There is no right answer for what age you should start planning your funeral. More often than not, we put off planning our funerals until it is too late, leaving spouses or children to complete various tasks they weren’t prepared for. This, with sometimes zero instructions on where or how we want to be buried, on top of coping with a heavy loss can be a trying time.
This is why whether you’re in your twenties and recently married, in your forties with kids, or in your sixties with grandkids it’s important to make an effort and start preparing for your funeral.
Why the Sooner the Better for Funeral Planning
If you haven’t talked to your spouse or children about what type of funeral service you’d like, there are steps you can take in the meantime to plan for your funeral. No matter what age you are, there are benefits when it comes to preparing for your funeral now rather than later. These include:
- Relieving family from stress of planning a funeral while grieving over your loss
- Relieving family from financial burdens of funeral costs
- Planning a funeral is easier now than when you are older and your mind/body is feeble
- By planning your own funeral, you can rest assured that your wishes are granted vs. your family guessing where and how you’d like to be buried.
What are Your Options for Funeral/Burial Services?
There are several options when it comes to funeral and burial services. Typically, people choose a burial service through a funeral home that costs between $10,000-$12,000 in total. Another option is cremation, where one’s ashes are stored in a vase or spread somewhere meaningful. This starts around $1,000. Any additional professional service, such as a viewing of the body before cremation or spreading of ashes would cost extra.
An up and coming trend in funeral services is natural burial. This option does not harm the environment like standard embalming and caskets do. Natural burial is also affordable, starting at just $1,695 with options to plant a tree, add a stone marker, and/or have a small service.
Other Items to Consider When Planning Your Funeral
When planning your funeral, you are making a stressful time for your loved ones easier by deciding what kind of service you would like and where you want the service to take place. Besides deciding on a funeral home, burial spot, and whether or not you would like to be cremated or buried naturally, there are a few other items to consider to make the funeral process easier. You can:
- Pick an outfit for your funeral service
- Put together photos (both physical and digital) for a photo album/slideshow
- Write your obituary
- Pre-pay for a burial spot
Other items you may want to look into if you haven’t already include opening a life insurance policy, writing a will and having it notarized, as well as meeting with a lawyer to go over specifics concerning your family and belongings.
Learn More about Natural Burial & Its Benefits
If you’d like to learn more about natural burial and why it may be a good decision for you, contact Milton Fields. Located outside of Atlanta, Georgia and the only green burial perpetual care cemetery in the state, you can see rolling hills and beautiful fields. These designated grassy areas have one sole purpose: to respectfully bury the deceased while helping the environment and future generations. Learn how you can save thousands of dollars in funeral costs while positively impacting the local ecosystem and wildlife.
Call today to reserve a burial spot, schedule a visit or learn more. 404-372-5446