Grandparents sit with grandkids on a bench in a park

8 Surprising Benefits of Prepaid Funeral Plans

If you're researching prepaid funerals, you already know the main benefit of planning and paying ahead: saving family the stress of making funeral arrangements during a difficult time. What you may not know are the other surprising benefits that come with prepaid funeral plans.

Our funeral planning experts have seen firsthand the many ways they can help families, from ensuring wishes are followed to helping families avoid disagreements.

8. Your loved ones can focus on comfort and healing.

The days immediately following a death are naturally a difficult time, filled with heightened emotions and stress. A prepaid funeral plan is like a final gift you give your loved ones.

By arranging the details of a cremation, funeral, memorial or celebration of life ahead of time, you free your loved ones from having to make decisions about things like type of casket, cemetery property, catering and more. When they don't have to guess about what you would have wanted or worry about spending too much or too little, they have more time and energy to be with family and friends. They can begin the healing process and allow themselves to be comforted without the distraction of tough choices. Read 6 Reasons Prepaid Funeral Plans Are the Best Gift You Can Give Your Children.

7. You minimize disagreements between family members.

It’s not uncommon for family members to want different things for a loved one who has passed. Even if you share your wishes with your family, they can have a hard time remembering what they were if you haven't written them down. Your sister may insist that you told her you wanted to be buried in the same cemetery as your parents, while your son recalls a conversation in which you said you preferred cremation.

When you make final arrangements in advance, you eliminate confusion and help family members avoid disagreements that cause more stress at an already stressful time. By planning ahead and funding your plan, you make your wishes clear and easy to follow.

6. Your family doesn’t have to worry about money for the funeral.

Without a prepaid funeral plan, funeral costs are due when services are performed. That means cash or a personal line of credit—either one can be a stretch for many families. What's more, it’s natural for family members to want the best for each other, and so they may put pressure on themselves and each other to spend more than you would have wanted them to. Learn more about Understanding Funeral & Cremation Costs.

Prepaying for your funeral not only relieves your family of a financial burden after you pass, it can deter them from spending money on things you may not have wanted.

5. You make your wishes known.

When you meet with a Dignity Memorial^® planning advisor, you'll put together a plan for your final tribute, right down to the last detail. First, you'll choose the funeral home or cremation provider where you would like your services held. If you would like a reception or celebration of life, you'll lay out the specifics.

Do you want visitation? A closed casket? A witness cremation? Would you prefer a church service followed by a reception at the funeral home? An outdoor celebration of life followed by a scattering at a personally meaningful place? A memorial at the funeral home followed by a procession and graveside ceremony?

You get to decide the details, including:

Location
Decor
Readings
Music
Flowers
Food and drinks
Stationery
Keepsakes

Without a prepaid plan, there’s no way to guarantee that your wishes will be honoured.

4. You lock in today's prices on many things.

Some of the biggest benefits of prepaid funeral plans are financial considerations. Funding your funeral plan in advance offers protection against rising costs by allowing you to lock in prices on some items. That means even if the price goes up, your loved ones won’t have to pay more. Learn about prepaid cremation options.

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, average funeral prices in North America rose 97% from 1989 to 2017.

3. Your child or grandchild is covered.

One of the most difficult things to think about—the death of a child—is also among the most unknown benefits of a prepaid funeral plan. If you have a prepaid plan with a Dignity Memorial provider and lose a child or grandchild under the age of 21 and unmarried, we provide complimentary funeral or cremation services up to the same level as your plan through any of our providers. We hope you never have to use this benefit, but it's our gift to you should you suffer such a loss. Read more about the Dignity Difference.

2. If you pass away while traveling, we'll bring you home.

According to Statistic Canada, Canadian residents took 316 million trips in Canada and abroad in 2018. That's a lot of time away!

A prepaid funeral plan from a Dignity Memorial provider includes transportation to the funeral home of your choice should death occur when you are more than 100 kilometres away from your permanent residence.

If you're a frequent traveler, this option is something you may want to consider.

1. If you move, your plan goes with you.

When you plan in advance with Dignity Memorial, you also get relocation protection—because who knows where life is going to take you. It's a benefit that allows for prepaid funeral and cemetery plans to be transferred to any of the more than 1,900 Dignity Memorial providers in North America if you move more than 100 kilometres away from where you purchased the plan. So if your job transfers you to another province (or state) or you decide to move to be closer to your children and grandchildren, your funeral plan moves right along with you.

Take action now and get the guide

Now that you know all the benefits, what are you waiting for? Get in touch and we'll help you document your wishes, discuss costs and answer any questions you have. Our planning professionals are here to help.