WHY PLAN AHEAD?

LIVE WELL. LEAVE WELL.

All It Takes Is A Little Time

Our highly trained staff is available to assist you as you outline the final arrangements that you prefer. It's common to think "my family knows what I want"...and in many ways, they probably do. However, each person has a unique relationship with you - and they will bring their own ideas about what you "would have wanted" into the conversation based on that unique relationship. In their own ways, they may each be right - yet still end up disagreeing. Emotions can be heightened and even though each person can be well-meaning... the closest of families can end up at cross purposes. This can so easily be avoided. Again, it only has to cost you a little time. 



Anyone can create a plan, at any stage in their life. Like any important documents, these pre-arrangements can - and should - be updated as your life changes. Think of pre-arranging your final wishes as something like a smoke detector. It sits, unused and little considered, until it is needed. But, in that moment there is nothing more important in your home. 

SECURE ONLINE PREPLANNING FORM

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Benefits of Preplanning

Planning Ahead Lets You Decide How You'd Like To Be Remembered

Creating your own unique life celebration allows you to make sure that your wishes and desires are respected upon your passing. In addition to the plans for your final arrangements, there are also legal forms that you can execute to ensure your wishes are not changed. These, if utilized, should be on file with your chosen funeral home. While we do not provide legal counsel, we can share the proper forms and help you learn the options available to you. 


However you decide to be memorialized, simply or with all the traditional elements, pre-planning and preparation gives you control over the personal decisions that must be made when a person moves on from this life. Planning can be meaningful for your family, as well, if you choose to include them in the process. It can help them to feel connected to you both in life and in death, knowing that your arrangements reflect exactly what you envisioned them to be. Again, it's all up to you when you plan in advance. 

It Takes The Pressure Off Of Your Family

When a loved one passes, the family faces a huge number of tasks and decisions that must be dealt with immediately. This all happens as they are struggling through grief and a range of difficult emotions. By taking care of your arrangements before the time of need, you’re relieving them of many of the most difficult and personal decisions; giving them more time and energy to focus on supporting each other. They won’t have to ask themselves, “Am I making the right choices?” and can instead focus on what matters: saying goodbye and celebrating your life - just as you wished - with those who cared about you most. 

It Gives You The Option To Pre-Pay, But Only If You Wish

While pre-funding your final arrangements is certainly not required in order to pre-plan, pre-payment means that your funds will be set aside and protected against inflation and unforeseen increases in cost. You can stop the out of pocket increases at today's pricing, leaving more for your family. They won’t have to worry about payment of the guaranteed services and merchandise, and can have peace of mind knowing that everything is handled. Our Family Service Counselors would be glad to provide you with more information and help you understand the payment options available. It's totally up to you. 

However, Please Know This

Making your plans known and putting them on file with your chosen funeral home is equally as valuable whether you pre-pay or you do not. The decision-making that the family is spared is a tremendous gift; so time spent planning is never wasted. In fact, it can be argued that while simply having money set aside but without making the decisions and leaving a plan for your family to follow is certainly a help...it still leaves the most emotional aspects undone. It is also a fact that planning and making the choices ahead of time more often saves a family from emotional over-spending in a time of extreme emotion. The plans you make are truly the greatest gift you will leave with regards to pre-arranging. 

Common Questions About Preplanning

Click on the questions below to reveal each respective answer.

  • What if I Move?

    Once you create your pre-plan with us, we store it in our files as a record of your final wishes and decisions. Your plan is easily transferable to any funeral home in the United States, so it can be used wherever you might choose to relocate. No matter where you live at the time of your passing, or which funeral home’s services you decide to use, we’ll make sure that your plan follows you there. The funds are custodied in a financial vehicle in your name until the time of need. We do not receive any payment until the agreed upon services have been satisfactorily provided. Your money is safe, period. 

  • Where Do I Start?

    The first step is to review our Pre-Planning & Bereavement Guide along with our Pre-Planning Checklist to help you consider all of your possibilities and gather all of the information you’ll need. Then, you can use our Online Planning Form to begin creating your personalized arrangements. You can also contact us to schedule a time to meet with one of us to discuss or finalize your options or simply meet in person to design your plan. We are happy to come to you, or meet with you here at McCullough. 

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