Pre-Planning Your Funeral: Why It's a Gift — Not a Morbid Task
Pre-Planning Your Funeral: Why It's a Gift — Not a Morbid Task
I want to say something directly, because it is the most important thing in this article: pre-planning your funeral is not about death. It is about love.
Every week at Spann Funeral Home, I sit across from a grieving family and watch them make decisions they were never meant to make alone in the worst hours of their lives, under emotional pressure most of us cannot imagine. What kind of service? Burial or cremation? Open casket? Which music? What does the obituary say? How do we pay for this?
Many of those decisions could have been made in a quiet room, months or years earlier, by the person whose life it was with no pressure, no grief, and no clock running. That is what pre-planning is. It is a gift you leave for the people you love.
The families who have it hardest in our arrangement room are almost always the ones
whose loved one said, "Just do whatever you want. I don't care." They cared. They just didn't plan.
What Pre-Planning Actually Covers
Pre-planning — sometimes called making pre-need funeral arrangements — involves documenting your wishes for your funeral, memorial service, and final disposition before those wishes are needed. It typically covers:
• Your choice of burial, cremation, or green burial
• The type of service: traditional funeral, memorial service, graveside, or private family gathering
• Your preferences for music, readings, officiant, and any personalization of the service
• Your choice of casket, urn, or other container
• The cemetery or final resting place if burial is chosen
• Your obituary preferences and the biographical information that goes into it
• Who should be notified and how
• Funding arrangements — how the funeral will be paid for
These decisions, made in advance, become a binding document that your funeral home holds on file. Your family does not have to guess. They do not have to agree. They simply follow your wishes.
The Financial Protection of Pre-Planning
Beyond the emotional gift, pre-planning provides real financial protection for your family.
Guaranteed Pricing
Under a guaranteed pre-need funeral contract, the funeral home agrees to provide the services and merchandise you have selected at the price you have agreed to today regardless of what those costs may be when the services are actually needed. Funeral costs, like all costs, tend to rise over time. Locking in today's price is a meaningful financial protection.
Tennessee Trust Protections
In Tennessee, funds paid under a pre-need funeral contract are placed into a trust account. Under Tennessee Code § 62-5-407 and related statutes, these funds are protected they cannot be used by the funeral home for operating expenses, and they are held for the sole purpose of funding your funeral. Tennessee law also provides for the transferability of these funds if you move or change your mind about the provider.
Medicaid Asset Protection
For families concerned about Medicaid eligibility particularly when planning for long-term care an irrevocable pre-need funeral trust is typically exempt from Medicaid asset calculations. This is a meaningful planning tool for families in or approaching long-term care situations. Consult your elder law attorney for advice specific to your situation.
Common Questions About Pre-Planning
Can I change my mind after pre-planning?
Yes, under most circumstances. Tennessee law distinguishes between revocable and irrevocable pre-need contracts. A revocable contract can be cancelled, and you are entitled to a refund of funds paid (the specific terms are detailed in your contract). An irrevocable contract (typically used for Medicaid planning purposes )cannot be cancelled, but the funds can typically be transferred to another funeral home if you move or choose a different provider.
What if I move out of Tennessee?
Pre-need funeral contracts in Tennessee are generally transferable. Contact your funeral home if you are planning a move; in most cases, your funds can be transferred to a funeral home in your new location, preserving the financial protection you have established.
What does it actually cost?
Pre-planning costs whatever your chosen funeral arrangements cost you are essentially paying in advance for services at today's prices. At Spann Funeral Home, we offer a range of service options across all price points. We will sit down with you, discuss what matters to you, and build a plan that fits your wishes and your budget. There is no obligation and no pressure in that conversation.
Does it have to be paid in full at once?
No. Many families fund their pre-need arrangements through installment payments or through pre-need life insurance policies, which allow the contract to be funded over time. Ask us about payment options when we meet.
What Happens When the Time Comes?
When a family calls Spann Funeral Home after the death of someone who pre-planned with us, the arrangement conference is fundamentally different. The major decisions have already been made. Our job is to execute the plan not to walk a grieving family through a hundred difficult questions.
The conversation becomes: 'Your dad chose the Emerald Package with direct cremation. He wanted Amazing Grace played and his granddaughter to read Psalm 23. He wanted a simple gathering with close family. Here is how we make that happen.' That is what pre-planning does for the people you love.
How to Start
Starting is simple. Call us at (615) 446-1123 or stop by our funeral home at 1961 Hwy 48 North in Dickson. We will schedule a complimentary pre-planning consultation (no pressure, no obligation) where we walk through your options and answer every question you have.
You can also begin gathering your biographical information using our pre-planning guide at spannfuneralhome.com. That information is yours to keep, whether you choose to formalize arrangements with us or simply want to make sure your family has what they need.
