Preplanning

In the mid-1970s, the John Feeney Funeral Home realized that pre-planning a funeral or cremation service in advance made the service even more appropriate, as it allowed a person to state his or her wishes in writing. Besides fulfilling the person’s desires, the other positive point of pre-planning is that it relieves the emotional burden from the surviving family members and/or spouse to make the right choices at a very difficult time.

Feeney Funeral Home became the first home in this region to openly encourage pre-planning in newspaper, radio and other advertisements. We even held public meetings entitled “Forum on Funerals” to enlighten families about pre-planning.

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About Preplanning

Pre-planning occurs in many different ways. When one buys or agrees to use a family plot, they are pre-planning for a future event. Whatever the method or reason, pre- planning is simply taking care for a future event to help yourself or other members.

Funeral pre-planning has often been referred to as a “Gift of the Living for the Living.” By expressing your wishes, in advance, in writing, you are making a very difficult time a little easier for your family.

Pre-planning can be as simple as telling your family your wishes or sitting down with a funeral director to formally draft a document spelling out your wishes and approximate costs. Pre-payment is not required.

At Feeney Funeral Home, the pre-payment of a funeral pre-plan is not required, but it is encourages as a way to control inflationary increases of future costs.

As per a corporate resolution dated in 1985, Feeney Funeral Home does not accept the payment of funds for funeral services in advance, but we will advise you how to invest your funds to protect your pre-plan from inflation and from attachment by the government if you ever apply for Medicaid or long term nursing home care, through funeral insurance or irrevocable bank CDs.

If you choose to pre-pay, we offer significant discounts. Your cash or check will be placed into an interest-bearing insurance policy in your name. Funds are then available upon proof of death, and the interest covers inflation on our services so your family will never pay any additional fees. However, there are some items out of our control that vary wildly and cannot be guaranteed. If you have applied for SSI or welfare funding, you may be restricted in making changes.

How to Preplan Your Funeral

Pre-planning your funeral will make certain that your choices are respected and carried out, without leaving your family to wonder what your wishes might have been. You also have the option of paying for your funeral in advance; this locks-in the cost of the funeral at today’s prices.

When you’re ready to make a real plan, send us an email and we will have one of our pre-planning counselors call you to set up an appointment.

There are many different ways to begin the planning ahead conversation. You know your family and how your loved ones might best respond to the topic. For some families, it might be a casual conversation over dinner or another family gathering; for other families, a formal meeting might be better suited.

Regardless of your approach, the conversation is much easier to have when death is not imminent. Bringing up the subject with loved ones earlier in life when they are younger and most likely healthier, makes the topic easier to discuss and keeps the focus on the celebration of life rather than an impending loss.

Whether you’re sharing plans for your own final arrangements with loved ones, or encouraging loved ones to make and share their plans with you, the conversation about planning ahead is an important one that every family should have. While no one wants to think about their death or the death of a loved one any sooner than they must, having the conversation in advance alleviates the need for potentially more unpleasant or difficult conversations in the future.

Here are some tips that may help you start the advance planning conversation with your loved ones:

• Set a time to have the conversation. Schedule it as an appointment with your loved ones, whether you want to share your plans with them or ask them to make their plans to share with you.
  
• Tell your parent or loved one that you want to ensure their final arrangements are done according to their wishes and you need their help to make that happen.
  
• Ease into the conversation. Questions such as “Have you ever thought about where you would like to be buried?” or “What type of funeral would you like to have?” may open the discussion to more details about your loved one’s wishes.
  
• Take advantage of funeral-related opportunities. Attending the funeral of a friend, family member, or colleague, or watching a movie or television show with funeral scenes, may naturally prompt the discussion with your own loved ones. Talk about what you liked or didn’t like about the services you saw or attended.
  
• Tell your children or loved ones that because you care for them so much, you don’t want to burden them with difficult decisions when you’re gone. Tell them you’ve made your own final arrangements and give them a written record of what they are.
  
• Make your funeral and cemetery plans with us and then wrap a copy of your contract and wishes in a gift box and present it to your children.
  
• Make it a family affair. Schedule an appointment with your chosen funeral home or cemetery provider and invite your children along to participate in the selection of services, funeral merchandise, and cemetery property.