When looking ahead to plan for your estate, you may have questions about when it makes sense to pre purchase funeral or burial plans. Leaving family members to pick up the tab adds additional stress for them during what might already be a difficult time. Many people underestimate the potential expenses of a funeral. Prepaying your funeral makes things easier for your loved ones, but also ensures that your wishes are carried out.

The average funeral in the United States costs between $7,000 and $12,000. This includes things, such as service fees, the viewing, burial, casket, transport and embalming and other preparatory services. The average cost for a funeral where the individual is cremated is between $6,000 and $7,000. Note that these average expenses do not include things such as markers, monuments, or placement in a cemetery.

The cost of funerals has been rising in recent years, and it is not uncommon for a typical funeral to cost close to $10,000. Preplanning for these events and outlining your wishes can reduce some of your stress and make sure that your loved ones get the chance to remember you and your legacy in the way that you wish.

Make sure that you consult with your estate planning lawyer to talk about how these funeral expenses may need to be covered separately. Incorporating funds inside your estate for the purposes of paying for a funeral can be problematic, since it can take months or even years to process through probate. Prepaying a plan or leaving an outright gift to someone may make this simpler.

Your loved ones also need to know where to find this information after you pass away. At least one trusted family member or friend should know where to find critical documents like your will or your prepaid funeral instructions so that they can assist with those next steps should it become necessary.

Get help with your entire estate plan by working with a legal team who will align your personal plans and wishes with the documents required. Contact a Pasadena estate planning lawyer today.

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