You may look at pre-planning your own funeral arrangements or those of a spouse as stroking one more detail off the list of things to have in order before one’s passing. But have you considered the impact that makes on those left behind?
“You can look at it like a gift for a spouse, or children, or next of kin,” says Stuart Green, partner with Telford, Toneff and Boyd Burial and Cremation Centres. “Some of our clients say they spoke about it 10 or 20 years ago, and now are taking steps to look after the details. The benefit is, they’re not leaving their choices for someone else to make.”
Here’s a few good reasons to consider pre-planning:
- Ease stress and save money – While roughly 75 per cent of families look after funeral and related arrangements after a loved one’s death, others make plans while they’re alive and can speak to their family about their wishes. “The experience is like night and day when people have made pre-arrangements, as opposed to when they haven’t,” Green says, adding the savings when pre-planning can be as much as 30 per cent.
- Ask about fixed costs and payment plans – One of the advantages of booking ahead is that your loved ones incur no additional costs after your death. And if you’ve chosen a payment plan, the package is paid off if you die before the final payment is made.
- Family and friends can grieve together – Ensuring that family and friends to gather to celebrate your life, watch a tribute video and hear people’s memories of you is an important part of grieving.
Helping ensure your will and funeral arrangements are looked after are among the end-of-life services Telford’s provides. Here are some others:
- Finalizing everything – Not only will Telford’s wind up all aspects of your estate, they’ll look after such government paperwork as confirming Canada Pension Plan death benefits, cancelling your driver’s licence, passport and credit cards, and working with Revenue Canada on any remaining tax implications.
- Securing payouts for your beneficiaries – From insurance death benefits to other payouts, your surviving family members will have very few organizations to notify in the event of your death.
- Loved ones can honour your maritime wishes – If you’d like your ashes buried at sea, Telford, Toneff and Boyd has access to a boat and takes extra steps to make it a memorable day. After a short service, the ashes are placed into the water inside a biodegradable container, and your family is given a GPS-pinpointed location. The day also includes lunch.
To learn more about the options for streamlining your end-of-life experience, call or drop by Telford’s on Townsite Road in Nanaimo. You can also follow them on Facebook.