A pre-arranged funeral is a funeral arrangement made prior to a death. It is a practical way of determining your wishes for your own funeral or for the funeral of a person for whom you are responsible. By pre-planning now you can ensure that your funeral reflects your personal lifestyle, customs and beliefs.
When you discuss a pre-arranged funeral with a funeral director, it gives you an opportunity to ask questions. It is a time for you to be sure you fully understand what services are performed and the costs involved. You can make unhurried decisions regarding the professional services that will be required, the type of casket you wish to have, suggestions for the funeral service itself, and indicate your preference for burial, cremation or entombment. With this information, you can make thoughtful, informed decisions which will serve as a guide for your family. When you pre-plan a funeral, you can shield your family from the difficult decisions and confusion that may occur when limited time prevents thoughtful planning.
During a pre-arrangement the funeral director will ask you some biographical questions. This information is used at the time of death to complete government forms, cemetery or crematorium form, funeral director’s statement of death and clergy information sheet. We would keep these answers on record for you at no cost or obligation. These questions would include:
Name and address
Birthplace and date
Social Insurance Number
Martial Status
Full name of husband or maiden name of wife
Occupation
Father and mother’s names and birthplaces
Location of cemetery
Next of kin
There are many choices available for a funeral service and the costs will vary according to your wishes. Although, there are no requirements to pre-pay when you pre-arrange, you may wish to consider doing so. When you plan to fund a funeral service today, you can offset the effects of rising funeral prices. A pre-paid funeral can be done in a number of ways:
- by depositing the full amount of the money at the time of the arrangements
- by installment payments
- by purchasing an insurance policy for a pre-paid funeral
All monies paid to a funeral home are held in trust for you and are protected by provincial law and must be deposited in a trust account with a recognized financial institution, for example, a Canadian Chartered bank, certain trust companies, credit union or the Guaranteed Funeral Deposits of Canada. The principal and all interest remain on deposit until the time of death to cover the increases in cost. When someone pre-pays their funeral in full, their funeral is guaranteed. Guaranteed means if the death occurs 10 years after pre-paying, the interest covers the increase in cost. If the price increase exceeds the principal and interest, there is no additional cost to your family.
If you require the funds, the pre-paid funeral funds can be withdrawn and returned to you together with accrued interest, subject to an administration fee as stipulated in our Government Act.
A carefully pre-planned funeral service can be a comfort to your family members. It spares them facing difficult emotional and financial decisions at the time of death.
Advantages of Pre-Arranging:
- Your personal wishes will be fulfilled and unnecessary difficulties will be avoided
- You can take all the time necessary to make the best decisions about the type of ceremony and burial/cremation/entombment you desire
- Spares family members from facing decisions that can be both emotionally and financially difficult at a time of death
- You will give your family the peace of mind of knowing they have acted in accordance with your wishes
