PSA-Planning for your passing (long)

[SunnyP4Disney]

I just want to emphasize how important it is to pre plan for what will happen if something happens to you. We have everything planned for us, wills, trusts, guardian of DS, life insurance policies, and our funeral planning. It is all written out and my family is well aware of what our wishes are. We want our viable organs donated, cremated, and some of our ashes scattered in the ocean with the rest interred at the Florida National Cemetery.

Unfortunately, we didn't pressure FIL to do the same. He has always been very poor, so he couldn't afford life insurance or savings, he was unisurable due to his pre existing conditions. So everything is coming out of pocket from us. He would only tell DH he wanted to be cremated, nothing else. So now we are wrangling arrangements, trying to keep with what we think would please FIL. He had no will.

It is unbelievable how expensive cremation/funeral costs are. I am stunned. We are woely unprepared for how much this is going to cost us. I am not employed right now, so money is tight, especially since we move in June to FL.

If you haven't done your own pre planning, it is NEVER to early to start. Don't put your family in a difficult situation. Make sure you have a will and a plan of how you want your wishes carried out. And above all else, make sure you have insurance. I know it's difficult to think about the "what ifs", but better now than passing that burden to your loved ones that are just trying to cope with the pain of losing someone the love. We love him very much and I just hope we do him justice with our decisions...

 

[Northstar]

Cremation costs are not that high, actually. Don't allow yourself to be pressured by funeral home salespeople who will tell you "your father would have wanted this. You have to make a good show to honor your father."

I'm not saying the funeral business people are dishonest or that they are rotten human beings. Just that they are a business, and they have to sell.

Both my mother's and my father's remains were cremated at a cost of less than $1000. We planned a memorial service for several months later on, when family were able to make arrangements to be in town, at church followed by reception at home with homemade lunch.

 

[minkydog]

I agree, cremation doesn't have to cost a ton of money. When my dad died(without a valid will or life insurance, I might add) we had him cremated. Since there was no casket, we opted to not have a viewing night. We had a short memorial service at the gravesite of his parents. Our costs were a little higher than average for a cremation because he wanted to have his ashes buried with his mother, so we had to pay for the grave opening and a special box to put the cremains in. still, the whole thing was under $2,500.

If you tell your funeral director that you have a budget of $XXX he can set you up.Don't feel bad about not pulling out all the stops. You can pull together a nice, fitting funeral without breaking the bank.

 

[hereyago]

OP: sorry about your FIL. It's crazy how funeral homes will "sell" what they think the family member would want. however, funerals are really for the living.


have you thought about donating his body to science, pending certain restrictions they may have?