Planning Your Own Funeral in Texas

 Posted on September 09, 2024 in Estate Planning

People tend to care a lot about how big events in their lives are marked. Why should a funeral be any different? Since your funeral will leave a lasting impression of your life on all who attend, it is not unreasonable for you to have certain ideas about how it should be. To that end, it is common for people to include their funeral plans in their estate planning arrangements. If this seems relevant to you, speak with a skilled Flower Mound, TX estate planning lawyer to learn more about how you can plan your own funeral.

Why Would You Plan Your Own Funeral?

Most people do not relish the idea of making plans for when they die, but as Benjamin Franklin famously said, nothing is certain but death and taxes. With death being a certainty rather than a possibility, it can be sensible to try to plan for when it happens. 

There are two main reasons why you might want to plan your own funeral:

• You have specific wishes: If there are certain aspects that you want included in your funeral, the best way you can ensure that your funeral suits your wishes is by planning it yourself.

• You want to ease the burden on your family: Planning your funeral in your lifetime can help ease a great deal of stress for your family, taking all the arrangements off their plate so they do not have the added pressure of planning it while they are grieving your loss.

Important Steps in Planning Your Own Funeral

While there are many possibilities for personalizing your service, there are some aspects commonly included in the funeral planning process, including:

• Appoint a funeral representative: This agent is entrusted to make decisions for you after you have died. To ensure that this person is authorized to make these decisions, designate them in a formal document, like a power of attorney. Otherwise, your spouse or children are generally given this authority.

• Write down your preferences: Prepare a written document that includes your preferences for funeral arrangements, including whether you want to be buried or cremated and anything else relating to your remains. You can be as detailed as you want, including who you would like to speak, what you want to be dressed in, what kind of music should be playing, etc.

• Make arrangements with a funeral home: You can work with a funeral home to make all the necessary arrangements in advance so that your family does not need to think about it when the time comes. In Texas, you even have the option of planning a prepaid funeral. Just make sure whatever plans you have made are written down in your planning document for your family to see.

• Tell your family: Even though you will have everything written down, it is a good idea to sit with the executor of your will and your family members to explain your wishes. You can also tell them where all the information about your funeral arrangements will be so they can easily find it when necessary.

Contact a Denton County, TX Estate Planning Attorney

If you are ready to start planning your funeral, speak with a compassionate Flower Mound, TX estate planning lawyer. At Colbert Law Group PLLC, we have the experience necessary to handle your requests in a sensitive but efficient manner. Call us at 972-724-3338 and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with taking care of these arrangements in advance.