Preplanning your funeral is a choice to give. Choosing to plan ahead frames your life in a personal design and allows family and friends to celebrate the life you shared with them.

The average cost of funerals ranges between $5,000 to $13,000, depending on the needs and the desires of the individual preplanning. In the first 24 hours after death there are about 70 details that will need addressed. Here are some of the major items to think about when planning a budget.

Taking the time to check into different resources and do some preplanning for your funeral has some cost saving values. Loved ones under emotional stress will have the tendency to make unnecessary purchases; by preplanning, you will get what you need and want as you take your time and plan in a calm hour of your life.

Inflation takes its toll on everything-even the cost of a funeral. Pay now and make sure the price is locked in for the future and save money.

There are several options available to prefund your services and lock in today’s costs.  Some families set up a pre-need Trust fund with the funeral home, others purchase a special insurance policy through the funeral home to pay for funeral expenses, and still others choose to assign an existing insurance policy to be used when the time comes.  There are even “same as cash”  interest free payment options that allow you to pay for your services over time.

There are pros and cons to the various choices and the best plan is to meet with a preneed director at a funeral home you trust and review your options. At Tharp Funeral Home, we have preneed directors available at each of our locations. They can even meet you in the comfort of your own home. There will never be any pressure placed on you to prefund your funeral when you’re working with Tharp. Your options will be presented, and you will have time to think about what best fits your situation and make a decision only when you are ready.