Have you considered creating a burial plan? Have you spent any time thinking about what type of funeral you would like? Do you know whether you want to be cremated, buried in a casket, or perhaps even turned into a diamond?
While thinking about your own death and creating a burial plan may not be topmost on most “to do” lists, according to several recent articles, millennials are increasingly more comfortable with thinking about their own deaths, creating burial plans, and talking about death with others.
There are even “death awareness” apps, promotions of “death positivity,” and even social media “deathfluencers.”
And we think that’s great. Because estate planning is about much more than just deciding who gets your property. It’s about preparing ahead of time as much as possible to protect your loved ones from the trauma of grief compounded by uncertainty about practicalities: funeral arrangements, burial, probate. If you die without having made an estate plan or without having created a burial plan, your loved ones will have to confront the uncertainties, delays, expense, and quite often the contentions of other family members, that arise when attempting to handle funeral arrangements, burial and property distribution for a deceased loved one. With the help of an experienced Florida estate and probate lawyer, you can prevent subjecting your loved ones to such stress and chaos. With a little thought and preparation, you can create an estate plan that works for you and your family.
And you can create a burial plan, too.
What is a Burial Plan?
Those who are left behind may not always know what your burial wishes are. When you think about it ahead of time and create a burial plan, your loved ones won’t be left guessing and stressing.
Simply put, a burial plan is just that: it’s a plan that spells out what specific burial items you need and want. In many cases you can pre-pay for your burial. You can also make funeral arrangements directly with a funeral home. In Florida, prepaid burial plans are called “pre-need” funeral contracts. Florida law requires any business providing pre-need funeral contracts to be licensed. The business must also inform the customer how the funds paid for the burial plan will be secured.
Some advantages to having a pre-need burial plan are that your loved ones will not have to make funeral arrangements at the most difficult time, and you can lock in the price for your funeral.
However, there are also potential drawbacks. For example, the possibility that the funeral home could go out of business or the fact that in many cases these types of contracts do not transfer from one funeral home to another. So, if you plan on moving or happen to move before you die, the pre-need plan may not be of use to you.
These considerations (and others) are why you should always consult with an experienced estate and probate lawyer like Samantha J. Fitzgerald before going ahead with creating a burial plan.
New Burial Options
According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) more than 90 percent of all Americans are buried or cremated, with a 50% cremation rate being predicted for 2035.
But traditional burials and even cremations come with a significant environmental impact.
Traditional burials use toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, phenol, methanol, and glycerin to embalm a body, in addition to putting 30 million board feet of hardwoods, 2,700 tons of copper and bronze, 104,272 tons of steel, and 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete into the ground each year in the U.S. alone. Cremations, on the other hand, while a bit better, still add toxins such as carbon monoxide, fine soot, sulfur dioxide, heavy metals, and mercury into the air. Luckily, a number of more eco-friendly options —including biodegradable coffins, plant based embalming fluids, and shroud burials —now exist; increasing one’s burial choices.
Thinking ahead about your death can help you make more thoughtful decisions about your funeral arrangements and relieve your loved ones of having to experience the emotional turmoil of making funeral arrangements while beset with grief.
We Can Help You Plan Ahead.
Estate planning is more than just property division. It provides protection for your loved ones and peace of mind for you. At SJF Law Group, we work hard to ensure that your wishes will be followed, and your loved ones taken care of when you are gone. When you work with the estate planning attorneys at SJF Law Group, you get more than just an estate plan: you get peace of mind. Connect with us on Facebook or Instagram or email us at: [email protected] today.