Planning Ahead
Why Should I Plan Ahead?
Most of us plan ahead in life. We plan for our wedding, our children's education, family vacations, and other significant expected life events. We also plan for the unexpected events of life by purchasing home, auto and medical insurance.
Pre-arranging is the planning and/or pre-payment of the funeral services before they are needed. If you decide to pre-pay, the services and items selected are guarantee and will not cost the family additionalmoney; no matter when the need occurs.
Preplanning your funeral service is a loving, caring gift to your family. By taking the time to sit down with a funeral professional and preplan a funeral for yourself, spouse or loved one, you can spare your family the added stress of making many decisions at an already difficult time.
Today, more and more emphasis is being placed on funeral preplanning instead of waiting until the time of need to make arrangements. We understand individuals prefer to examine information without a salesman knocking at their door or unsolicited calls to your home. We respect your privacy and want you to make your own decisions without undo pressure. We are available to help you make those arrangements.
Making arrangements can be as simple or as a detailed as you wish. Our commitment to you is to answer any questions you may have, with no pressure to proceed any further then you wish.
What is a Funeral?
A funeral is an event which provides an organized opportunity for the family and friends to acknowledge their loss, to state the important role this person had in their life, to recognize theloved one’s contributions and accomplishments, and to prepare for life without the deceased.
Financial Concerns
Today, more people are living longer and nursing homes have frequently become a necessity. Staying in a nursing facility can be expensive. What will you do if you run out of funds?
Before your funds are depleted, you can pay for all funeral expenses in advance and make the account irrevocable. This irrevocable account isnot considered an asset by the State of Illinois public assistance department.
Talk to Our Professionals
Understanding the
benefits of planning ahead has prompted many to take the step to plan their own arrangements.
Don’t wait until you have to make funeral arrangements. Making funeral arrangements today involves many choices and decisions. It is helpful to consider all options and take time to ask questions before making final decisions about such an important event. It is our pledge to help make this entire experience as positive as possible. Let us help you by providing information and answering your questions today.
In Person
Please
Contact Us to set up an appointment to discuss planning ahead with a caring professional.
Online
To begin preplanning online, please fill out our
Online Preplanning Form. A member of our staff will contact you after your submit your form.
Benefits Of Preplanning
Let Your Wishes Be Known
The death of a loved one often brings about unwarranted stress and turmoil among families. One family member wants one thing, while another family member wants something different. By planning ahead, you help prevent those disagreements by letting your family know what your wishes are and how you want your funeral service to be carried out and your business handled.
Offers Peace Of Mind
Our staff guarantees we will carry out the arrangements you want, just as you directed. Once the plans have been arranged, you and your family can rest easy knowing at the time of death, those uncomfortable decisions have been made. In a time when a family should be able to easily grieve, preplanning allows for that to happen.
Flexible Funding Options
When you preplan your funeral arrangements, there are more options when it comes to funding the funeral. A preneed insurance policy, life insurance policy or other payment options can all be arranged before the time of death. At the time of death, services must be paid in full, so having options ahead of time can also reduce other stress related to losing someone.
Relieve The Burden From Family
Following the death of a loved one, there are more than 150 decisions that have to be made within the first day or two following the death. Those stressful decisions on top of the stress of grieving a loss can be eliminated by arranging your final wishes ahead of time. If those decisions are made, your loved ones aren’t left wondering what you would have wanted and how they should proceed with funeral plans. With those decisions out of the way, your loved one can begin the healing process sooner.
Common Questions About Preplanning
Click on the questions below to reveal each respective answer.
What steps are involved in prearranging a funeral?
The first step would be to write down your wishes. Indicate if you would prefer burial or cremation. Write down your ideas for the service you would like, cemetery choice, etc. If you've made those choices, or even if you're unsure, schedule a time to meet with one of our funeral directors who can explain the different service options, merchandise choices, as well as the different ways to pay for the funeral.
What information do I need to prearrange a funeral?
You'll need basic information about yourself or the person you are planning for, such as date of birth, marital status, parent's full names, etc. Besides the biological information, you'll need to choose burial or cremation, what type of service you'd like, what cemetery to use, etc. Our caring staff will help you with this process.
Do I have to pay in advance?
Preplanning is merely making your wishes known; however, most families who do this also choose to pre-fund their funeral. Doing so will relieve the financial burden on your family and offer peace of mind to you.
Can I transfer my plans to or from another funeral home?
If you have plans at another funeral home and would like to move them here, we will help you do that. If you move from the area and would like to transfer your arrangements to another funeral home, we will assist you with that as well.
