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March 18, 2025

The Benefits of Pre-Arranging Your Funeral

Give your loved ones the gift of peace of mind by pre-planning your funeral.

Planning for a funeral may not be an easy topic to consider, but it is one of the most thoughtful things you can do for your loved ones. At Buch Family of Funeral Homes, we have helped countless families through difficult times, and we have seen how pre-planning relieves emotional and financial stress. By planning in advance, you ensure your final wishes are honored and your family is not left with overwhelming decisions or unexpected expenses.

 

Peace of Mind for You and Your Loved Ones

 

Losing a loved one is an emotional and overwhelming experience. Without a plan in place, families are often left making difficult choices during a time of grief. Pre-arranging your funeral removes this burden by ensuring the details are documented and clear. Instead of having to make decisions on burial or cremation, service details, or financial arrangements, your loved ones can focus on honoring your life and supporting each other.

  • Why Pre-Plan?: Pre-planning ensures your funeral aligns with your wishes while sparing your family from making decisions during an emotional time. Whether you want a traditional service, a simple gathering, or a unique celebration of life, everything will be clearly outlined in advance.
  • Pre-Planning Benefits: Arranging your funeral in advance allows you to personalize every aspect, from music and readings to burial or cremation preferences, ensuring the service reflects your life and values.

 

Financial Protection: Locking in Costs & Reducing Expenses

 

One of the biggest concerns for families after a loss is the financial impact of a funeral. Funeral costs tend to rise over time, but pre-arranging allows you to lock in today’s prices and prevent unexpected financial strain on your loved ones. Instead of facing sudden expenses, your family will have a secure plan in place that ensures everything is taken care of.

  • Pre-Funding Options: You can pre-pay for your funeral through flexible options such as trust funds, funeral insurance, or installment plans. This spreads costs over time rather than placing a financial burden on your family later.
  • How Prepayment Works: By prepaying, your money is safely held in a funeral trust or insurance policy, ensuring it is available when needed. You have full control over the plan, and in many cases, it can be transferred if you relocate.

 

Ensuring Your Wishes Are Honored

 

Pre-planning allows you to customize every aspect of your funeral, ensuring that your service reflects your values, beliefs, and personality. Whether you prefer a traditional funeral, cremation, or a personalized celebration of life, making these choices in advance ensures that your family does not have to make tough decisions on your behalf.

  • Personalization Options: You can specify everything from the type of service to the music, readings, or even theme that reflects your life. If you want a favorite song played, a military honor guard, or a specific dress code, pre-planning ensures these details are followed.
  • Service Types: Whether you prefer burial in a family plot, cremation with an urn placed in a memorial garden, or an eco-friendly green burial, pre-planning lets you choose the option that best aligns with your wishes.

 

How to Get Started with Pre-Planning

 

Pre-planning is easier than you might think. At Buch Family of Funeral Homes, we provide several ways to start the process based on what works best for you.

  1. Schedule a Consultation: Our Prearrangement Specialist, Adam Kraut, can discuss your options in person, by phone, or online. He is here to guide you through your choices and answer any questions.
  2. Use Our Online Pre-Planning Form: If you prefer to start the process on your own, our secure online planning form allows you to outline your preferences at your own pace, from the comfort of your home.
  3. Explore Payment Options: We offer trust funds, insurance-backed funeral plans, and flexible payment options to fit your budget and provide long-term financial security for your family.

 

Common Concerns & Myths About Pre-Planning

 

Some common misconceptions prevent people from pre-planning, but the truth is funeral pre-arrangements provide security and flexibility.

  • “It’s Too Early to Plan”: Many believe funeral planning is only for the elderly, but pre-arranging at any stage of life ensures you have control over your decisions. Learn more about why it is never too early to plan.
  • “Pre-Paying Means I Can’t Change My Mind”: Most pre-planning options allow for adjustments if your preferences change, or you move to another area. You can transfer your plan to another funeral home if needed. See how flexible pre-planning can be.
  • “Pre-Arranging is Expensive”: In reality, locking in today’s prices protects against inflation and rising costs. Plus, payment plans make it easier to budget over time. Find out how prepaying saves money.

 

Give Your Loved Ones the Gift of Peace of Mind

 

Pre-arranging your funeral is one of the most meaningful gifts you can leave for your family. It provides clarity, protects them from unexpected expenses, and ensures your final wishes are conducted. At Buch Family of Funeral Homes, we are here to guide you through every step in this process with care and compassion. If you have any questions or are ready to begin pre-planning, we are happy to help.

