There are two different ways to pre-plan for the event of ones arrangements at the time of death.

Pre-Funding: Pre-funding means you set aside funds to pay for final expenses.

We know that it is wise to have medical insurance, but did you know it is also wise to have final expense insurance?

When trying to decide whether or not to pre-fund your funeral and final expenses, consider the benefits. Final expenses of some sort are inevitable, and it can be beneficial for you to plan for them in advance. Doing so will save your family from having to face the expenses and also helps to protect against inflation.

Many people do not ever expect to go on county assistance, though, some may find themselves in need, especially due to extended nursing home stays. Pre-need funeral accounts provide you and your family the freedom to chose a funeral of your choice, rather than being limited to a county burial.

Please call us if you have questions on county assistance with regards to setting up a pre-need that would ensure continued or future eligibility. We are up to date and knowledgeable of the rules and regulations required for assistance.

Pre-Arranging: Involves setting aside wishes. Someone may come to the funeral home and record the songs they wish sung, the organist to play, who the pallbearers should be, scriptures to be included and even a copy of a self written obituary. One can set aside as much or as little information as they would like. At the time of services we would update the family information with their loved ones and finalize services.

When trying to decide if pre-arranging is right for you and your family, consider the fact that the purpose for the funeral is two-fold. It is to honor the person who has died, but it is also very important in helping the living to process the loss of their loved one. Some families feel empowered by the decision making process at a time that can otherwise cause people to feel very helpless. It can be therapeutic for some families to take an active role in making funeral arrangements, it is a way to honor their loved one as they begin to deal with life without them. Other families prefer not to deal with the decisions.

Whichever your choice, it is important to communicate with your family. If you choose to set aside your list of pallbearers, you may want let them know you have done so, and you may also want to give them the liberty to be flexible. Sometimes one of the pallbearers is in ill health or is unable to serve for some other reason. A minister may have moved to another church. These types of situations can cause stress to families tying to follow their loved one’s wishes. Knowing it is alright with you to improvise as needed can alleviate a lot of stress.

How do I go about pre-funding and/or pre-arranging?

Both forms of pre-planning can be achieved through the Brooks Funeral Home. We are able to answer your questions and walk you through the process of pre-arranging. We have a variety of funding options, and can explain the differences between them so you can make the choice that is best for you.

Where do I record my decisions?

When you come in to the Brooks Funeral Home to make pre-arrangements, we carefully record the information. We process the funding for final expenses and keep a copy of the documents on file. If for some reason, you do not set up your final wishes or funding at the funeral home, be sure and bring a copy to the funeral home and put it on record. Arrangements for services are made in a relatively short period of time following a death. Many families have felt badly when , after the funeral was over, they came across their loved one’s wishes in a drawer or safe deposit box. If the information is on file at the funeral home, the information will be where it is needed, when it is needed.