Estate planning is very unique because it is the one thing that you engage in with an eye on the future that does not benefit you. The fact is that you won’t be around to see the result of your planning, so in a very real sense you are doing it for the benefit of your loved ones. This is self-evident if you stop and think about it, but it is an unusual feeling. You’re used to considering your assets to be your own and the results of your choices being something you alone live with for better or for worse.
So when you’re planning your estate it is useful to keep this in mind and recognize the fact that your decisions are largely being made for the benefit of those who you will be leaving behind. This is why you may want to give your funeral some consideration. As you can imagine, driving around town in a highly emotional state trying to identify the right funeral home is not a very enticing proposition for your family members. And when they do identify a resource they feel comfortable with there are a number of decisions that must be made that are very sensitive.
It is well known that it is difficult to get any two people to agree on anything, and when more than two people are involved the challenges are compounded. So in addition to the pure emotional stress involved in arranging a funeral while you are aggrieved there is also the possibility of family members disagreeing about the details, making a difficult situation worse.
You can spare your family members this fate by taking the time to make your own funeral arrangements in advance. In addition to making the situation easier on your loved ones, you’re also making sure your own preferences are honored. The time you devote to making final arrangements is time well spent on multiple levels.
Larry Parman
Founding Attorney
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