When you engage the services of an estate planning attorney you will invariably gain a great deal of peace of mind. Those who have not stated their intentions are leaving a lot to chance, and at worst, some of the consequences can be rather devastating. For example, if you don’t create a living will or execute a medical power of attorney naming someone (who is aware of your wishes) as your proxy, your family can be left to make agonizing medical decisions on your behalf, perhaps only after court intervention. There are other matters that can wind up in the hands of your loved ones if you do not address them beforehand that are perhaps a bit less emotional, but nonetheless important. One of these involves the details of your funeral arrangements.
There are some very good reasons to state your funeral preferences in writing and place this document in the trusting care of an estate planning attorney. The most obvious reason is that when you do so, your wishes will be honored and you will be memorialized and interred in the manner of your choosing. But even if you don’t have very specific funeral desires, taking the decisions out of the hands of your loved ones, who will be in a state of mourning, is an act of empathy. Depending on the family dynamic, if there are no instructions, disagreements concerning the appropriate arrangements can occur. Even if everyone agrees with the need to make these plans, simply failing to set forth your preferences adds a layer of stress at a difficult time.
A comprehensive estate plan covers every eventuality, and funeral planning is just a part of the process. By taking a little bit of time to do some research and record your preferences you take some of the pressure off your family while making sure that your own wishes are carried out.
Larry Parman
Attorney at Law
Since founding Parman & Easterday in 1985, Larry has led over 1,000 free, community-service education programs and helped more than 10,000 Oklahoma families go from putting off their estate plan to getting it done. His goal for every client is the same: to become the person their family calls "the one who took care of everything."
Larry is the author of three books: The Straight Shooter's Guide to Estate Planning; Estate Planning Basics; and Guiding Those Left Behind in Oklahoma. He served as Oklahoma's Secretary of State and Secretary of Commerce, and his firm is the only member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys in the state.
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