Depending on where you live, funeral planning could easily cost over $7,000. One of the most expensive parts is getting the plot and holding the funeral service. As such, you may find managing your family member's end-of-life celebration very difficult if you're doing things last minute. 

A good way to avoid financial distress during this time is by planning your funeral arrangements in advance. Preplanning funeral services means more than just picking out flowers and a casket.

Here's what goes into funeral planning and how it helps. 

What Goes Into Preplanning a Funeral?

Preplanning and pre-funding a funeral are two major components to creating the kind of funeral your loved one would be proud of. It involves deciding on various parts of the service and financing your decisions. 

For example, many people make prearrangements at their local funeral home when their loved one is in hospice care. They know the end is coming soon, so they set up everything while they still have time. That way, they aren't caught off-guard when the cost of the service far exceeds what they can afford. 

By planning things ahead of the actual funeral, you can also find a way to finance it. Some funeral homes offer pre-payment plans that accumulate interest until the person dies. You may also find funeral insurance policies that can cover the proceedings. 

Benefits of Planning Funeral Arrangements

There are three main reasons to plan a funeral in advance.

First of all, you avoid the stress of throwing something together last minute. Second, you may save money by purchasing things like funeral plots years ahead of passing. And lastly, you can expect better service. 

Reduced Stress

Some of the most common funeral expenses include:

• Casket
• Embalming
• Funeral plot
• Headstone
• Hearse
• Wreath
• Funeral facilities for viewing

Making all these decisions can be a headache shortly after a person dies. Even worse, a funeral is normally held within one to two weeks after their death. Planning in advance lets you get this all done way ahead of time. 

Save Money

On top of reduced stress, you can expect to save money by buying things like a funeral plot or casket months or years before they're needed. Funeral homes will also offer package deals.

If you can't afford a funeral, you can always opt for cremation or whole-body donation. 

Better Organized

The funeral for your loved ones is your official goodbye to them. It's important that it's made to represent how much they mean to you and your family. Planning it in advance lets you organize a better service and get the best gravestone and funeral plot. 

Avoid Heartache and Stress

The last thing you want to deal with after a loved one's death is their funeral arrangements. Having these laid out and paid off well before they pass is best. 

Schumacher and Benner offer traditional funeral services, cremation options, and other professional services. Contact us to learn more and request a consultation for your funeral planning.