Benefits Of Pre-Planning

We have found that the most loving and caring thing that you can do for your family is to leave behind details and information which permit your family to make the funeral service a loving tribute honoring the memory of the one they loved so much.

The wrong way is to compel your family to make numerous decisions and possibly a major financial transaction while they are burdened and confused with grief; they may be faced with unusual and unfamiliar situations and responsibilities.

If something had happened to you last night, these are some of the decisions someone you love must make today.

The Right Way is to plan ahead for your family and loved ones, calmly and sensibly without the emotional burden.

A pre-arrangement is a gesture of love and concern for your family which assures them  they will not be burdened with all the important decisions which must be made at a time of great emotional distress, and will not be left with any unplanned financial responsibility.  Your wishes as to funeral and burial, degree of formality, persons involved, funeral costs and other related details are fulfilled.  Knowing that all the arrangements are complete, and that nothing is left undone, provides great peace of mind for you and the survivors you leave behind.

Making a funeral prearrangement in advance may involve simply recording you family history of names, dates and places, or may include sharing general thoughts and instructions regarding the type of services you want. Some families have very specific instructions about special details and want a more detailed prearrangement record. Still other families want every detail to be taken care of and the arrangements to be completely paid for in advance. Regardless of how detailed your prearrangement is or whether or not you fund your arrangements in advance, your family and you will benefit from the advantages of making arrangements in advance.

When you pre-arrange, you make those first 24 hours easier for your loved ones. If your arrangements are not pre-paid or pre-funded you save them money by simply outlining your preferences, taking the guesswork out of the equation. The stress of making last-minute funeral arrangements often causes people to make "I think they would have wanted" purchases. By taking care of the arrangements yourself, you free them from spending more than they need too.

You Can Choose the Way You'll be Remembered

Have you given any thought as to how you want to be remembered? Maybe you had a long career in the military that you'd like to celebrate. Maybe you love animals and would like to encourage donations in your memory to your local humane society. When you pre-arrange your funeral, you put your wishes on paper so that your loved ones will know exactly how to celebrate your life and honor your memory.

You’ll Make it Easier on Your Loved Ones

Did you know that there are more than 70 details that need to be tended to in the first 24 hours after a death? Are your loved ones ready for all that responsibility?

Making arrangements in advance:

• Eases the burden placed on your family at a most difficult time.
• Permits you to make decisions while you are clear-headed
• Reduces emotional decision making and overspending.
• With the permission of your family, permits the initial planning of your arrangements to  begin if your family is out of town or not immediately available.
• Permits the funeral home to provide your family  the very best care and professional service.
• Allows the ability to “change your mind” at any time in the future.
  
  

If you choose to financially provide for your funeral arrangements in advance.

As funeral directors, we have no desire to see you go beyond your means in selecting an appropriate funeral.  As both compassionate and realistic individuals we also understand preferences you express now may be cost prohibitive in later years.  Because of this we would also like to introduce you to ways to financially provide for your funeral arrangements in advance.

When a person makes a pre-paid funeral arrangement, the funeral home opens a memorial account in your name which takes care  of all the details and freezes your funeral costs at a price you select today regardless of any future price increases.  This account is always yours and cannot be accessed by anyone  other than you until the time it is needed for funeral expenses.      

• The Memorial Account is opened in your name, relieves the burden of the funeral expenses from your family, and freezes the cost at today’s prices.
• Your Memorial Account is fully guaranteed by the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes, which is licensed by the State of Illinois to accept burial funds, bonded and insured.
• Your Memorial Account is an inflation-proof, pre-funeral trust account.  Payment plans can also be used to fund a funeral prearrangement.
• The funeral home accepts all state recognized burial insurance plans and offers the Universal Funeral Service Contract Acceptance Program (AFSCAP)
• The funeral home is paid only after your services have been completed.
  
  

You Can Protect Yourself and Your Family from Rising Funeral Costs

The gift of a pre-planned and pre-funded funeral is unlike anything else that exists in society. Imagine, one the most helpless day of your families life you are sitting there right next to them, giving direction when it is needed the most. A pre-funded funeral is a guarantee to lock in the present and future costs of the services you paid for. Your pre-funded memorial account is in your name and is always your property until it is needed. It is completely transferable and if the funeral home goes out of business or you move the account follows you. If you’d like to explore the subject of locking in funeral costs, please call us.

You’ll Empower Your Family

They will know exactly what needs to be done. That’s because you’ve taken all of the guess work out of planning your funeral. When you pre-arrange your funeral, everyone benefits. You know that your wishes will be carried out and your family knows exactly how to honor you.

Regardless of how detailed your prearrangement is or whether or not you fund your arrangements in advance, your family and you will benefit from the advantages of making arrangements in advance.

You may read more about the options available to fund funeral pre-arrangements in advance by clicking here. What do you need to pre-arrange your funeral? See our Pre-Planning Checklist.