Should I Plan For My Funeral As Part Of My Estate Plan?
Planning ahead for the future often means making some difficult decisions—especially about what happens after you pass away. For that reason, including funeral and burial arrangements in your estate plan can ease the burden on your loved ones during an emotionally challenging time. Indeed, thoughtful funeral planning is a final act of care that brings clarity, comfort, and control. Here, our Boston estate planning lawyer provides an overview of the key things to consider when thinking about funeral and burial arrangements in Massachusetts.
Making a Plan for Your Funeral Can Ease the Emotional Burdens on Your Loved Ones
Funeral planning can be stressful for family and friends of the deceased. Not only are they asked to make decisions during a very difficult time when they only want to grieve, but they are also further burdened with the questions of, “What did Mom or Dad want?” It is a lot less stressful when the key decisions have already been made ahead of time. Indeed, planning your funeral in advance can significantly ease the emotional burden on your loved ones. Grief can be overwhelming. When a person has to make dozens of decisions—ranging from burial vs. cremation to the location of the funeral—this only adds stress. When you outline your funeral preferences as part of your estate plan, you relieve your family from guessing what you would have wanted.
Making a Plan for Your Funeral Ensures Your Personal Wishes Are Honored
When you include a funeral and burial plan within your estate planning documents, you can maintain control over how you are remembered. Among other things, you can specify whether you prefer a religious or secular service, burial or cremation, and even where you’d like your remains to be placed.
Know the Law: In Massachusetts, a written directive for funeral and burial wishes can be legally recognized if properly included in your estate plan.
Making a Plan for Your Funeral Helps to Avoid Conflict
Even in close-knit families, disagreements can arise about funeral arrangements. For example, one sibling may want a traditional wake whereas another sibling may strongly prefer a private gathering. Your loved ones may not be sure about what you actually wanted. Good faith disagreements are common and without clear guidance, well-meaning loved ones may clash over decisions. By providing detailed instructions as part of your estate plan, you can dramatically reduce the risk of conflict during an already challenging time.
Making a Plan for Your Funeral Provides an Opportunity for Financial Planning
Funerals can be costly. Indeed, even relatively basic services in Massachusetts can easily run your family several thousand dollars. A more comprehensive funeral, burial, and celebration of life will likely cost in the five figures. By incorporating funeral planning into your estate plan, you can set aside funds in a payable-on-death (POD) account or establish a pre-need funeral trust. If you wish to do so, you can handle all of the finances ahead of time.
Consult With Our Boston Estate Planning Attorney Today
At Fisher Law LLC, our Massachusetts estate planning attorneys are committed to helping people set themselves up for a better future. If you have any questions about funeral arrangements and estate plans, please do not hesitate to contact us today for a confidential consultation. With an office in the South Shore/Metro West area of Boston, we serve communities throughout Massachusetts.
