How To Plan For Your Own Funeral
Planning your own funeral as part of your estate plan can save your family extra trauma and grief at the time of your death. Our wills and trusts attorneys at Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP, in White Plains have more than 100 years of estate planning experience. Our attorneys encourage our clients in Westchester County and throughout south-central New York to prepare as much as possible in advance of their death, including identifying their wishes for their own funeral.
What To Include In Your Funeral Plans
Facing your own mortality and thinking about your own funeral can be dark and daunting, and maybe even trigger an existential crisis. However, when you are in the process of putting together your estate plan and making decisions about how you would like to distribute your assets and wealth, it’s a natural time to think about your funeral too.
In addition, when you realize that by making a few preparations for your own funeral in advance, you will most certainly save your family a lot of extra stress and grief if you were to die unexpectedly, and that is worth it. We encourage our clients to think about the following:
- Would you like to be buried or cremated?
- Is there a funeral home that you would like to use?
- Would you like there to be a service? If so, where?
- Are there any songs or special readings you’d like your service to include?
If you die unexpectedly, without having identified anything regarding your funeral wishes, your family is left to guess. When a family has to guess a loved one’s wishes, they will inevitably worry that they chose wrong. Outlining what you would like in advance will save them extra grief.
Who Is In Charge Of The Funeral?
In your estate planning documents, you can designate someone to be in charge of your funeral plans. If you do not designate someone to be in charge of your funeral arrangements, the laws in the state of New York specify, in order of priority, that your spouse, adult children, your parents or your adult siblings can make the arrangements. Your estate plan can also include financial designations to specify how any funeral arrangements and services will be financed.
Do You Have Questions About Pre-Planning Your Funeral?
Our estate planning attorneys are available for consultations by appointment. If you are ready to prepare your will, trusts and your estate plan, or add funeral plans to your existing estate plan, call us on 914-269-2367 or send us an email to schedule a consultation.
