Putting your affairs in order now will spare others from anxiety and expense at the time of death. Most people name their spouse as their Executor-who is honest and has common sense. They can hire Lawyers and Accountants to finalize your Estate.The lack of arrangements for some sort of Funeral or Celebration of Life, falls to your Executor, who is often not prepared for the many decisions that need to be made.

Consider Pre-Arrangements & Pre Paid Plans. Making your wishes known can be a big help to loved ones, to carry them out.There are some benefits to pre planning.

• You make rational decisions that someone overcome with grief would find difficult to focus on.
• You can pre pay expenses completely or purchase on instalment plans.
• Pre Payment can be a good investment in that it freezes the costs at today’s rates.

Plans for funeral or final meetings must consider the needs and feelings of family members firstly.If your directions are too restrictive, it could cause hardship on some who need some form of ceremony. “I don’t want anything”, is of no help whatsoever for your loved ones. Whatever decisions you make can be put in writing and given to your Executor.

A prepaid services contract with a funeral provider is detailed, spelling out exactly what services will be provided and the cost involved. The price does not increase over time, even if your death is many years later. Money paid is placed in trust with interest that goes toward any increased costs in order to completely cover the eventual expenses to your Estate.

It can be difficult to discuss death, grief and a celebration of life ceremony but

eventually more difficult if avoided. A Funeral or Celebration of Life is a means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings about the death of someone we love.Some assembly together helps acknowledge that someone has died.

• Allows us to say good by;
• Helps us remember the person who has died and encourages us to share memories with others.
• Provides a time and place to talk about the life of the person who dies;
• Provides a social support system for friends and offers continuity and hope for the living.

A thoughtful meeting arranged, recognizes a particular life and makes real that a life has ended. It is important to remember a Funeral or Celebration of Life is for the living, not for you, the deceased. The process meets a number of emotional needs of those who grieve. There are many tips in designing a Ceremony to capture a unique life- a separate topic to be addressed on this website.

Oceanside is fortunate to have the very best in pre–planning Consultants. BYRON HOOVER, Certified Consultant, will attend your home upon request and outline in detail the many options available with no obligation. He can be reached at 250 757-8182 or at byronhoover@shaw.ca.