Summary – Getting pre-paid funerals is becoming increasingly common. However, the process is still maligned by many. Here’s a complete guide.
There’s a lot of hullabaloo surrounding the idea of a pre-paid funeral. Many don’t agree with the idea of treating one’s funeral as a purchasable product. Those in favour of pre-paid funerals claim it’s a preparative policy. One thing people can’t debate is dead. In less than a hundred years, there’ll be billions of deaths and funerals.
Whether the funeral industry offers pre-paid funerals or not – their business won’t suffer. The general notion towards pre-paid funerals has changed in the past few years as more, and more ‘boomers’ are taking up the offer to arrange funerals before their passing. Here’s a closer assessment of pre-paid funerals.
Planning Pre-Paid Funerals
Planning for pre-paid funerals involves paying the funeral home in advance. It also involves the clarification of key details and wishes including – which casket will be used, how the funeral service will be arranged, what’ll be mentioned in the tombstone, etc. People can also mention the type of medical care they demand in their final days. Some even write their own obituaries!
The people who opt for pre-paid funerals usually have a lot of confidence in their families and their funeral providers. They sit down with the two parties to discuss the location of the funeral process, costs, and other specific details. Unless the funeral service provider goes out of business before their clients’ passing, they are obligated to make the arrangements mentioned in the pre-funeral contract.
Understanding the Popularity
The popularity of these plans is understandable. Firstly, it’s easier to carefully plan funerals when families aren’t grieving. Many people are sentimental about death, and they want to make their funerals as grand as possible. Since the deceased don’t care about being thrifty, people attempt to be as grand as possible before their deaths. Plus, people get to plan their send-offs in the way they like.
Many senior citizens express concern about their worry estate not being big enough to cover funeral expenses. To avoid burdening their families, they preplan their funerals in the best way possible. Plus, most funeral homes are now offering these services, so it’s easy for older people to get roped into these plans!
Understanding the Outrage
Apart from the sentimental or spiritual reasons that people cite when discussing pre-paid funerals, these processes don’t make much financial sense. The money that the clients pay to funeral homes generates little or no interest. Investing that money in shares or fixed deposits is much better from a financial perspective.
Plus, the funeral industry has been rocked by many scams surrounding these plans in the past. Unless the funeral homes offering these services are licensed funeral providers, all pre-paid arrangements can go to waste. People who opt for these pre-paid plans must keep track of the funeral homes’ policies and activities. They must also inform their relatives/family members about these plans.
It’s All Down to Choice
For many older people, pre-paying for their funerals is a final token of appreciation to their families. For others, it’s a desperate hope of leaving the material world in the best way possible. In the end, people who’re staunchly against these pre-paid funeral packages will continue debating against them. The people who view these plans favourably have the freedom to do whatever they want!
