Estate planning prepares assets for future generations, while advanced funeral planning prepares for another inevitable future, diminishing some of the stress for grieving loved ones.
“You can face it now and take care of it or let it fall on your family at that time,” says Roger Seay, funeral director and manager of the pre-planning department at H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments, about the benefits of pre-arranging a funeral.
Tracy Bradshaw, advanced planning specialist, funeral director, and certified life celebrant at Altmeyer Funeral Home, says that the average age of those planning their future funeral is between 60 and 70 years old. “Sometimes there’s a catalyst or event that causes people to think about it themselves. Maybe the death of a loved one or a sick friend – a scare that gets someone thinking.”
Although Bradshaw says that seven out of 10 Jewish clients choose cremation as part of their planning (Seay says that less than 1% of his clients mention the idea), Altmeyer follows the rubric of faith when consulting with a Jewish individual or couple. These conversations include elements such as bathing and shrouding, burial garments, and the presence of a rabbi or cantor at the service and burial. “Advanced planning keeps it simple. Someone can choose what they want or don’t want, but they also take financial responsibility for their future funeral,” Bradshaw says.
A contract with Altmeyer includes three parts: information for a death certificate, decisions about details such as a graveside or synagogue service, and the option to pre-pay in full or upon death. “Knowing one of life’s biggest expenses is the death of a loved one, why not pre-plan?” Bradshaw suggests.
Altmeyer’s agreement reflects today’s prices for services and merchandise, guaranteed in a funeral trust where the money is growing until death occurs, and a cash advance to cover future external expenses such as the opening and closing of the grave at the cemetery. “Would you rather pass on more money to your family when you die or give more money to the funeral home?” Bradshaw asks, saying that he expects the inflation of funeral expenses to outweigh any growth from an investment.
According to Seay, preplanning relieves families of the burden of having to make several immediate decisions and gives them more time and energy to focus on healing and remembrance. If a client moves out of state, H.D. Oliver’s record of preplanned arrangements and prepayments are easily transferable to any funeral home in the United States. “We look for small, family-owned funeral homes who belong to the same organizations that we do,” when recommending a funeral home outside of the area. Under their Return Assured Travel Plan, should a death occur anywhere in the world, H.D. Oliver will bring back the body at no expense to the family.
“We’re all going to leave this world one day,” Altmeyer’s Bradshaw says. Preplanning offers peace of mind to the client and their family.
Funeral pre-planning benefits grieving loved ones
