Your Opinion Matters
By RICK ALLEN
Planning has many benefits . Planning a vacation or a joyous occasion such as a wedding or baby shower often result in months of discussion and attention to details . Much effort goes in to making certain that everything goes smoothly , and no stone is left unturned . If you are fortunate enough to not worry about expenses , the planning is even more fun . The result is gratifying , and the stories told recounting the amazing event will go on for years .
Naturally , an event that will not be pleasant to attend or even think about for that matter is not something that anyone wants to discuss or certainly plan for . However , while we plan for retirement , college , weddings , and vacations , many people fail to plan for the one thing we all , without exception , have in front of us . Over the course of my career , I have met with many families who have lost a loved one . Not a single family whose loved one planned has expressed regret or displeasure . On the other hand , I talk with families who are completely caught off guard and have no idea what the person who has died would have wanted for their final arrangements .
Your opinion does matter because it may be the only time your family will hear you say what you prefer when it comes to your funeral , burial , or cremation . Sitting down with a pre-planning professional at your funeral home of choice will bring you peace of mind and allow you to guide the process as you want to , not leave all the important details to your family to struggle through after you are gone . Pre-planning also assures that the cost is what you are comfortable with and when pre-planning , you will have payment options that are typically not available after someone has died . Most plans today are fully transferable should you relocate and by prepaying , you lock in the cost at today ’ s price , thus protecting your family from inflation .
Talk about this subject with your family while you can express your feelings and desires . The peace of mind you will have once the discussion is over and you have a plan in place will be remarkable . Furthermore , your opinion will be heard because it does matter !
COLLIN COUNTY • 21