burden, both emotionally and financially, on a grieving family. This period of grief, however, can be soothed by a little careful planning in advance. Preplanning for one's own death may seem a bit morbid, however the benefits of leaving detailed instructions, and even financial arrangements, are the first step towards helping your loved ones to heal.

There are several benefits to preplanning a funeral. Perhaps most importantly, is that the deceased's wishes are made known. So often with the loss of a loved one, families are left scrambling with funeral arrangements, having no direction as to their loved one's wishes. This speculation unfortunately lends opportunity to family disagreements and bickering. The period of grief should be a time of loving reflection, and not a time of turmoil amongst the family of the deceased. By leaving detailed instructions, or even planning out the details of a funeral with a funeral home, will alleviate the family's "guessing", and thereby help to avoid disagreements.

While certain aspects of a funeral, such as selecting floral arrangements or working with the funeral home on an appropriate eulogy, may be therapeutic; there are several aspects of planning a funeral that may in fact benefit the family when handled in advance. Such an item would be the type of interment preferred-full body or cremation. The debate over whether or not to have remains cremated can be a tremendous stress on a grieving family. If cremation is selected, one must consider whether or not the cremated remains are to be buried, or if they are to remain in the possession of the family. If the later is the case, then which family member is to keep the remains? Other items that can be preplanned would include casket selection, favorite hymns, clothing, etc. All of these items, while seemingly easy to decide upon, can add additional stress to the family during the grieving period.

In addition to ensuring that one's final wishes are adhered to, and easing the emotional burden a death places on the family, one should consider the financial burden which comes with a funeral. The cost of a funeral service, even if cremation is selected, can be extremely taxing. If financial arrangements through insurance policies, cash, or prepaid services are not in place, the financial burden of laying a loved one to rest can be crippling. By planning in advance for this unavoidable expense, one can help to alleviate the added burden placed on the family. In addition to avoiding a financial burden, prepaying for a funeral can be a good investment. By locking in the prices of a funeral and burial today, additional expenses are saved in the future. These additional expenses are thereby avoided, allowing for a larger estate and thereby inheritance, in the future.

By preplanning and prepaying for one's funeral and burial, the funeral experience can remain a time of grief and reflection instead of undue emotional and financial hardship. Well thought out planning and detailed instructions can in fact be one's final gift of love to those they leave behind.

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