Financial & Estate Planning

Although no one wants to think about their own funeral arrangements, ignoring the issue can lead to over-spending that will benefit neither you nor you loved ones.

What you can do to help your heirs? Specify what final arrangements you’d like and make sure your family knows your wishes. Pre-paying for a burial plot may save money in the long run, as you’ll avoid future price increases.

What can you do when a loved one dies? Don’t agree to anything without consulting with family members. Under federal law, funeral homes must provide an itemized price list, in addition to any combination packages, so that consumers can choose what they want without paying for unnecessary items.

In advance, you can specify—even set money aside for—your wishes in matters such as burial vs. cremation, type of casket, and aspects of funeral or memorial ceremonies. At the minimum, you will be sparing your survivors the task of making such decisions at a time of stress when they might feel pressure to over-spend.