If you are thinking about meeting with funeral homes in Michigan City, IN about pre planning your funeral, you are doing your family a great service. While it may be difficult to think about your own passing, making sure your affairs are organized and your wishes are clearly stated is a true gift to your loved ones. Here are steps to take now to relieve some of the burden off your family later:
Make a Will
By creating a will, you will be saving your family a lot of stress after your passing. With your will stating your wishes and appointing where -and who- your assets go to, your family will not have to worry or argue over what they think is best way to handle assets or accounts.
In your will, you will address topics such as:
- How your property and assets are divided
- Provide a beneficiary for any pets you have so they can be taken care of
- Assign a guardian for any minor children you have
- Leave instructions for your social media and other digital accounts
- Letting your funeral arrangement wishes known
Having a will that outlines all these issues will save your family from arguments with one another and having to wonder what you would have wanted.
Bank Accounts / Credit Cards / Other Accounts
Many banks allow you to add a payable on death (POD) individual on the account. This will be the person who receives the funds after your passing. Check with your local bank and see if this applies or if they have other requirements/options for appointing a beneficiary.
It is also a good idea to list your credit cards and contact information of each company. If you have any payments attached to these cards that come out automatically each month, list those as well. This will make it much easier for your family to manage these accounts later.
The same is true with any other accounts you have. If you have an auto loan, school loans, utilities, etc, create a complete list with all needed information so that your family can easily know what to take care of.
Funeral Arrangements
Planning your funeral ahead of time not only helps to ensure your last wishes are followed but helps take the burden off your family at such a difficult time. Creating a plan is easy. Some things you could include are:
- What funeral services will be included? Will it be a traditional service with a visitation? Do you want a graveside service or just a memorial service?
- Any specific things you would like to add – or exclude- from your services
- Is there anything you would like to be buried with?
- Are there any specific songs you would like played? Any specific flowers you would like used?
Planning this all now and sharing it with your family will be such a nice relief later in their time of grief.
While planning your funeral may seem morbid or strange to some, it truly is a loving gift to your family. The stress and burden it takes away will be so appreciated in their time of mourning.
When talking to funeral homes in Michigan City, IN., let them know what you already have planned and see what other things you may need to consider. The professionals at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center are here to help. Call and talk one-on-one with a funeral director to ensure you have everything taken care of.