Planning a dream wedding is a normal thing in life – but what about planning for your ‘dream funeral’?
Pre-planning one’s funeral is gaining more acceptance today, and talking about one’s end-of-life wishes is less of a taboo thing to say. For some, this is for practical reasons such as to make things easier for their loved ones after they’ve departed. For others, they may have specific wishes they want fulfilled upon their death, such as how they want the funeral to be held, and how they want their body to be disposed of.
In any case, how can you make sure that these plans you’ve made come to pass after your death? Here are some ways you can do so:
1. Create a final arrangements document
The best way to make your wishes clear is to have it in writing. Some people write it in their wills, but that may not be the wisest choice, as a will is read slightly later – usually after the funeral arrangements have already been made.
Instead, use a separate document to note down how you want your funeral to look like. Some important pieces of information to include are:
- Where you would like the funeral to be held
- Whether you should be buried or cremated
- People who should be notified of your death
- Where you would like your remains to be stored or buried
- Where to access the funds you have set aside for your funeral, if any
Make sure you let your loved ones know of the existence of this document, and where to access it when the time comes.
2. Tell your loved ones
A straightforward way of making your preferred funeral plans known is to simply tell the people close to you. This is especially useful if your preferences are not too elaborate. For example, you can let your children know that you prefer to be cremated, rather than buried. Or perhaps, if you prefer a Buddhist funeral, you can let your family know what rituals you want them to carry out.
The upside to this is that you open the discussion about death and end-of-life matters, which may lead to a helpful exchange of perspectives. Your loved ones can get a clearer understanding of your final wishes and they become better prepared on how to handle your funeral in the future.
3. Pre-plan your funeral arrangements
With some funeral companies, you are able to have a discussion with the funeral advisors and have some guidance in pre-planning your funeral arrangements. This gives you enough time to arrange your funeral and cover all the aspects involved to ease the emotional and financial burden of your loved ones. This sounds like an ideal solution, as you take away the stress for your family members to fund for your funeral and remove any doubts in what you would prefer in your send-off.
Conclusion
If you have specific wishes for your funeral, the best solution is to communicate with your loved ones about it, and have it clearly expressed in writing. As conversations about death become less taboo, more people are finding ways to be remembered in the way they want.
As part of your funeral pre-planning, it is crucial to look for a company offering funeral services in Singapore that you can rely on to carry out your last wishes. With a trusted funeral company, you can take the fuss and stress out of funeral planning.
