The Pros and Cons of a Funeral Plan

Posted on April 27th, 2018

While death and bereavement affects us all in some way, thinking about what will happen when we die can be difficult. Facing this subject either on an emotional or practical level can take a toll on us, as well as our loved ones. One way to ease the worry is to create a funeral plan in advance; but this may come with drawbacks as well as advantages.

One benefit of creating a funeral plan is the freedom of choice; you can take some time to discuss your options and your specific wishes will be documented for the future. Not only will this mean you can create a funeral or memorial that is truly personal to you, but a bespoke plan can provide a great deal of peace of mind. You can rest assured knowing your family members or friends will be spared further emotional stress when the time comes.   You do not need a funeral plan to share your wishes as many Funeral Directors have services to help you click here to see our Funeral Wishes form.

Planning in advance may also relieve monetary pressures on your loved ones, which is often a major concern surrounding a funeral. Most funeral directors will provide the option of either paying as a lump sum, or in instalments, meaning that you are able to cover the cost of your funeral well in advance, and secure ‘today’s prices’.

One potential drawback to the commitment of pre-payment is that this may tie up funds you may have planned to use for other things such as emergencies; and depending on your plan provider, amending or cancelling your plan may be difficult or even incur addition costs.

Paying for your plan in advance may not necessarily mean that there will be no additional costs following your death. Changes in available products and services, or elements not included in your plan may prompt additional expense which would perhaps need to be covered elsewhere.

At the time of writing this, the Funeral Plan providers are unregulated and there are concerns that individuals may lose out if their provider fail.

Many of these potential problems can be overcome with a little extra attention to detail; take the time to fully discuss your concerns with your plan provider so you know exactly what you are – and are not – committing to with your plan.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about creating a funeral plan we’d be more than happy to discuss all the options.