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A Funeral Plan Provides Comfort in
Unsettling Times
By Andy West
There is a saying that life is for the living. People
espouse phrases like this because they want to spend
their time on Earth enjoying all that life has to offer.
The thought of death is one that most people want to
stay far away from. Why would they not? Death is a
depressing subject. Most people have experienced the
death of a loved one and they really do not want to
face, or think about, their own mortality. On the other
hand, it is a subject that deserves contemplation. Not
to say one should consider the afterlife or how they
want to go, but people really need to think about how
their passing effects their loved ones. The death of a
family member can create a great financial burden and it
is something that many families are not properly
prepared for. Thinking ahead and developing a sound
funeral plan eases at least some of the stress
associated with an untimely passing. The arrangements
for end of life ceremonies are far from cheap. However,
the right policy can provide the funds necessary to send
a loved one off right.
It really is an awful subject to have to think about.
Losing a family member or a friend is hard enough, but
to think about and plan for your own demise seems nearly
impossible. When most people reflect on their own lives,
they remember all of the good times they have had. They
recall the adventures they experienced throughout their
lives, the lessons they learned, and the things and
places they saw. They think about the many different
people they have met, for better or for worse. These are
the memories everyone wants to preserve. Nobody wants to
be thinking about the end until they absolutely must
face it. Even then, they want to be surrounded by
friends and loved ones in order to push the thought of
death as far away as possible.
Towards the end of one's life, their family generally
does not think about the cost associated. The family
just supports and prays for them. It is not until the
death occurs and they start with the funeral plan that
they realize how much it will cost. Often times, it is
not a cost the family is prepared for. The casket, the
burial plot, the ceremony, and the reception, are all
costs that can add up to one hefty sum. Nobody wants to
dishonor the memory of a loved one by going cheap on the
ceremony either. They can wind up swimming in mounds of
debt when it is all over.
While planning ahead for death is not pleasant, it is a
very good idea. Developing a funeral plan with an
insurance professional will ease the burden placed on
your family. The monthly cost for such a policy pales in
comparison to the overall cost your family will wind up
paying if there are no prior arrangements set. It also
allows you to plan for every aspect of the ceremony so
your family does not have to. When the time comes, the
family deserves time to grieve. They should not have to
spend all of their time preparing the arrangements.
It really is the most difficult part of life to plan
for. Death is something that is rarely on a person's
mind. If one is thinking about death all of the time,
they give themselves no time to live. However, arranging
a funeral plan early allows you to put the thought far
away from your mind so you can focus on what really
matters. Spend time living with those you love and leave
the rest to a secure policy.
As a writer on financial planning topics, Andy West
attests that a funeral plan is a caring way to help your
family through a difficult time. |
