burial insurance or other final arrangements

[Walt34]

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]

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.