Have you thought about purchasing your headstone in advance? If you're like most people, probably not. Death is not something we like to think about, and some people even regard thinking about it as negative and pessimistic. However, it is a reality, and while it shouldn't stop us from living life to the full now, it warrants some planning.
What is Pre-Need Planning? You can purchase your cemetery lot and monument ahead of time. Once you've purchased your lot, you can go ahead and have the monument designed and installed, and at the time of your passing, only your final date needs added to the stone. You can also preplan your funeral arrangements and burial with a funeral home.
Here are a few reasons to consider Pre-Need Planning for your funeral and purchasing your memorial ahead of time.
As You Like It
The only way to be certain it will look and be the way you want it, is to plan and purchase it ahead of time.
Thoughtful Gift
When the time comes for your final departure from Earth, you will leave an empty place behind you, and that void is painful for those who love you. At a time when people are wrapped in grief, they are also asked to make a lot of decisions, and this adds stress to an already difficult time. Pre-need planning is a thoughtful gift to your loved ones, as it helps relieve some of the burden of this decision making.
Financial Burden
We've all heard it said, and it's true, funerals, burials and grave markers can be costly. At a time when your loved ones are grieving, the last thing they need is added financial burden. Taking time to plan and purchase services ahead of time is again, one last stress and burden your family has to carry. Planning ahead also gives you the opportunity to pay for more costly items spread out over time rather than one lump sum.
Personal Touch
When you're gone, everything you've touched becomes increasingly special to those who love you. Crafts and projects you made, letters you wrote, jewelry you wore, pieces of you left behind that when you're loved ones touch, they feel close to you again. Pre-Need planning removes any doubt or disagreement about what you would have wanted, and has your personal touches on it, so that even in the process of saying goodbye, your loved ones still hear your voice, your wishes, and feel connected to you.
Peace of Mind
I remember when my husband and I made our will, advance directives, and decided who would care for our children if we died, it led to some somber conversations. I took time to write each of our children and my husband letters to be given to them if something happened to me. It was a hard process to even let our minds travel down that imaginary road. Once we were done, the task was finished, and we could move on with the knowledge and peace of mind that it was sorted. Pre-Need planning offers just that. While the process may result in somber discussions, in the end, once it is sorted, you can move on and let it go with peace of mind.
We would be glad to help you plan your monument ahead of time. With so many options available, both for cremation and traditional burial, we're sure we have something to meet your unique needs. It's never too early to start planning, and if you're reading this, it's not too late.