Planning ahead mostly involves compiling certain necessary information and letting your family know about any preferences you might have for final arrangements. Making this type of information available to family members who will be handling this side of your affairs is a great gift because it relieves them of the difficult task of trying to do so when you are no longer around to help.

This process is a part of estate planning that is often ignored, but that is totally within your control. You can handle it on your own, or ask other family members to participate and help with the choices. The process is usually handled over time, at a person’s own pace, free from the urgency of having to make decisions that are forced by circumstance.

Step One: Collect Personal Information

Over time, you can easily compile the information that will be needed shortly after you die. On the financial side, this includes such things as copies of wills and trusts, insurance policies and bank accounts, a list of assets and liabilities, deeds and other real estate documents and so on. Personal information might include a family history or genealogy, a list of important people in your life, a listing of your favorite hobbies, sports, quotations and similar things that are important to you.

Step Two: Write Down Your Preferences

You should also write down your preferences for final arrangements. Do you want to be buried or cremated? Would you like a traditional funeral, or a personalized ceremony that commemorates important parts of your life? What about themes, favorite music, cherished objects and photographs? Who should be contacted? Often, these choices are discussed with the family during pre-planning so that everyone can understand and participate. Lifemark will soon have available a helpful pre-planning guide called “Getting Organized” to help you compile and store all information and preferences.

Step Three: Make the Information Accessible

The third step is to make sure that your family knows where to find the information. It should be kept in a place that is easily accessible to whomever is arranging your funeral—perhaps in a safety deposit box, or a code-protected Internet file. Lifemark will soon make available a secure, password-protected online service that allows individuals or families to create a permanent information record that can be added to over time. Printed copies also will be available for offline storage by the family.

Step Four: Contract for Services

This final step involves payment. The cost of arrangements rises each year, and can place a significant burden on the family. By pre-arranging, you will lock in costs and lighten the financial load on your loved ones. Your primary challenge in this final step will be to find a caring and experienced professional partner to help you: 1) research costs, 2) arrange the most appropriate choices in an economically comfortable range, and 3) set up a payment plan. (Note: payment plans generally are not an option at the time of death). Ideally, this partner also would be a source for all the services and products you need.