When burial planning, it helps to have complete knowledge of the procedures and associated costs. These can be quite significant, depending on which burial plans you choose. Also, prefer the Funeral Directors Bristol that makes your relative funeral memorable.
In fact, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) places the national US average at around $7,600 or more. Cremation is considerably cheaper at $350. Also, if you are looking to plan a funeral prefer best funeral directors Highbridge which provides good services.
In the following article, we share three essentials you should know about burial planning. Let’s begin!
1. Find Out the Facts
The planning process starts with knowing what to expect. That includes details on how the body will be prepared, the ceremony itself, and the final burial (or “internment”).
Body preparation usually involves cremation or embalming. If deciding to cremate, the ceremony and preservation mode of the ashes will be the focal points. With embalming, vital internal organs are removed and replaced with embalming fluid to preserve the body’s appearance for burial.
The embalming process is more intensive and significantly more costly. Middleton’s Funeral Services However, many families choose to go this path because it gives the family one final chance to pay their respects to the individual in the form they were most remembered.
2. Choose a Provider
After the fact-finding part of planning for burial, it’s time to think about costs. The NFDA also notes that there are more than 19,000 funeral homes in the US. This is an average of more than 375 per state.
Despite these options, many families choose from an immediate geographical area. Whether due to convenience or preferences of the deceased, it’s an unnecessary limitation.
Compare and Contrast
Thankfully, what you’ll find when learning how to plan a burial is that there are still enough options to choose from where you can get the best price. Start with the city where you plan to have the funeral and interment.
However, be open to smaller towns and cities in the area as well. Most have at least one funeral home to pick from. You also must know that many buy wholesale headstones and other materials in bulk to give them the ability to negotiate to the needs of their customers.
Financial Options
Keep in mind that the average cost mentioned above is not the total cost. What you ultimately pay could vary wildly based on cremation, embalming, headstones, and burial plots available.
Establish a working list among the different funeral homes. Make sure that each quote is an apples-to-apples comparison based on the scope of your burial plans.
3. Prepare Your Loved Ones
Funeral planning can be an uncomfortable topic, especially for those closest to you. No one likes to think about losing someone they love. But if you’re direct about it, you can prepare them for what’s to come without having to dwell on it.
Consider sitting as many of them down at once to avoid confusion. Then, lay out what you want and why you want it.
Document It
You know your plans. You’ve communicated them. Now it’s time to get it all in writing in a legal document that ensures your wishes are followed.
Many families are left in the dark or in a dispute because wishes were voiced verbally and not in legal form. Don’t put them through that if you can help it.
Burial Planning Eases the Stressors Surrounding Death
The burial planning process is one that everyone must go through at least once in their lives (more if left planning for relatives). Get the facts, build your to-do list, and know what you’re getting.
For more health and lifestyle information, check out some of our additional posts!
