Pre-Planning a Funeral: Why It Matters

Pre-planning a funeral — making arrangements for your own death in advance — is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give your family. It removes one of the hardest decision-making burdens from people who are already in grief, and it ensures your wishes are honored. This guide explains the benefits of pre-planning, how to do it, and what to watch out for.

Why Pre-Plan?

When someone dies without pre-arrangements, their family is asked to make dozens of difficult decisions — cremation or burial, which casket, what kind of service — while in acute grief, often under a 24–72 hour time pressure. Families who pre-plan report:

• Significantly reduced stress for survivors
• Confidence that arrangements reflect the deceased's wishes
• Potential cost savings by locking in current prices
• Reduced family conflict (no disputes over "what mom would have wanted")
• Time for family to focus on saying goodbye rather than logistics

Two Levels of Pre-Planning

Planning without pre-payment (arrangements only)

You document your wishes — burial vs. cremation, desired service type, specific preferences — without making any financial arrangements. This is the minimum and can be done at any time without involving a funeral home. It ensures your family knows what you want.

Document your wishes in writing and tell at least two trusted family members where the document is. Include it with your estate planning documents.

Pre-need funeral contract (planning with pre-payment)

You enter a contract with a funeral home specifying exactly what services will be provided and at what price, and prepay for those services. This locks in current prices and potentially saves money if funeral costs rise before the contract is used.

What to Include in Your Pre-Arrangements

• Burial or cremation (and if cremation, what to do with the remains)
• Service type (traditional funeral, memorial service, graveside service, private family only)
• Religious or secular, and if religious, specific traditions or clergy preferences
• Desired location (church, funeral home, outdoors)
• Music — specific songs or types
• Eulogists — who you'd want to speak
• Readings — favorite poems, passages, or texts
• Flowers vs. charitable donations in lieu of flowers, and which charity
• Clothing preferences (if traditional burial with viewing)
• Casket or urn preferences
• Cemetery and plot (if burial) — or specific location for ashes (if cremation)
• Military honors, if applicable
• Obituary preferences or a draft

Pre-Need Contracts: What to Watch For

Pre-need funeral contracts are regulated by state law, but protections vary. Be aware of:

Guaranteed vs. non-guaranteed contracts

• Guaranteed contracts: The funeral home agrees to provide specified services at the pre-paid price, regardless of what those services cost when the contract is used. This protects against inflation.
• Non-guaranteed contracts: The pre-paid amount is credited toward the funeral costs, but if costs have increased, the family pays the difference. Less valuable from a price-protection standpoint.

Portability

What happens if you move to a different city, or if the funeral home goes out of business? Confirm that your pre-need contract is transferable or that your funds are protected in an escrow account regulated by the state. Most states require pre-need funds to be placed in trust.

What's included and what's not

Read the contract carefully. Pre-need contracts often cover funeral home services but not cemetery costs (plot, opening/closing, headstone). Understand exactly what is and isn't covered.

Cancellation and refund rights

Most states give consumers a right to cancel a pre-need contract within a certain period (often 30 days) and receive a refund. Confirm your state's specific cancellation rights before signing.

Alternatives to Funeral Home Pre-Payment

• Final expense life insurance: A small whole life insurance policy specifically to cover funeral costs. Premiums are paid over time; the death benefit pays the funeral costs. May be easier for older individuals than a large lump-sum pre-payment.
• Totten trust or payable-on-death account: Designate a bank account as a "funeral account" with a POD beneficiary who will use the funds for funeral expenses. This is informal but achieves a similar purpose without the risks of a funeral home pre-need contract.

Documenting and Sharing Your Plans

The best pre-arranged funeral helps no one if nobody knows about it. Once you've made arrangements:

• Tell at least two trusted family members about the arrangements and where the documents are
• Keep a copy with your will and other estate documents
• Consider providing a copy to your estate attorney

For the complete funeral planning guide, see our complete funeral planning guide. For what typically happens at a funeral arrangement meeting, see our step-by-step funeral planning guide.