The advantages of prepaid funerals
By Janet Cribb
Sometimes, not always, bank accounts can be ‘frozen’ on death. I think the banks have relaxed the rules a little bit, but you never know what the situation will be and paying for your funeral in advance is a kind and considerate thing to do for your family. At the time of writing, the cost of a ‘proper’ funeral will be in the region of £2000 Sterling, and rising. There is an allowance from the estate of money that can be used for a funeral which will not be taxed, but it is nowhere near enough to cover what most people would consider a ‘decent’ send off. It certainly will not cover the cost of re-patriation. Your family will be responsible for the bill if they ask a funeral director to take charge. At such a time they are likely to be asked to make decisions about style and type of funeral, is that what you would want? For one thing your religious affiliations may have changed since you left the nest, would your family be able to make an appropriate choice for you? This, together with Chattels, is the biggest single cause of family arguments. Sometimes, sadly, the arguments set and a permanent rift takes place. If there has been an accident and there were two people involved then we have two families at each others throats.
Buying a funeral plan through a reputable company makes sure that you say what you want to happen, organise it, pay for it and relax. There will be the opportunity to leave a list of people to invite, so nobody gets overlooked, left out or forgotten. You can even pay for the drinks and anything else you want to happen afterwards.
Many people do not want an expensive coffin, especially if they opt for cremation. There are lots of options now, including a ‘recyclable’ coffin; it is just a nice looking cover which slips over a plain wooden coffin for show, but is taken off and re-used when the body is cremated. Would your family think about these details when they are upset? Probably not. It is not unheard of; indeed it happened in my own family, that a surviving spouse is talked into paying for an expensive coffin ‘out of respect’, but who at the time would admit that they do not
want ‘the very best’ for their dear departed? Generally speaking the funeral directors are a decent bunch, but there are mavericks with their eye on the accounts, and it is very easy at this time to exert emotional pressure.
There is a huge choice now, including Woodland and Green burials in biodegradable coffins, with a tree planted instead of a headstone. Any Funeral Plan provider will be happy to help you decide what you want and show you what is available.
Pre-paid funeral plans have lots of advantages. Your family will have no decisions to make because you have specified what you want and paid for it all. If the costs go over the statutory allowance, it is of no significance and because the money is already spent it will not be taxed as part of your estate
A reliable funeral plan provider will hold its’ subscribers money in a trust fund that is monitored by actuaries. Because the money held in trust is invested properly it will keep up with inflation and your costs are still covered even if the price of funerals rises (Very likely!)
Don’t part with money in advance to private Funeral Directors, however, who may have a business failure before you die, taking your money down with them.
The cost of re-patriation of a body is considerable because of the hygiene requirements of embalming, the need for a lead-lined coffin and the cost of sending it by air freight, calculated on weight. There are companies who specialise in re-patriation and can take care of everything, ultimately delivering the body to the chosen funeral director for the next step.
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Janet Cribb
Channel: Wills & Living Trusts |
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