For many people, a major motivation in planning their estate is making sure that their loved ones are not under a great deal of stress with administrative responsibilities at the end of their life. By taking their time to plan out their estate, perhaps even creating trusts to avoid the probate process, their loved ones are likely to be relieved of many of the bureaucratic processes while they are grieving.
Even if you have planned out your estate, you may not have made your wishes known regarding your funeral arrangements. This can mean that your loved ones will be left guessing about what you would have wanted at the service. If you have specific wishes for your funeral or you simply want to secure finances for the arrangements, it is important that you take care of this in your estate plan.
Is Writing My Wishes in My Will Sufficient?
Writing your funeral wishes in your will is not likely going to be a good choice. This is because the will may not be accessed for several weeks after your death, meaning that your loved ones cannot act upon your wishes. It is important that you, therefore, consider other options. The most common solution for this is leaving your funeral wishes and instructions with the executor of your estate, who can make them known at the end of your lifetime.
If you want to make sure that your funeral wishes are implemented at the end of your lifetime, it is crucial that they are properly executed as part of your estate plan.