Advance Planning Can Bring Peace of Mind (NAPSA)—If advance planning could relieve your family from the worry of making important decisions during a stressful time, would you do it? Though baby boomers in particular are saying that planning a funeral in advance offers them peace of mind, many othersalso find it beneficial. For example, Jeanne Hoster of Arlington, Va., says preplanning her cousin’s funeral provided her time to really consider her decisions. “There’s no doubt I felt more at ease having preplanned,” says Hoster. “I think it gave me an opportunity to give more consider- ation to what we needed.” Hoster is not alone. Americans are discovering the emotional and financial benefits of planning funerals in advance. By preplanning a funeral for themselves or a loved one, people find comfort in knowing that the funeral reflects individual wants and needs. It also gives families an opportunity to create a more meaningful funeral by giving everyone involved a chance to have input into what kind of funeral service will be planned, and whether earth burial or cremation is preferred. Making these decisions in advance can prevent family discord at an already difficult time. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) recommends that families considering preplanning, talk with a reputable funeral director who can discussall the options and necessary decisions. Once plans have been made, all documents should be kept in a safe place. It is also advisable to inform a family member or close friend wherethe information may be found. ie ie sl Preplanning a funeral does not necessarily involve prepaying. Either way, NFDA President R. Doggett Whitaker Jr., CFSP, says that families should not be reluctant to ask questions when making prearrangements, especially if they also plan to prefund the funeral. “T think they should definitely ask where the funds are going to be placed, whether they are being placed in a trust account in a bank, are they refundable, and who has control over these funds,” explains Whitaker. The most common waysto prepay include annuities, life insurance policies, sav- ings accounts andbanktrusts. NFDAdeveloped the Consumer Preneed Bill of Rights as a resource for consumers so they know what to expect from any preneed contract. The documentis available at www.nfda.org or by calling 800-228-6332. In aneffort to help consumers make informed decisions related to funeral services, NFDA funeral homes around the country are participating in a national consumer education program, For A Life Worth Celebrating”.
