When it comes to planning your own funeral, there is no right or wrong age to start. However, it’s best to do it earlier rather than later. If something happens to you, it’ll save your family stress during a difficult time.
To help you decide on when to start planning your funeral, we put together a helpful guide on where to begin, why it’s a good idea, and some things to consider during the planning process.
Key Takeaways
Pre-arranging your funeral while you’re still young can save your family a lot of stress, money, and additional emotional pain.
There are six key things to consider when planning your funeral, including budget, final resting place, and funeral service details.
When deciding what age to start planning, consider your personal preference, current health, and risk status.
At What Age Should You Plan Your Funeral?
Many people wonder at what age you should start planning your own funeral.
There really is no wrong or right answer. In fact, it depends on a variety of personal factors. For example, according to Macrotrends, the life expectancy in the U.S. for 2024 is 79.25 years. So, planning anywhere in your 30s, 40s, and 50s is a great idea, and there's no reason why you can't start earlier.
Consider some of the factors below when deciding what age to start planning your funeral.
Personal preference
Choosing when to plan your funeral comes down to personal preference. Some people may avoid planning their funerals at younger ages because they’re unsure of where they will be living when they pass away.
If this is a concern, a good way around this is to have your funeral carried out in your birthplace or hometown. This way, it’s a place you know you have a connection to, regardless of where you live when you pass on.
Current Health Status
You may also want to consider your current health status when deciding when to start making plans. If you're on the younger side with a clean bill of health, you may feel that there is no urgency to make your funeral plans.
However, if you suffer from a terminal illness or have a genetic history of illness, it’s wise to consider pe-arranging your funeral while you’re still able to.
Risk Status & Lifestyle Choices
Your risk status and lifestyle choices are a good indicator of when you need to start planning your funeral. For example, if you’re at risk for certain illnesses or if you have a family history of them, you'll want to start planning your funeral earlier on to stay prepared and organized. To help you do this, consider using Trustworthy to help keep track of your emergency planning and medical appointments.
Generally, people who live sedentary lifestyles, smoke a lot of cigarettes, or drink heavily are at the most risk for developing conditions like diabetes, cancer, and liver problems, among others. These conditions can come with serious and fatal complications, which is why people at risk should consider planning their funerals early.
Family Preferences
You should also take your family’s wishes into account. For example, if you know they’ll struggle emotionally to plan your funeral, you may wish to spare them from this task. On the other hand, some families may find it an honor to plan a loved one's funeral after their passing, so again, it comes down to personal preference.
Is It a Good Idea to Plan Your Funeral?
Pre-arranging your funeral now while you are still young is recommended because it can save you and your family a lot of stress, money, and additional emotional pain.
Pre-arranging your funeral while you are still mentally and physically able to is important if you want to ensure all your wishes are carried out or before you become too ill. Planning a funeral when you are very sick is the last thing you'll want to do. It takes time and involves a lot of administrative work. Trying to accomplish this when you’re ill will be a challenge.
Many people worry about money when planning a funeral, which is overwhelming and creates additional stress. Planning your funeral early can help you set aside how much money your family will need for your funeral so it does not become their financial burden.
Because planning a funeral involves many different documents, multiple emails, and handwritten notes as ideas strike, keeping track of your planning is crucial.
Using a family operating system like Trustworthy can help relieve the stress of planning a funeral. You can keep all your documents, notes, and other important details in one secure location on your phone or computer. The easy-to-use collaboration and access features make sharing your plans with family so much easier.
6 Things to Consider When Planning Your Funeral
There are some things to consider during planning to ensure a smooth process for your family when the time comes.
Your Budget
Your budget will set the course for the overall planning for the funeral. It will determine your venue, decorations like flowers, death notices, and who will carry out the service.
Setting the budget will also influence things like catering. Will you provide food afterward, or will it be a bring-and-share type of event? You can keep track of all your plans in Trustworthy's secure and centralized organizational system. Planning the budget now will help alleviate this pressure from grieving family members.
Final Resting Place
Many people may find it rather depressing and morbid to think about where their final resting place will be. However, when you plan your funeral, having it set ahead of time is a big help for your family or whoever carries out your final wishes.
When it comes to picking out your final resting place, there are multiple options to choose from. For example, there is cremation, in which you can specify what happens to your ashes. You can donate your body for science, or you can specify where you would like to be buried. There may be a family cemetery where you would like to be laid to rest. Some people even pick their own tombstones as well.
Type of Service You Want
Consider what type of funeral service you desire. Are you religious or not? Different cultures have different traditions during a funeral service. If you want something specific during your funeral service, this is the time to request it.
Pre-Planned Funeral Options
A pre-planned funeral option is a good idea if you wish to pay for it upfront. It works by signing a pre-paid policy with the funeral home of your choice. The money is only accessed by the funeral home, so it’s only used for the purposes of your funeral. Going this route is very convenient and less stressful for the entire family.
Amy Barsby, a funeral director at G Seller explains:
“A pre-paid funeral is a safe and secure way of planning ahead essentially and ensuring there’s no uncertainty about your final wishes. This is good because less than 1% of families know all their loved one's final wishes.”
Legal Side
The legal side of planning a funeral is so important because it concerns estate planning, wills, and taxes. While you set up your funeral, ensure your will is in order and that all important information pertaining to estate and taxes are settled. Having a system like Trustworthy is a good way to organize all this information.
Choosing a Funeral Executor
The final thing to consider is choosing your funeral executor. This is the person who will carry out your wishes as stated in your will and funeral plan. It’s important to pick the right person for this role, who could be a friend, family member, or a professional from a firm.
When choosing your funeral executor, pick someone you trust. They’ll need to take the task on with little notice, be organized, and be familiar with your beneficiaries.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who usually plans a funeral?
If the deceased did not plan their own funeral, then the family, with the help of a funeral director, will usually plan the funeral.
What happens if no one pays for your funeral?
Funerals are typically paid upfront, so if there is no money for a funeral, then the body will be released to the state to be disposed of.
What is the cheapest funeral cost?
The cheapest funeral cost is $5,114 in the U.S. This is with direct burial and no viewing or memorial services. Cremation is significantly cheaper at just under $2000.
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Trustworthy is an online service providing legal forms and information. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.
