You might think that funeral planning is easy but it is more challenging than you think. Most people try to avoid discussions regarding funeral planning as it triggers emotional thoughts. If you ever come across families struggling to plan the funeral of their loved one, you can understand the significance of prepaying the funeral and setting things right in advance. You can check 7 qualities to look for a good pre-paid funeral before finalizing the decision.
What is a pre-paid funeral?
A pre-paid funeral is a planned contract for which you need to pay in advance with the funeral director you choose. You can also consider it a funeral plan for which you need to pay in a lump sum or in instalments. The pre-paid funeral describes the details of the future service and the expenses involved in it. The following are the major aspects included in the cost.
- Choice of cremation or burial
- What kind of service do you prefer, such as single or dual, graveside or no service?
- Decide on the location and make arrangements for viewing and visitation
- Paying the fees for professional services, such as the funeral directors for arranging and coordinating the funeral.
- Choosing the coffin from several different options based on price, shape, material, and construction.
- Placing orders of services and serving the notice of obituary n the newspaper.
- Paying the fees of cemetery or cremation for which standards rates apply and do not vary like funeral directors.
- Arranging the thank you cards, memorial book, and funeral cars.
- Looking for musicians, catering service, readings, and funeral flowers.
You may not be eager to include every item from this list as some of them are optional. The pre-arranged funeral, on the other hand, refers to a kind of payment that is made during the service.
Why choose pre-paid funerals
When it comes to arranging a funeral, the pre-paid alternative is better than the rest. Here is why.
- One of the prominent benefits of prepaid funerals in Sydney is that you can book the service at today’s rates, which does not require you to pay regardless of the increase in future rates. Due to the drastic increase in the average cost of burial and cremation, prepaying or the funeral service offers several advantages.
- If you do not prefer leaving your family in hardships with funeral arrangements, the pre-paid option scores over the rest. Instead of burdening the family financially, you can pay in advance.
- The pre-paid funeral offers you the opportunity of paying the money in instalments over one to three years. You can discuss with the funeral director the mode of payment to make for the pre-paid funeral arrangements.
- Every family needs to move through the toughest time during the death of a loved one. Quite naturally, making funeral arrangements becomes a challenge for grief-stricken families.
- Apart from this, they may be left guessing about the wishes of the deceased person when making the arrangements. If you want the funeral planning to stay in accordance with your preferences, you need to go for prepaid funerals Sydney.
- Preplanning the funeral does not mean that you cannot customize the arrangements exactly in the way you want. Just mention your list of wishes and the loved ones will be more than happy to serve.
- A prepaid funeral is a cost-effective option if you are not yet ailing and hope to live for a few more years.
Planning the funeral
If you want to ease the process of the funeral for loved ones, check the points below to gain an understanding of the process. Saying goodbye to your loved one is never easy but you need to think over the enter affair and decide whether to make it formal or casual.
- For funerals in Sydney, you can select a service to happen in a church or in a funeral home.
- Generally, the body of the deceased person lies in a casket, closed or open so that the people around can say goodbye.
- As the body remains during the funeral, the procedure must take place within the prescribed time limit.
- If you decide to go for cremation, the funeral service can still take place as several families plan this before the cremation to allow everyone to view the body of the deceased person.
- During the service, an official presides over the ceremony and friends and family can laud the occasion.
- Music is a significant part of every funeral ceremony and includes live or recorded music. Besides, it can also feature special sings in accordance with the wishes of the deceased person.
- The setting of the funeral has a nice flower decoration and can also include the picture of the deceased.
- When you prepay for the funeral, you can choose all the variables so that the loved ones remaining behind do not need to struggle to find out your wishes.
- From the types of flowers to the music that plays, pallbearers, and the people you prefer communicating with during the funeral, you can arrange everything with ease.
Knowing the top 4 mistakes to avoid while catholic funeral planning can help you waste money unnecessarily and arrange the funeral in accordance with the wishes of the deceased person.
Purchasing a prepaid plan
If you want to purchase a prepaid plan for funerals Sydney, you need to move ahead and find a reliable funeral director. Most of the directors offer prepaid funerals, so you can shop for the best service to accomplish the wishes after death. Due to the drastic variance in the prices of funeral directors, you may find it difficult to choose. Do your homework before agreeing to an option. Here are a few steps to consider before choosing the right option.
- Selection of burial or cremation
- Types of funeral you want to plan
- Compare the rates and choose the right option.
Prepaid funeral checklist
Before signing the prepaid contract, you need to read and understand it thoroughly.
- Checking the details of the funeral director
- Find out the details of the financial institution holding the funds until you require them.
- Know the place where service needs to take place
- Preparing the cost of items and planning the details of the service
- Finding the total and fixed cost of the funeral
- Is there an option to cancel the contract
- Know the consequences if the funeral director service goes out of business.
- What happens if the funeral director moves to another location and confirm that the director cannot withdraw the funds before death.
Features of the funeral service
For funerals, Sydney, the service you choose should reflect the choice of the user. Make sure you specify the needs so that the people visiting the service remember the deceased person and the host. When planning the funeral, you need to stay specific about it. The prepaid service you arrange must not have any influence of your emotion during the phase of grief. Therefore, a prepaid funeral makes it less burdensome. Here are the elements of the funeral service
- Family visitation before the service
- Tribute by families and friends
- Formal service barring and including religious sermon
- Closing ceremony arrangement
- Reception of the guests with food or without food
If you need to choose an orthodox funeral, follow the 5 tips for choosing the right orthodox funeral. The rest of the details include the music you want to include, the words to be spoken at the introductory stage. You can break down the planning further and decide who needs to speak the welcoming words, the kind of songs that the guests want to hear during funerals Sydney. You also need to select someone to issue the invitation for the graveside service.
Researching for funeral homes
To make the funeral plan without any hassles, you need to research and shop around to find local funeral homes. Try to find out their memorial service packages and the options they offer as most of them operate independently. You can also find a wide range of services and prices. The funeral home must provide you with a detailed price list for the services you need to obtain. Make sure you feel comfortable with the funeral home you select as it is the place where you say goodbye to your loved one.
Planning your funeral
One of the most important things to do is interpreting that the loved ones understand your wishes thoroughly. Many people believe that mentioning the last wishes of a funeral in the will can suffice. However, the truth is that no one looks into the will after the funeral. Therefore, prepaying for the funeral is one of the best ways to keep your family out of trouble after your death.
Follow a funeral panning checklist as a tool so that you can repeal the emotions out of your decisions and focus on funeral planning. Prepaying the funeral makes you financially secure and offers the much-needed peace of mind that your family does not stay under stress for making the arrangements when the time comes.
