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It just makes Sense ‘Cents’

The death of a loved one or even your own death is not a welcomed thought. However, today more forward thinking families are doing just that, and making plans. Preplanning your funeral can be a very caring and loving decision you make for your family. They will know what you want, and not what they think you want. At E. Harper & Son Funeral Home, we'll help you put it in writing. Writing it down will help avoid family disputes, or involvement by others who may not know what your wishes are. Your loved ones won't question: "Did we do the right thing? Did we forget anything? Is this what she/he wanted? Did we spend too much?" All that is eliminated because you put it in writing.


Preplanning does not have to be overwhelming or scary. Here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Speak Up: It is your funeral. Make sure you write down and talk to friends and family about what you wish for your funeral including, cremation or burial, type of caskets, memorial stones, urns you wish to use.


2. Listening Is Important: We listen to your wishes instead of imposing our own thoughts. We are there to offer you advice but in the end it needs to be your decision.


3. Ethical Will-Write Down Your Thoughts: A new concept for letting family and friends know your thoughts is called an Ethical Will. This not a document listing how assets should be divided, it is a personal statement offering an opportunity to impart the values by which you have lived and for which you wish to be remembered. For more information: www.ethicalwill.com


4. Making Decisions: Make decisions on who receives your assets before your loss. It is a precious way to pass on memories and stories to your family before you die. You could even color code each item in your house with a dot. Each colored dot represents a family member or friend. Inside heirloom pieces write down the story associated with the piece and tape it somewhere. This way memories are cherished from generation to generation.


After you have planned your final ceremony and you decide you want to set aside funds to cover the costs, make sure you understand your options. We offer several choices for pre-need trust or insurance and we will advise you on the right plan for you. Preplanning your funeral can seem overwhelming. However if you think of it as a way to pass on cherished memories and wishes, planning will become a rewarding experience.

Putting your funeral wishes on paper is the first step. The next step would be to consider ways to fund the funeral. According to Indiana pre-need law, the funeral home shall provide the funeral home’s goods and services selected for the amount of funds in the prepaid account at the time of death. Pre-planning and pre-funding offers peace of mind to your survivors in that they will not have to make many of the decisions regarding your funeral.

Since 1960, the number of pre-planned funerals has increased by 1000%. Why such a dramatic increase in Pre-Planned Funerals?

Because pre-planning guarantees:

Your wishes will be fulfilled.

· You will spare your loved ones any unnecessary financial burden.

Pre-planning your own funeral makes sense because it allows you to take full control of your funeral right now.

Pre-planning allows you to confer with your loved ones and make your plans together, thus resolving your most personal matters with a clear mind, in a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. In return, you will save the people you care about most from the emotional turmoil and burdensome decisions that an unplanned funeral can often bring.

By making the decision to pre-pay now, you will lock in the cost of your funeral at today's prices, even if you live for another 50 years. Your funds are held by one of the countries leading insurance companies in a special policy according to Indiana law. Pre-paying ensures that you are protected against inflation, you can save thousands of dollars.