Today, the act of pre-planning funerals has become very common, whether this involves pre-planning your own funeral or planning a loved one’s funeral.
Pre-planning, however, doesn’t just apply to traditional burials but to cremation as well.
Just like planning your or your loved one’s burial and funeral, pre-planning a cremation is an option you can try too. Of course, pre-planning cremation isn’t an easy thing to do—there’s a process to follow and you will need to think about it a lot.
Let’s take a look at what you need to know about cremation pre-planning before going ahead with it.
Coming to terms with cremation
Cremation can be a difficult concept to grasp, unlike traditional burial. When you’re pre-planning your cremation or that of a loved one, you may start to have second thoughts about it. But this is completely normal and you should only make your decision if you’re fully ready to accept the reality of it.
Sit down and have a chat with your family or some close friends. Talk to them about your concerns about cremation and hear their opinions. Even if you’re pre-planning cremation for a loved one who has already made up their mind about going through with it, it’s still a good idea to get the rest of the family’s opinion.
If you’re pre-planning your own cremation but you’re still having doubts about it, try doing some research on the process. This may help settle any taboos associated with cremation and help put your mind at ease. Also, look up the potential benefits of cremation to both your family and the environment—this may help you view cremation in a more positive light.
If you’re thinking about pre-planning cremation for yourself, think long and hard about your decision. Your family will be the ones who will handle your cremation and funeral, so think carefully about whether this choice is right for your family.
On the contrary, if you’re planning a cremation for a loved one who wants to be cremated after death, you should speak to them about their decision if you’re not on board with it. If they’re firm about being cremated, it’s best to respect their choice and follow through with it.
Commencing the cremation pre-planning process
1. Choose a reliable cremation services provider
The first step towards pre-planning cremation is to do some research on the best cremation services in your area. Make sure that the cremation services provider you choose offers pre-planning services.
If you’re still on the fence about a certain cremation service provider, try asking people in your locality if they’ve interacted with the service provider before and how their services were. You need to do this as it’s extremely important to find a provider that’s easy to communicate and work with.
You may also want to consider having a chat with different cremation service providers to get an idea of how they communicate with customers, understand their level of professionalism, and learn more about the cremation pre-planning options they offer.
If visiting a cremation service provider feels morbid to you, you could always talk to them over the phone or have a good friend or family member accompany you.
2. Finalize the details of the cremation
Once you’ve chosen the ideal cremation services provider, you need to communicate your requirements to them. This includes telling them which date, after your or your loved one’s passing, the cremation should take place, how the ashes are to be handled, and how the ashes will be delivered to the family.
Also, you can choose a custom urn in advance to house the ashes and let the funeral services provider know how you want the ashes to be handled. You can choose to have the urn buried after holding a traditional funeral service, have the urn placed in a columbarium, or have the urn given to your family so that they can either keep it or scatter the ashes.
After this, the cremation service provider will give you a quotation so that you can manage your finances accordingly. You can now pay for the cremation process and other funeral services in advance, but make sure to ask the cremation services provider about any hidden costs so that you or your family won’t be caught off guard when the time comes.
3. Document your wishes
If you’re planning your own cremation, it’s best to document your requirements on paper well in advance. Make sure to write everything down, from when you want to be cremated to which kind of urn you want to have your ashes housed in, and make sure to sign the document. Afterward, hand this document over to your family or directly to the cremation services provider.
You can also choose to have these requirements added to your will to legalize your post-death requirements.
If you’re not quite sure of what to include in your wishes, try asking your relatives or a close friend for advice. Alternatively, you can speak with the cremation services provider for some input; they’ve handled cremation pre-planning for clients in the past, so they may be able to help you learn more about the choices you have.
4. Look at the pre-payment options
Finally, you need to look at the pre-payment options that the cremation services provider offers. Being able to pay for the cremation and the following funeral services in advance can reduce a lot of the financial stress you or your family may face when it’s time for the cremation.
In addition, check if the cremation services provider allows you to pay in installments; this will make it easier for you to pay for the services if you don’t have adequate finances to pay in full.
A professional funeral home can help you
Pre-planning a funeral and cremation can feel like a monumental task and sometimes, your emotions can affect your decisions or the reality that eventually these plans will need to be set into motion may make you feel overwhelmed.
Fortunately, you don’t need to do any of this alone—a funeral home that provides cremation services can help you with this process. Get in touch with a reliable and well-reputed funeral home in your area today.
