Some funeral planning tips

If you intend to pay, make sure the cash is easily available.

If you want a big-ticket bon voyage with a fancy coffin, ornate headstone and blow-out memorial/party, think through how your family will cover the costs within days of your passing. If your executor doesn’t have immediate access to a bank account, someone in the family is going to end up paying upfront, with the expectation of getting paid back as the estate is settled.

Green burial. Interested in an informal burial with a more eco-friendly approach, rather than putting a non-biodegradable casket wrapped in a non-biodegradable vault liner in the ground? A green burial typically involves burial in a biodegradable shroud or soft wood coffin, and no embalming. These choices also reduce the cost. You can learn more and search for nearby options at the Green Burial Council website.

Cremation is already more popular than traditional burials. The funeral directors association forecasts that in 15 years, cremation will be the choice for nearly eight in 10 people. A funeral with a viewing and then cremation has a median cost of around $5,000, one-third the cost of a basic traditional funeral and burial. Skip the funeral home/service and work directly with a crematorium and the cost can be a 10th as much.

Be clear on caskets. If you prefer a traditional burial in a traditional casket, and you’d like to minimize cost, let your family know: Costco and Walmart offer low-cost options online that can be delivered quickly. And a quick web search will turn up plenty of other businesses that sell caskets and ship direct to the funeral home. Again, the funeral home likely won’t tell you about this option, but they must accept any casket you or your family chooses, with no fee tacked on.

Write it down and make it immediately discoverable. If you want to let your family know now everything you want (and don’t want), that’s fantastic. But if that’s not feasible given family dynamics, then make sure you spell out all your wishes in writing, and that the document can be quickly found by your executor. One simple option: Write it out, put it in a sealed envelope, and then tell the kids and/or executor right now where the letter is. That simple step can be the catalyst for easing their decision-making when you pass, and potentially provide some extra money to help them reach their goals.

Cremation.