Planning for the end of one’s life is never a pleasant endeavor, but the peace of mind such planning brings makes it an invaluable task. Some people leave these matters up to their family members. Others choose to make funeral decisions, sometimes in great detail, during their life.
Estate planning is an ideal platform to make your funeral and burial preferences known, but should you add them to your will or take another approach altogether?
A multi-pronged approach is best
You have the right to address your funeral and burial wishes in your Denver, Colorado estate plan. Doing so takes the guesswork away for your friends and loved ones. They will likely appreciate your efforts as it may make the burial and grieving process more tolerable.
Unfortunately, putting your plans in your will alone is probably not the best way to ensure your funeral proceeds as you have planned. After all, most wills are not available for review until after the funeral. Instead, consider adding a specific document addressing your burial wishes to your estate plan.
You can be as detailed as you like in your burial document. For example, you can let your loved ones know that you prefer cremation instead of a burial. You can also leave instructions for the tone of your funeral. In other words, you can arrange to have that Viking-style funeral you always wanted, or perhaps a big boisterous party instead of a somber wake.
Once you record your funeral and burial plans, be sure to add them to your estate planning documents. You should also hand out copies to trusted family members and your legal advocate to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Consider learning more about the power of estate planning if you want to retain a measure of control over the end of your life.