Science isn’t going to remove the certainty of death anytime soon. Although I’m not decrepit and a dotard just yet (well, ok, some people would argue with that) my years are getting on and when I do breathe my last I don’t want my family and friends left in a lurch with a huge bill to pay. So, I’m looking at purchasing a funeral plan, although my directives to my son include that I do not want any services, just disposal of my remains. Cremation and interment, and a marker. If my survivors want to have a party (to celebrate whatever) that’s up to them.
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One thing is already fixed: I’ve got a hole in the ground in the cemetery right here where I live. My parents bought a plot for themselves a long time ago and my son and my sisters know I want my cremated remains placed there. It’s all but empty anyway; two concrete grave liners, one on top of the other, but the only item in there is Dad’s urn in the upper one. Mom had her ashes scattered. My urn will just go in next to Dad’s. We can rattle around for eternity together. All I’ll need is the expenses covered for the interment and I want a simple marker, just my name and the years. As it is, the cemetery only allows for flat markers at ground surface so that works out too.
The other expenses will be the cremation and that’s it.
I’m writing this because the other day I received a flyer in the mail from a well-known cremation preplanning organization. I’m not going to mention the name, but it’s the same one as the sea god and the planet. So, I’m going (went) to their free seminar, and this is what I learned. Before I went, though, I did figure out the “pre-” part of it. I mean, if you planned for dealing with a circumstance before its occurrence (like your own death and having all the money and other directives in place to cover funeral and burial costs and durn-near every other associated cost), wouldn’t that still just be a plan? Why would it be a “preplan” plan? Simple: preplanning means prepaying. That’s what this is all about. It’s a post-death remains-handling money trust, or an insurance plan if you will, but it works very different from simple life insurance. Here’s what it does:
And of course, how much does this cost? Their offer to me, as of this writing, is $2,305. With a $250 discount if it’s all paid in full, up front. Which I can’t do. But it can be paid in installments, only that unlike insurance the plan isn’t in effect until paid in full. But I think I could handle a couple of hundred dollars a month so it would only take a year. No surprise, I can’t find any details online about paying in installments, but I do know it can be done. I’ll be contacting the representative and talking about this point. I’ll let you know what I find out.
[Friday, May 20. I’ve called my local mortuary and have an appointment for Tuesday, the 24th. Will find out if I can get a better deal going direct.]
Bottom line: it just makes sense to pay a relatively little now for what is going to be big bucks for my family if I don’t. That’s not fair to them. In California the average cost of even simple, direct cremation with interment and marker but no formal memorial services, no casket, etc., can easily run over $10,000. Oh, if I had a big stash of cash somewhere this would be different, but I have no such thing. Even if I did, preplanning for one’s demise and the financial arrangements of disposition of remains is still the way to go. When I’m dead I won’t know anything about what’s going on. But those who have the responsibility of planting me sure will, and all I want is to make it as easy as possible for them.
But I’ve got a lot of years left so you’re not getting rid of me anytime soon, if I can help it. There’s lots of fun to be had in the years to come, and being secure about what’s going to happen to my physical self when I do go is going to help me enjoy that fun.
‘Course, Dad probably won’t be so thrilled to see me.