Four Steps to Planning Ahead
1. Educate yourself about the available options.
You are encouraged to talk with your friends, family, and your spiritual leaders. You may choose to read a book or two about the purpose of funerals and how to make them meaningful, or you may choose to do your research on-line.
You most likely will find that whether you want a simple service or an elaborate ceremony, many choices need to be made when you die. There are three major groups of decisions that need to be made: Final Disposition, Ceremony, and Merchandise.
Here are just a few examples of the many decisions that need to be made:
Someone needs to decide on the method of final disposition. Are you are going to be buried or cremated? If you are going to be buried, which cemetery do you prefer? Or do you prefer to be placed in a mausoleum? If you want to be cremated, do you want your remains buried, scattered, or placed in a columbarium?
Whether you want to be buried or cremated, what kind of service or ceremony is needed? Will the ceremony precede or follow final disposition? Will the ceremony be religious or not? Who will speak at the ceremony? How will the ceremony reflect the unique person that you are? How will the ceremony help your loved ones close their relationship with you?
What kind of merchandise is needed to carry out the method of final disposition and ceremony? Do you want a wood casket or metal casket? Do you even want or need a casket? What about a burial vault? What kind of printed goods are needed?
Again, these questions represent only a few of the decisions that need to be made.
2. Discuss your findings with your loved ones with the intent of balancing your wishes with their needs.
All too often, we are encouraged to have it our way. While we wish to control our final disposition and add personal touches, we need to be mindful that the purpose of the funeral is to help the living come to terms with their new life without you.
3. Seek professional consultation.
Even in a do it yourself world, there is always an appropriate time to seek professional consultation. A funeral professional can offer valuable insight into the memorialization process and guide you toward making decisions that are appropriate for you and your family. Your funeral professional also will offer advice on how to make sure your wishes are followed.
4. Select an appropriate funding option in consultation with your funeral professional.
Your funeral professional offers products specifically designed for advanced funeral funding. These products are designed to fit the unique needs of each person and offer maximum assurance that the money will be there when it is needed.
Please consult your funeral professional or visit an MFDA member firm or a Minnesota Funeral Plan participant for more information.
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