For many, the idea of planning their own funeral might seem strange. Thinking about what your final farewell might look like—let alone writing these thoughts down—may feel unnecessary, self-indulgent, or even depressing.
There are several reasons why you might want to give your funeral wishes some thought, a big one being that it could make arranging the day much easier for your family. Knowing how you feel about all or parts of your funeral could help guide their choices and make the whole process less stressful.
With this in mind, here are 8 times when knowing your funeral wishes could be useful:
1. You care deeply about how your remains will be treated.
Whether you’re planning to be buried or cremated might depend on your culture, personal beliefs, or something else entirely. It’s common for people to have strong feelings about what happens to their body after they pass away. Letting your family know this can help them honour your wish when the time comes.
2. You want a non-traditional service.
When people picture a funeral, they probably imagine something out of a movie: a service held in a church or graveside, mourners dressed in black, flowers everywhere. But what if you’d prefer something a bit different? Sharing any ideas you have for your funeral—whether that’s everyone dressed in your favourite colour or throwing a joyful “celebration of life” party—can help loved ones plan a funeral that reflects your unique personality.
3. You don’t want a funeral to be held at all.
Sometimes people simply do not want a funeral to be held for them. This may be due to the cost, family history, a personal preference or other reasons. Since it’s usually assumed that a funeral should always be held when someone passes away, it could be helpful for your family to know if you’d rather not have one.
4. You want to help protect the environment.
Caring for the planet is important for many people, even in death. Arranging a funeral can be overwhelming, and your family may not think to ask for the most environmentally friendly options in the moment. If this is important to you, letting your loved ones know could help remind them to make green choices as they plan your funeral.
5. You want to encourage charitable donations.
Asking for donations to a charity (often instead of sending flowers or meals to your family) is a common request when someone passes away. If there’s a charity, non-profit or community organisation that’s close to your heart, your family can ask that others donate in your name when you pass away. They might also like to organise a volunteer day to give their time as well.
6. You’ve already made some arrangements.
Only 5% of Kiwis have made any plans for their funeral, but you might be one of them. These arrangements could be a big relief for your family, removing a bit of the stress that often comes with funeral planning. Of course, it won’t help if they don’t know what steps you’ve taken! You’ll probably want to let your loved ones know the plans you’ve made and where to find the paperwork.
7. You’ve already sorted money to pay for everything.
Funerals can cost thousands of dollars, and this can often leave families scrambling to come up with enough money to cover the expense on short notice. If this is something you have already thought about and have a funeral insurance policy, or another way to pay for your funeral organised, sharing the details with your family could help them make a claim or other arrangements as soon as possible, so the money is there when they need it.
8. Your family’s not there to start making arrangements.
Whilst a family member is most often put in charge of arranging a funeral, there may be times when this isn’t the case. Loved ones may live abroad, travel frequently or sadly no longer be with you. The planning process could fall to a close friend, neighbour or church leader instead. Having a copy of your funeral wishes saved with other important documents could help guide those who might not know you as well.
Funeral wishes are as unique as the person making them. Sharing any thoughts, preferences or plans you have about your own final farewell with your family could be a great comfort to them when its time to start making arrangements.
Ready to write down your funeral wishes? Download our free Funeral Wishes Guide today!
About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.
TAGS:
The content provided in this article is for information purposes only. The information is of a general nature and does not constitute financial advice or other professional advice. To the extent that any of the content constitutes financial advice, it is limited to Momentum Life products only and does not consider your specific financial needs or goals. You should consider whether the information is appropriate for you and seek independent professional advice, if required.
All product information is correct at the time this article was published. For current product information, please visit the Momentum Life website.
