Making Good Decisions While Grieving

As you begin to handle retirement and end-of-life planning, one of the topics that will come up is funeral pre-planning. You may be familiar with the term, but you may not be familiar with what pre-planning actually is. Here are some of the choices you will make during the pre-planning stages and what you need to know about each of these funeral services and options. Keep in mind pre-planning is available through direct funeral home consultations with funeral directors and also online through certain funeral homes.

Funeral Service Type

There are several types of funeral services available to you. You will be presented with different options that you can narrow down. One of the first questions your funeral director will ask is if you want cremation or a traditional service. If you choose a traditional service, you can then begin to choose if you want just a chapel service or if you would like a wake, chapel, and graveside service as well. With cremation options, you can choose if you would like a scattering ceremony, memorial service, or if you simply want an attended chapel service.

Faith-Based Observances

You may be part of a faith that has specific funeral observances. These may include a wake held before the traditional service. You may also have closed casket services as part of faith-based practices. In addition, there may be certain mourning times that are observed as well as reception services that must be followed. During the pre-planning stages, you will discuss these faith-based observances with your funeral director in order to ensure you are getting the funeral package that best suits your faith needs as well as your own.

Burial Location and Vessel

A final step in the funeral pre-planning is to look at the funeral services that deal with your burial location and vessel options. If you are having a traditional funeral, then you will choose your casket, the vault for the casket, and the burial location. If you already own a burial plot, then you can discuss the vault, casket, and headstone with the funeral director. If you do not have a burial plot, one can be added to your pre-planning package. For cremation, you will decide the type of urn you would like and who will receive the urn when you pass.

These are just a few of the choices you will make during funeral pre-planning for your funeral services. Upgrades and other options are also available through your funeral director. If you are ready to begin your funeral planning, contact a local funeral services provider like Shepherd Funeral Home for a consultation and details.