Things to Remember When Pre-Planning Arrangements
Losing a spouse or family member is hard enough; having to make difficult choices in the wake of a crisis is only going to make the situation that much worse. Making important decisions beforehand may not be a fun thing to do, but it can certainly help reduce the stresses that survivors experience.
Let’s face it: the best laid plans can fall by the wayside as we struggle to keep up with personal and professional obligations, and many of us are experts when it comes to procrastination. But if nothing else, dealing with the pandemic has reinforced the idea that planning ahead and being proactive is essential. Shopping in person, for example, can feel like it isn’t worth the risk, however shopping online takes planning; having groceries or a medication delivered does too.
The thing is, things can change in the blink of an eye and all of us have to come to terms with our own mortality someday. Considering the idea that death is hard on the survivors, it is easy to see why many believe that pre-planning is truly an act of love. Being proactive about pre-planning funeral arrangements can help to:
- Ensure your final wishes will be met
- Reduce emotional burdens for family members
- Ease financial concerns
- Lock in current prices,
- Simplify the entire process, alleviating stress for survivors
It is also important to note that there are many legal decisions to make when preparing for a death and the disbursement of an estate. Making sure that you have a will in order and up to date before your passing occurs is an effective way to reduce the stresses your loved ones experience.
A will simply outlines how you would like your assets to be divided after you are gone. Being proactive about discussing the details and ensuring your wishes are up to date can help your children or spouse avoid the stress of making difficult choices, and it can also help to eliminate bad feelings between siblings about the dissolution of your estate.
In these modern times, writing down account numbers and passwords is an essential component of pre-planning and reducing stress for survivors. Having a list of account numbers and passwords written down is vital to ensuring your loved ones will have access to the funds you have worked a lifetime to save and pass on to them.
Providing survivors with a way to delete or update your social media accounts is also important. It can be very depressing to see a deceased loved one or friend’s social media account; having a list of passwords somewhere will give the people you have left behind the option of maintaining the account and/or download any pictures you may have posted.
Planning ahead will ensure your final wishes are met and your loved ones will have to deal with as little uncertainty as possible. For more information, call 910-799-1686 or visit www.dignitymemorial.com.
Michael Higgins is Sales Manager for Dignity Memorial®, which cares for more than 300,000 families each year through its network of more than 2,000 providers throughout North America. Learn more at www.DignityMemorial.com, or call Greenlawn Memorial Park, Oleander Memorial Gardens and Coble Funeral and Cremation Services at Greenlawn Memorial Park, (910) 799-1686.
