A wise person recently told me why they had decided to organise a funeral for themselves before they had passed away - right down to the most finite detail. This person was in their mid 50’s and in perfect health, so what was their reason for organising their own funeral?
They said to me this, and I will always remember it:
“When I was younger, I met a girl named Mary. I thought she was amazing, so I asked her if she wanted to date me. She agreed! We had made our first decision together. A few years later, things were going well and I asked Mary to marry me - she said yes! We had made another decision together. Then followed buying our first house, the birth of our first child, the decision to move interstate and buy our first car together. We decided together when Mary wanted to retire that it was the right choice for us. Why then, when I have spent my whole life making decisions WITH Mary, would I leave her to make all the decisions around my funeral? She will be in a difficult place, and this is something we can do together.”
This just makes so much sense. In my experience as a Lady Anne Funeral Director, these are the three biggest reasons to organise your own funeral below:
Why to organise your funeral ahead of time
Make it easier on your partner and family
If you organise a funeral before you pass away, this can relieve the burden on your partner or family of making decisions in a difficult time. Considering what you would like to have can take pressure off the grieving process for those closest to you. The decision to have a burial or cremation service for your partner needs to made quickly, which can be overwhelming. Deciding together ahead of time can make organising a funeral so much easier on the remaining partner.
Plan the exact service you want
For some people, it is really important to have a specific flower, song, or location chosen to have at their ceremony. You might have a special personal memory that impacts where you want your ashes to be scattered, a more relaxed location you want to have your cremation memorial at, maybe even a catered event in lieu of a chapel service.
There are so many options available to you and your partner to decide between, that it’s easy to get overwhelmed when the decision is so final. Think through what’s important to you, and what isn’t and discuss to ensure you have an idea of what it is you want. Don’t forget to ask your partner and make sure you know what they want to - make the decision together.
Decide how to pay for the funeral
The average cost of a funeral is between $4000 and $14000. Will your partner have considered this cost if you were to pass in an instant? While you are thinking about what you want, why not get a quote for your wishes and look into your financial options to cover the cost? Taking the financial aspect out of funeral planning by being proactive ahead of time can make the process far less stressful for your partner.
There are options now for funeral insurance, a self opened savings account (with a capped limit) and the option of setting up a prepaid funeral. Each scenario has it’s own benefits depending on the person enquiring and their personal situation. At Lady Anne Funerals, our funeral directors are equipped to cost and organise a prepaid funeral for you which you are able to pay for in advance of your passing. The main benefit of a prepaid funeral is knowing you are paying today’s prices for a funeral that might not happen for 40 years as the cost is fixed at the agreed value and then paid off over a period of 3 years. You are also able to dictate all personal requirements, and agree to the value, so your family won’t be left bearing the potential cost of an elaborate service you don’t even want.
It’s important to consider your personal preferences when organising your own funeral. We’ve developed a questionnaire outlining questions that your funeral provider will ask your partner or family when you pass away, and that you might like to discuss. Take the quiz by clicking the link below or call one of the lady funeral directors at Lady Anne Funerals to have a chat about a prepaid funeral that suits you.
