Taking control of your funeral plans at any age is a wise decision, but the earlier you can have your end-of-life wishes in place, the better. It will save your family a lot of stress and worry if they know the plans you’d like to have in place, and it also gives you peace of mind knowing that decisions have been made in advance, whatever should happen in the future. Death is a certainty for us all and taking a proactive approach to your own funeral can be beneficial to your loved ones when the time comes.
In your 40s, many people have settled down into their careers and family life and are considering the type of retirement they would like for their autumn years. But it’s also a good time to start considering the type of funeral you’d like, and the financial aspects of it all, such as writing a will or taking out life insurance. Here’s how you can prepare for confidence that your family won’t have the stress of handling your funeral in years to come.
Decide who will oversee decision-making
The first step to preparing your funeral is deciding who will handle your funeral arrangements when you pass away. Without legal documentation authorising someone to handle them, there will be an order of priority in terms of who will be able to make decisions, and it might not be who you’d like to be dealing with these terms.
But you can supersede this legal hierarchy through deciding specifically who you’d like to take control of these affairs by creating a Will and establishing an Executor of that document, who is the person or people responsible for handling probate administration and ensuring the terms of your will are carried out. You need to think about when to write a will and consult a lawyer who can help you out in the situation.
Consider the type of funeral you want to have
The loss of a loved one leaves a huge hole in the lives of family and friends, and it can take a long time to overcome the grief that’s associated with someone you love dying. You don’t want your loved ones having to make important decisions like funeral arrangements when they’re handling your loss, but you can help with this in advance by considering the type of funeral you want.
Making a funeral plan before you die will take this burden off their shoulders in the event of your death and will also ensure that your funeral is the type of service you would want for yourself. Funeral plans will allow you to determine the type of service you want – a burial or cremation – and pay for it in advance, so your loved ones don’t need to make any complicated decisions during such a difficult time. You may also consider having custom grave monuments.
Talk to your loved ones
No-one wants to talk about mortality, especially their own, but having the conversation with your loved ones in advance is an important step in preparing for your funeral. While it can be an uncomfortable talk, knowing that your family understand your wishes for your funeral can be a weight off your mindand it can ease tensions in having an open discussion about the inevitability of the future.
You can outline the type of service you want, such as whether you want a burial or cremation, within a funeral plan, but the finer details are worth discussing with loved ones so they’re aware of your preferences. It can help with the process if they know in advance how you’d like to be honoured when you die and it can also avoid any disagreements between family members when the time comes, which is not only time-consuming but emotionally draining for them.
Final thoughts
The earlier you can make plans and arrangements for your funeral, the easier it will be for those close to you when the unfortunate time comes, and you pass away. In your 40s, you’re likely to be more settled in your life and job, and you may have dependents who you want to take care of when you’re not around. Making a Will, setting up a funeral plan and ensuring your family are kept informed about your wishes can ease the emotional and financial burden that the death of a loved one can bring, while also ensuring that your own wishes are realised when you pass on.
