After someone that you love passes away funeral arrangements are going to have to be made. Now it is possible for an individual to state his or her own funeral preferences within the estate plan that is left behind and this is recommended. However, as we all know people sometimes overlook this detail.
This is a somewhat delicate subject that a lot of people are going to try to avoid, but it must be brought into the light of day.
Imagine yourself sitting in a funeral home being presented with various options. The prices on things like coffins are going to vary considerably. You may be of the mind that there’s really no reason to purchase a top-of-the-line coffin. Perhaps you honestly feel that if it was you who had passed away you would want your family to purchase something economical.
Yet, there are innuendos here. If you don’t get the best of everything eyebrows could be raised.
And of course other decisions must be made as well such as cremation versus burial and the exact nature of the memorial service. If you are not aware of the preferences of the deceased individual you are being asked to make impossible decisions, and various family members may have differing ideas about how to proceed.
All the above causes for hand wringing can be avoided if you simply assert your preferences with regard to final arrangements when you are executing your estate planning documents. If you would like to do so, simply take a moment to arrange for an appointment with a good Indianapolis estate planning lawyer.
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Mr. Kraft assists clients primarily in the areas of estate planning and administration, Medicaid planning, federal and state taxation, real estate and corporate law, bringing the added perspective of an accounting background to his work.
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