Planning for Your Memorial Wishes
Although your memorial wishes are not a “fun” topic, it is an issue that sometimes causes family disharmony. As a reminder, if you are a current client of ours, we have provided a memorial questionnaire which is in your memorial tab of your estate planning binder. You should copy the form so that you have a blank to use in case you change your mind. Complete the form in pen and sign it. Once complete, a copy should be given to at least one other person (i.e. your primary and secondary health agent) and you can three hole punch the original and place it in the memorial instructions tab.
Pre-Paying for Memorial Options
Please note that there are a variety of alternatives to pre-purchase the memorial options which you desire. The most common methods of pre-payment are:
Prepaying with a trust;
Prepaying with an insurance policy;
Prepaying with medicaid planning as an objective.
Paying with either a funeral trust or a funeral insurance policy are the ways that most funeral homes prefer customers to pay in advance. With both of these options you can pay for your arrangements over time, and upon death the money in the funeral trust or the funeral insurance policy will go to the funeral home and fund the arrangements you've made. In both of these cases, the funeral home will control the money from the trust or insurance policy after you die.
Green Burials
There is no such thing as a standard green burial. Options range from burial of the body in a simple shroud to cremation with ashes placed into a biodegradable urn, which is subsequently buried. More than anything, the term reflects a spectrum of options that all seek to minimize environmental impact of the body’s disposition.
The Green Burial Council defines a green burial as one that involves “caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact, that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat.” Accordingly, green burial options tend to land on a spectrum: from those that involve no chemicals or cremation to those that are simply “more green” than traditional methods of embalming and burial. Illinois state law does not require bodies to be buried in caskets, although cemeteries typically require gravesites to have some type of reinforced concrete box — either a vault or a grave liner — to keep the ground level and prevent settling. A handful of cemeteries are willing to waive the vault requirement and allow natural burials, at least on a portion of their properties.
As you can see, there are many options. Options should be chosen by you and communicated to your loved ones in writing in order to avoid disharmony at a difficult time.
If you would like assistance in planning for your memorial wishes, please contact us or request a consultation to learn more.