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Bring their memory to the table Serve up a tasty reminder by preparing some of your loved one’s favorite recipes. Give a Thanksgiving toast or prayer that acknowledges the role that they played in your family’s lives. Consider creating a centerpiece made up of mementos from their life for the table. Or go around the table and ask each person to share something they are grateful for about the person who has died. Do something together to honor their memory There are many Thanksgiving Day events that your family can participate in to honor your loved one’s memory. Sign up for a turkey trot or charity walk. Watch one of their favorite movies together. Attend a remembrance service. Donate food or money in their name. Help to serve a Thanksgiving meal to families in need. Continue to share your memories Every family has their favorite stories and memories that they tell that highlight the unique personalities of each member. Be sure to continue sharing your memories and reminisce about those that you have lost. Whether it’s at the dinner table or during the football game, simply talking about your loved one is often what we need most after a loss. Accept that this Thanksgiving will be different. Try to find the balance between moments of grief and moments of joy. Listen to your intuition and only do what you can manage. Taking care of yourself is the most important thing. Grief is hard and tiring. Get plenty of sleep and give yourself permission to let in some joy this Thanksgiving.

Why You Need To Keep Beneficiary Designations Up To Date

October 13, 2023
Who can be a beneficiary? In most cases, people name their spouse, children or someone who financially depends on them as beneficiaries. A beneficiary can also be a sibling, other family member, friend, charity or trust. There are two types of beneficiaries: primary and contingent. If the primary beneficiary is deceased, then the asset goes to the contingent beneficiary. Why is it important to designate beneficiaries? Beneficiary designations take effect immediately after death. Because of this, they override any instructions that may be in a will regarding the distribution of assets. Having beneficiaries named on an account circumvents the probate process and helps ensure that assets can be transferred to heirs without delay. Even if you write a legal will leaving the assets to another person, whoever is listed as the beneficiary on your accounts is the person who will inherit. Matching beneficiary designations with provisions in your will can ensure that your wishes are followed properly. Retirement account beneficiaries Even changing your job can necessitate updating your beneficiary. If you roll over your retirement account, make sure that the account lists the correct beneficiaries. Previous beneficiary designations generally will not automatically move with your assets. Provisions for beneficiaries vary from plan to plan and state law — some of which automatically eliminate former spouses as beneficiaries. However, for many employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, these laws do not apply. A cautionary tale Suppose you married in your twenties, had two children and set up a life insurance policy, naming your then-spouse as beneficiary. Fifteen years later, you have divorced and remarried, and now, you have a child with your new partner. If you never updated your beneficiaries on your life insurance policy, your ex-spouse would inherit, leaving no proceeds for your current spouse or any of your three children. Take the time now to check that beneficiary information on your accounts is accurate and up to date. Updating your beneficiaries is simple, usually requiring filling out paperwork or making changes online. DISCLAIMER: Individual circumstances and state laws vary. Only undertake estate planning with the help and assistance of an attorney licensed in your state. If you need advice about designating your beneficiaries, talk to an attorney or estate planner to help ensure your final wishes are carried out.

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Consoling a member of your family or close friends over the loss of a loved one can be difficult, but figuring out how to acknowledge that same kind of loss to a coworker or employee adds another layer of complexity. With family and friends whom you have a close relationship, you have the benefit of knowing that person and how you might help them manage their grief. You may not have that same level of familiarity with coworkers. A first step for managers or supervisors of someone who has experienced a loss is to make sure that your employee is aware of how the company (and you) can support them during their time of grief. Make sure that they know about the company's bereavement policy and any human resources support that are in place. In addition, let them know that you are aware that grief can have an impact on their ability to think clearly and perform their job duties. Flexibility is key to helping them. Everyone has struggled to manage the demands of work at one time or another. On average, U.S. employees receive four days of paid leave. Returning to work in such a short period of time can be challenging. Considering that the very real physical symptoms of grief, including ‘brain fog’ and loss of energy can decrease work productivity, coworkers can help by offering to assist them with some of their duties. Coworkers can also support grieving people by acknowledging their loss in person, with a note, or email. Whatever method you chose, it’s important to acknowledge their loss in some way. Remember to keep it simple. Avoid cliches about ‘being in a better place’ or giving advice. If you talk with them, don’t ask about details of the death, which can be upsetting. Simply listening is the best thing you can do. Don’t be tempted to share your stories of loss. Now is not the time to focus on your experience. It’s time to support someone else along their journey. If you don’t know your coworker well, be observant and take your cues from them. Judging as best you can when they are open to talking or when they prefer privacy. Most importantly, give them the time they need to deal with their loss. Grief doesn’t just magically disappear in few weeks or month. It ebbs and flows for a long time, sometimes even years. So, remember to periodically check back in with your coworker to see how they are managing their grief. 
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