Although no one is excited to make their final arrangements, it’s the responsible thing to do. Pre-planning (and pre-paying) for your funeral is one of the best gifts you can give to your family. Not only does it take away some of the stress for your survivors during a difficult time, but when you make your own arrangements, you know that your end-of-life plans will be exactly as you prefer. 

Here are some things to consider when paying for your final expenses.

How Prepaid Cremation Helps

Choosing cremation over burial has many benefits. Besides being a more environmentally friendly option, it is less expensive as well. But don’t believe us. Google “cremation costs near me” and compare the price of a direct cremation to the price of a service that includes embalming, a casket and vault, and a cemetery plot. 

While the cost of cremation in California may range between $7,000 and $8,000, the price of a burial may be between $10,000 and $12,000. 

While we all know that cremation is the more affordable end-of-life option, pre-planning your cremation can allow you to save even more money. 

Prepaid Cremation Cost Benefits

Prepaying for cremation has many benefits. People who prepay for funeral expenses have time to look for the most affordable and highest quality options. 

You can begin your research by asking, “how much does prepaid cremation cost?” From there, you can compare prices and look at the reviews of different companies to find the best cremation service in your area. 

While it may feel unnatural to compare prices for your end of life services, you would do the same for similar products or services that cost thousands of dollars. You would get multiple quotes when purchasing a new roof or shop around for a new vehicle to find the best price. It also makes sense that you would do what you can to find affordable cremation costs.

Pre-paying for your cremation also eliminates emotional spending that people often do during a time of grief. Families grieving the loss of a loved one often want nothing but the best, and they end up purchasing unnecessary services or more expensive products than necessary. 

Prepaying for end of life services also allows you to lock in today’s affordable cremation costs since the prices of items rarely decrease over time. 

But the most important reason to pre-plan and pre-pay for your funeral is that it takes away some of the stress that your loved ones will feel when you pass. If they know that your cremation is already planned and paid for, they will be able to spend their time leading up to your service sharing memories of you. 

Cremation Costs State by State

You may not realize it, but cremation costs vary from state to state. When you compare the price of cremation in Arizona, you may find that it is less expensive than the cremation cost in California. If you spend time in both states, that may be a factor determining which cremation company you ultimately choose.

How To Pick a Pre-Paid Cremation Plan

We know that you don’t purchase cremation plans every day, so we would like to advise you on how to pick a cremation service company.

Look for a company that uses plain, straightforward language in their plans, so you can understand exactly what you are purchasing. One of the benefits of prepurchasing a plan is to reduce the amount of stress for your survivors, so you don’t want them to pay hidden fees after your death.

Look for a company that offers a simple process. Your cremation provider should arrange for the transportation of the body, complete all the necessary death-related paperwork, and assist the family with this dispersal of the cremains. 

Contact Smart Cremation

Begin your search for a cremation company by contacting a Smart Cremation representative. Whether you are pre-planning your cremation or have recently lost a loved one, our experts will be able to walk you through this unfamiliar process. 

The goal of Smart Cremation is to provide simple, affordable cremations that allow family members to focus on other aspects of the funeral-planning process. Call one of our representatives today at (844) 892-7303 or visit our website to chat with a cremation expert.