Mistakes to Avoid While Funeral Planning February 21, 2018

Throughout life, we tend to make plans for the biggest events we can see for the future. We may plan to save a down payment and buy a home. We may set aside funds for college educations for our children. We look for the best ways to invest for our retirements. Yet, many of us fail to plan for what is likely a much less expensive and inevitable part of our life. That is our death.

Planning far ahead of an event helps solidify their certainty and gives more time to financially prepare. While there seems to be little problem in understanding saving and planning for a house, kids, retirement, college or retirement, many of us have difficulty facing the harsh reality of our mortality.

Funeral Planning Cincinnati

Another reality is that you can prepare for your death and funeral at any time, even if you are young and relatively healthy. Why? Because there are dozens and dozens of decisions that will have to be made upon your death. The fewer of those you leave to those who care about you, the better. You can leave them knowing your wishes have been accommodated. It will not stop the grieving or sense of loss but they will know you took the caring steps to make your loss easier on them.

It is with that thought in mind, we want to provide you with a list of the most common mistakes people make about planning their funeral.

• Waiting too long. It’s not uncommon for most of us to live life with a sense of invincibility. There’s always time for that vacation, to mend fences or plan our funeral. A severe illness or injury, however, can change that in a moment. Preparing for an appropriate amount of life insurance, planning, and even paying for your funeral ahead of time can circumvent at least some parts of this unfortunate circumstance.
• Not having clarity in your funeral wishes. A funeral can cause family stress and divisions if the deceased hasn’t been clear about their wishes for final services. Simply taking the time to think about what you want is important in avoiding this mistake.
• Failure to ask questions. Many feel like ignorance is bliss when it comes to making final plans. That can keep you from being practical and knowledgeable. Understanding the process, the options, and the associated costs can help you make better decisions.
• Poor communication. One of the biggest mistakes people make is not communicating their wishes to family members or in making them more tangible in written documentation. Talk to family about your wishes and place them in writing. You can also pre-plan and pay for your funeral ahead of time which provides even more clarity.
• Allowing price to be the biggest factor. If you are planning your own funeral, you may be tempted to downplay your role in the lives of the people you leave behind. You may view any expenses associated with your funeral as being unnecessary or excessive. It can be a mistake not to plan for at least some of the wishes of those you love. Give them some room financially to allow for a tribute they may deem appropriate. They will really, really appreciate it.

At Fares J. Radel, we’ve been helping with funeral planning for those in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area for over 125 years. We’ve seen the rewards of superior planning and the challenges of poor or no planning. Believe us, planning always has a better result. If you would like to discuss planning your final arrangements, please contact us.