Free Lunch and Learn gatherings in April and May

By planning for the inevitable, you take the burden off your family and friends of making difficult funeral planning decisions on your behalf. They won’t wonder what you wanted; they’ll know. Likewise, if you are supporting a friend or family member with their planning, you’re helping provide peace of mind for them and their families. That’s why we’re bringing back our popular Lunch and Learn event. 

Attendees will enjoy lunch while learning about making important  end-of-life planning decisions. The presentation provides information about funeral and cremation planning with plenty of time for your questions. Michele M. Phaneuf-Plasz, a fourth-generation funeral director, hosts the luncheons at:

Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 243 Hanover St., Manchester, NH 03104

Choose from: 

• Noon to 1:30 p.m., Thursday April 13 
• Noon to 1:30 p.m., Thursday May 11

RSVP here. The event is free, but a reservation is required as space is limited.

Advanced planning benefits

Planning ahead happens anytime you make arrangements for end-of-life services, whether in a casual or formal way. There are many ways to go about this, and it can be as simple as having a conversation about your wishes with someone who will likely be there at the end, such as a child, spouse or friend. Writing down basic information is a great way to begin the process. 

You can take your advanced planning one step further by reaching out to us at Phaneuf to make your end-of-life wishes known. That way, when the time comes, we can inform your family about your wishes. 

Going even further, you can formalize your end-of-life arrangements with us. This means choosing all the details of your end-of-life services. Then, you have the option of paying for your service choices in one lump sum, or you can use a payment plan to pay over a chosen time period. Consider the many benefits of doing this ahead of time:

One, this locks in your wishes. Once the arrangements are made and paid for, they cannot be changed after you’re gone unless this is stipulated in your arrangements . (You can still update your wishes and arrangements while you are alive.) . 

Second, once your arrangements are paid for, that price is locked in and does not change, even if you thrive for several more decades. You won’t – and your family won’t – owe any more money. There is a guarantee fee to lock in the price. (Note that your family may owe for third-party items that increase in time, such as cemetery fees or obituary costs.) The services you arranged and paid for will be provided (or as comparable a service as exists at that time). At the time of your passing, neither your estate nor your family members will need to come up with money for a traditional funeral and burial ceremony.

Consider this the final, gracious gift you can give your family. You are allowing them to focus on their grief and celebrating your life. They are not left wondering – or arguing – about what each of them thinks you would have wanted.

Generally, there are between three and five days when someone passes and final arrangements are completed. Whether this is an anticipated death or not, your family is already dealing with loss, and there are  lots of moving parts when someone passes. If you can take the decision making and payment worries off their plate, that’s an amazing gift.

RSVP for one of the Lunch and Learn events here.