When your time in this physical existence has ended, your family will be under a lot of stress. They will be grieving while trying to get used to you not being with them. Making funeral arrangements is another stress that they don't need right now. By doing your own funeral pre-planning, you take that burden away from them. Here are some of the ways in which you will be supporting your family by this final act of love.

The Choice of Cremation Versus Burial

This would be a difficult decision for your family to make if they were unsure of your preferences. People can have a strong draw toward one or the other, so this can become a point of debate among your already stressed family. When you make it clear that you want to be cremated or have a traditional full-body burial, you take that decision away from them.

Specifying the Funeral Theme

You may want a military funeral or a purely secular service held in the funeral home chapel. You may prefer a traditional funeral in the church to which you were devoted or one with a theme that celebrates your passion for the outdoors or a favorite sports teams. Funerals are as personal as the person for which they are held. Be specific in your pre-planning about how you wish to be "sent off" and remembered by friends and family.

Deciding on All of the Details Ahead of Time

Within your choice of funeral theme, there are many little details that your family would have to decide upon if you didn't have them recorded in your pre-planning information. Take that burden off of them and decide on as many of the details as you can, so they don't have to. These choices will include:

• The type of casket or urn in which you want your final remains to be placed.
• The cemetery or columbarium where you want to be placed to rest.
• The person or people you wish to have officiate at your funeral.
• Speakers, singers or other people you wish to participate in the funeral.
• The music, flowers and other ornamentation that you want present at the funeral.

Pre-Paying For Your Funeral

With all of these decisions made in your funeral pre-plan, the final act of kindness you can do for your family is paying for the funeral expenses. Your passing may come at a time when your family might struggle to pay for your funeral. Taking care of the expenses for them will ease their stress even more.

Pre-paying the expenses also locks you into some of your choices, such as the type of casket or urn you wish.

Funeral homes handle pre-payment a couple of different ways. Some may purchase a funeral insurance policy that cashes out when you pass away. Others may establish an escrow account that releases the funds to them upon your death. You'll be assured that your final wishes are met when you've made all of the decisions surrounding the funeral and made payment for all of the expenses as part of your pre-planning.