burial insurance or other final arrangements

[FIYes]

My mother prearranged her funeral and as her executor I considered it one of the greatest gifts she could have given me. With a potentially contentious family situation it prevented much drama. It brings tears to my eyes just remembering that she was kind enough to this. Her funeral was as she wished it and I am pleased with that.

[Katiek]

I have a burial plot that my parents gave to each of their kids, but the rest of the cost will come from whatever assets I have left. My parents did put up their headstone while they were both still alive so they made the choices about that, but they didn't make any funeral arrangements.

[Teacher Terry]

Sunset: I went to visit before we made the arrangements. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a dump) It is only 30 minutes from our home. some good friends of ours did the same thing so we will be in good company. He was dying so I did the paperwork for them and he passed last year. They also did a ceremony for free. His wife will also go there when she passes. She has Alzheimer's and cancer.

[Starsky]

For my dad, he served in the Army in the 50's and he received a military funeral with color guard and beautiful columbarium location on Point Loma overlooking San Diego harbor for free - we were lucky to get him one of the last available spots. Dad hardly considered himself a vet and I don't think he knew about the military burial benefit. We paid for the cremation, and it was very reasonable. Mom will join him there eventually. It's a great benefit for vets and a beautiful, peaceful place to visit loved ones. Dad was very prepared and even took out a small life insurance policy ($20K) to cover the eventual costs. Most all of the proceeds was left over and ended up in his bank account.

I plan to leave detailed instructions for my own memorial and cremation. If my funeral will cost anything, I'd rather spend it on my guests, not on me. It's my last party, so I might as well give my friends something to remember. We have no children, so my wife and I have decided to be cremated and scattered; and we will leave some meaningful donations to our favorite charity as a family legacy.

[braumeister]

My parents were the least sentimental people you could imagine. Whenever I asked them about their final wishes, they always replied "Why would I care?"

Finally, on his deathbed, when I pressed my dad, he said "OK, dump my ashes in [his favorite fishing spot in the ocean]."

So it was direct cremation, no urn, and I went out there and took care of it. When mom died some years later, I had to press her about it too, and it was "Oh, just do the same thing."

Around here, direct cremation isn't very expensive. Generally $1,500 to $2,000 total cost.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister Finally, on his deathbed, when I pressed my dad, he said "OK, dump my ashes in [his favorite fishing spot in the ocean]."

A good friend was also my flight instructor when I got my private pilot's license. His first paying flying gig when he got his commercial pilot's license was to fly a guy over Chesapeake Bay to drop his father's ashes in the Bay. He flew a Piper J-3 Cub, which can fly with the door open. In the summer I'd fly it that way, it gives you a nice breeze.

[frank]

I noticed some had their ashes taken to a national cemetery and it did not cost anything. is that for vets or just anybody? I also like the idea of not giving the funeral home anything in advance as you don't know who will own it from one day to the next. I also believe that cemeteries that now have perpetual care will soon be charging a yearly fee for that service.

[Urchina]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena53 I was glad to have arranged it ahead of time but to me the valuable part was discussing it all ahead of time with DH, then getting the paperwork out of the way before it was needed.

I think this is all you really need - tell the people who will be planning your service what you want, make sure the money to pay for it is available, and let it go. Spend the time you save decluttering your house (your heirs will bless your name a thousand times if you do this well), updating your will (your heirs will growl a thousand times if you don't), and enjoying your life.