MAKING DECISIONS FOR PREARRANGEMENTS

Though most of us don't like to think about it, at some point we will probably be making funeral arrangements, whether they are immediate arrangements for a deceased family member or friend, or our own pre-arranged funeral plans. Do some homework first.  Do you have a preference of a funeral home or cemetery?  Do you have a type of service in mind?  You may wish to discuss the entire process with your spouse, a relative, a friend, or with your children.  One of the most important decisions you have to make is that you will make the final decision.  Don’t let someone talk you out of making preneed decisions if that is what you desire.

Deal with a reputable firm.  Do you know who owns the funeral home or cemetery?  Is it owned and managed by a large corporation or is it privately owned.  Both have their advantages.  Find out what they are.
Learn and understand the Alabama preneed laws at http://www.aldoi.gov/Preneed/.

When you first meet with a Family Service Counselor, Preneed Counselor, or Funeral Director they will provide you with a General Price List.  This price list will provide you valuable information on the services, the products and their prices.  It is yours to keep.  Many funeral homes and cemeteries will provide you with individual price list for their products but they are not required to do so.

Do you want the service in the funeral home chapel or the church of your choice, or would you rather have it somewhere else, such as a lodge or seniors' complex? If it is in a church or community facility, the funeral provider will work with the minister of your choice. The counselor or funeral director may begin the conversation with questions like this to understand what your desires are in regard to funeral and cemetery planning. If you have already made a decision about the type of service you want explain that you desire a traditional funeral service or church service, same day chapel service, grave side, cremation, etc.  The counselor or funeral director has a responsibility to answer your questions but also to help you plan the right type of service.
 
Do you want a full funeral service with the casket present or a memorial service?  When deciding on a type of funeral service, remember that you can design much of the funeral.  For instance if you want to limit the time the minister speaks and have other family members or friends speak, make it known.  For the most part you’re the boss when it comes to personalizing your funeral and your family and friends can be involved in this process. You may decide to turn the service over to your minister, priest, or rabbi, but you can be creative in your tribute by using memorabilia or pictures of the decedent. If you decide to have a visitation you will need to schedule this with the funeral director or counselor along with any special request such as picture tables, tripods for pictures, special chairs or arrangement of chairs for the visitation.

Next you will want to select the type of casket or urn for your service.  There are many choices when it comes to an urn or casket.  Many people make the decision based completely on price.  If you are satisfied with an inexpensive casket or urn then that is your decision however, there are steel and wooden caskets that come in many different colors, designs, and prices.

In most cases you will also be selecting a vault (outer burial container).  This burial container has two purposes, one to protect the casket and two, to help prevent the sinking of the grave.  There is not a state legal requirement in Alabama that a vault be utilized but many perpetual care cemeteries do require a vault.

If you have burial policies or insurance policies present them to the director or counselor.  He or she will explain to you the benefits of these policies and what the funeral home or cemeteries policy are in regard to these policy benefits.  Many people assume that a burial policy provides them with all the services and merchandise they would need to complete a prearrangement and this is not the case.  It is very important that the funeral director or the insurance company be contacted before a death so that family members know what the value of each policy held in the policy holders name cover and what expenses they will be responsible for.