by Jed Eane

Created on: November 05, 2009   Last Updated: August 04, 2010

No one likes to think about death - in any way, shape, or form. Which is no doubt why few people give consideration to preplanning their funeral. And yet many people make a will to ensure that their family and loved ones are looked after when they die. So why should preplanning a funeral be that different?

There are a number of benefits to preplanning your funeral, one of which is that it eases a lot of the strain on family members at the time of your death. Not only will they have to contend with getting used to life without you, but depending on their personal circumstances, they could be hit with a number of obligations that just add to the difficulties. For starters, they may have the worry of trying to secure and repay the finances to pay for your funeral. Second, they may be unsure as to whether they're giving you the type of sending off you would have wanted. Add to these concerns the responsibility of caring and supporting others in the family circle who may be finding it difficult to come to terms with the loss and it's easy to see how preplanning a funeral can be of enormous help during what is almost certainly a particularly stressful time.

Preplanning your funeral means that not only will your family not have to worry about meeting the costs of your funeral, but they can celebrate your life confident that they're doing it in the way you would have wanted. For example, if you want a humanist service then you can include arrangements for this in the preplanning of your funeral. If you want to be cremated, then again, this can all be pre-arranged. And making these arrangements will help to give not only your family peace of mind, but also you, which is especially important if your physical or mental health is failing. When you're suffering ill health, you don't want the additional burden of worrying about what's going to happen to you and your loved ones once you're gone.

As well as the ability be in control of your funeral arrangements, one of the big advantages of preplanning your funeral is the opportunity of paying today's prices for a funeral that may not take place until many years into the future. You can also make special requests such as what you would like done with your remains should you choose to be cremated. You can take care of all aspects of your funeral and rest assured that having done so, when the time comes, your family will be forever thankful.

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