Your family is everything. So the last thing you’d want is to put them in a difficult position. A time of loss is a time of confusion, but your final arrangements don’t have to add to the uncertainty. Pre-planning your funeral services can save your loved ones from having to make decisions while they’re grieving. And they won’t have to guess what you’d want. Making pre-arrangements is the financially and emotionally thing to do. Instead of getting bogged down in details, your family will be able to focus on celebrating your life.

• Why are you considering pre-planning?
• How would you like your family to be involved in the process?
• Now that we know your wishes, what should we do next?
• Does this mean you anticipate needing a funeral soon?

Here are a few common reasons people pre-plan. These benefits could help guide your conversation.

• Even if it’s far into the future, you’ll assure that a difficult time is less stressful for your loved ones.
• When everything is determined in advance, families can focus on celebrating life, knowing that last wishes are perfectly fulfilled.
• Planning a funeral can require over 150 decisions, and making those choices now, together, can be an experience that brings families closer.
• Some people go so far as to pre-pay, and this is a gift to loved ones, because funerals often come at unexpected times. This act unburdens family members from what can be a sudden expense.