Documents for Pre-Need Funeral Planning

Facing the deaths of our loved ones – and our own – is a reality we must all deal with at some point.

When the time comes, making arrangements and handling all the details can be a challenging and difficult chore. When it’s our time, these tasks fall to the family and friends we are leaving behind. By making pre-need funeral plans, however, you can take care of many of the details in the here and now.

One of the most important parts of planning ahead for your funeral services is to gather the appropriate documents.

The documentation may vary depending on your personal situation (financial, legal, etc.) but there are a few standard pieces that are helpful to have in place when making advance plans.

Start with a list of personal contacts (family, friends, coworkers) who should be notified immediately after the death. If you are still working, your employer and any close associates should be included also. It may be helpful to have one or more people from this list contact the others, to ensure that everyone you’ve thought of receives the proper information.

There will also be many other documents you’ll need to procure and will come in handy if you have them sorted ahead of time. First and foremost is your legal will. This vital document defines the ways in which your assets will be divided, and to whom. Legal power of attorney is also important here, to help with complex decisions related to your estate.

You should also include your bank account, retirement, and investment information, as well as contact information for your banks and other institutions that handle your home, auto, and business finances.

In addition, any current medical bills and related information, as well as current utilities will be useful when planning ahead.

When you have such documentation prepared during pre-need service planning, you will be able to save your family and friends much time and strain of handling all these details when you’ve passed. As such, your funeral process will be much smoother with your affairs already in order.

For any questions or more information on what you may need to plan services ahead of time, visit our website or call 815-433-0313.

Oakwood Memorial Park

2405 Champlain St

Ottawa, IL 61350

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