Demystifying reasons for not planning ahead

We’re a planning society. We plan weddings, we plan birthdays, we plan anniversaries, we plan for retirement. So why don’t more of us make funeral plans ahead of time? The top reasons people give for not planning ahead for a funeral make sense on the surface, but if you dig a little deeper, there are even stronger reasons to pre-plan. Let’s dig. The reasons not to include:

There’s plenty of time

Possibly, but keep in mind the unexpected. Have you ever attended a funeral for someone who died suddenly? Chances are, that person’s loved ones had to make some quick decisions under duress.

Initial funeral plans don’t have to include every detail. They begin by deciding elements such as:

• Burial or cremation
• Visitation
• Cemetery gathering

While you still have plenty of time, take a casual approach to funeral planning. Talk about your wishes with a loved one. Or if it’s more comfortable, record your wishes in our free, printable workbook, My Life, My Wishes.

You can also take funeral planning one step further by reaching out to us to make your end-of-life wishes known. That way, when the time comes, we can share that information with your family. If you wish, you can even formalize your end-of-life arrangements with Phaneuf. This means choosing all the details of your end-of-life services. Then you have the option of prepaid funeral plans in one lump sum, or a payment plan over a time period of your choosing.

Hopefully, there is plenty of time to make funeral plans for yourself. By taking one little step now – letting your end-of-life wishes known – you can share exactly how you want to go while you have a clear head and a healthy body.

I don’t have that kind of money now

You can plan today and pay later.. Many people come to us wanting to provide their end-of-life wishes ahead of time, and not pre-pay, and that’s fine. However, a top reason to prepay is locking in pricing. Historically, funeral prices go up about 5% a year. Consider a funeral that costs $5,000 today. Ten years from now, that same funeral will cost you $7,500.

You may not know that by using a funeral financing loan, you can make and pay for arrangements today and have those prices locked in until it’s time to use them.

New Hampshire has strong laws around consumer protection and prefunding funeral arrangements. If someone has prearranged and prefunded a funeral, they cannot have their wishes changed at the time of death.

I’m way too busy to start

We get it. Funeral plans aren’t at the top of your to-do list. You can get the basics down in a short amount of time, just in case the unexpected occurs. And if you choose, you can complete the My Life, My Wishes workbook over time, not in one sitting.

As busy as you are, think about the hectic period of time for someone who has not made their wishes known. Typically, there are between three and five days between when someone passes and final arrangements are completed. Whether this is an anticipated death or not, your family is already dealing with loss. Taking the decision making worries regarding end-of-life planning off their minds would be an amazing gift.

It’s morbid to think about

Death is part of life and something we all share. Avoiding it doesn’t alter the inevitable. Talking about death does not make us morbid. Actually, it means you are thoughtful and aware of the challenges your family will face once you’re gone — or the challenges you will face when your loved one is gone.

Consider moving past the thought of “I’m going to die,” to “This is how I want to say goodbye.” Planning a funeral ahead of time not only allows you  peace of mind, but  also provides closure for those you hold dear.

Someone else will do it for me

Knowing that plans exist relieves a great deal of stress from loved ones who are already reeling from your death. During a recent meeting with the distraught son and daughter of a woman who passed, they were told, “Your mom had the forethought of mind to make these arrangements years ago.” Relief instantly rose on their faces. Their mother never told them that she had made arrangements in advance, and a huge burden was taken off the two children.

“We were dreading this. We had no idea what my mom wanted. She never talked about it,” her children said. We’ve had thousands of conversations with people just like you about where to begin with end-of-life planning, and our team is available to address your concerns and answer all of your questions about funeral pre-planning.