“I don’t know where to start.”
Planning a funeral can be an unfamiliar process. Most people have no prior experience with the details that come with planning a burial, and dealing with the difficult decisions during times of grief can be challenging. However, when planning a funeral, you want to make sure you do everything in your power to make sure that your loved one receives a respectful farewell. The last thing you want to feel after a funeral is that the funeral arrangements could have been handled better.
We hope the following ten mistakes in funeral planning can be avoided so that you can ensure that your loved one has a service that honors his/her memory:
Ten Mistakes to Avoid in Planning a Funeral
- Waiting until someone is ill.
People delay funeral pre-planning for many reasons.They think, “I don’t want to think about death now” or “I am still young.”However, the best time to plan is when you or your loved one is still in good health and can discuss this process with a calm and clear mind – and then go on enjoying life.
- Not recording your last wishes.
Many times a will doesn’t mention facts about the funeral.Suggesting requests for the funeral service when you are alive will make the process easier for your family to arrange.
- Putting your funeral wishes only in your will.
Wills are often not read until after the funeral. Family members often forget about or disagree with choices made, it is not enough to mention your desires to your children or spouse.The best way to ensure that your wishes are honored is to plan your funeral in detail with the assistance of the Beth El Mausoleum and a funeral director. Your specific requests will be kept on file, and when the time comes, all arrangements will be in place.
- Forgetting the details.
As with many things in life, the beauty is often in the details.How is everyone that is invited going to be made aware of the funeral?How can we not overlook inviting someone important? Is there a favorite reading that the deceased would have liked to be read? Planning the funeral in advance will take all these details into consideration.
- Don’t let money become an issue.
Funerals can get expensive.When a family makes the funeral arrangements, a budget needs to be in mind.Many family arguments can start over the sensitive issue of money.When the funeral is pre-funded, money issues are often not a major issue.Everyone wants the same thing – to attend a beautiful funeral where people can mourn together and find peace.
- Do not base your decision solely on price.
When gathering information on funeral costs, many families make a decision because of a low price.While it is important to stay within a pre-determined budget, it is also necessary to understand what you want and also what is the highest priority to you within your needs.The Beth El Mausoleum of Boca Raton strives to provide the highest quality facility with the assistance of a trustworthy and experienced staff with an understanding of competitive pricing.
- Comparing prices without knowing what is included and what is not.
When families research funeral costs, they may fail to compare the same services or merchandise.What is the quality of funeral related merchandise? What are the other charges?It can be confusing when families compare service charges and think that one funeral home is less expensive when a lower service charge may mean a higher fee for funeral related merchandise.Always compare bottom line and ask what is included and what is not.The Beth El Mausoleum provides a detailed and clear description of all mausoleum related charges.
- Do not overlook how a funeral home manages the details.
The Beth El Mausoleum believes that an entombment ceremony should be as unique as the individual.Beth El focuses on how to tell the story of the life that has been lived through significant speeches and commemorations during the ceremony. Personalizing the service makes this moment more memorable for everyone.
- Do not forget to ask about what occurs after the funeral service.
The best funeral professionals truly care about the families they serve.They believe that supporting you after the burial is vital.The Beth El Mausoleum will be there to assist with referring you to support groups or grief counselors, as well as provide inspiring literature and information.
- Never be shy about asking for guidance.
Beth El’s Mausoleum in concert with a professional funeral director should provide you with a feeling that you have created a strong team of people to guide you or your family through this most difficult time.Keith Kronish of Kronish Funeral Services says that “as a Jewish Funeral Director with over 40 years of experience, I have found that when a family has confidence in the relationship with their Rabbi and Funeral Director, most families have the opportunity to receive the benefit of a meaningful ceremony which brings synergy to the story of an individual life.”
