By Vickie Carnaghan
It may seem morbid to daydream about the style of coffin you would prefer to be laid to rest in. And not everyone stops to envision the flower arrangements they would like to see at their own wake. But in Ontario an increasing number of citizens have begun planning — and paying for — their own funerals in advance.
Every year in Ontario 27,000 people preplan their own funeral. This is on top of the 150,000 contracts that have already been created. And these numbers keep increasing. Although statistics for the Ottawa area are unavailable, those in Centretown’s funeral industry say this phenomenon is becoming more noticeable every year.
“That is the general trend,” says John LaFramboise, the director of client services at Kelly Funeral Homes on Somerset Street. “Every year more people take that approach. It’s a social trend…people are becoming more astute about financial planning.”
Funeral service experts and consumer advocates agree: arranging a funeral beforehand and organizing the finances to cover it is an important part of financial planning.
Currently, preplanned funerals in Ontario are worth almost $1 million, and an average funeral costs around $5,000, according to the Funeral Board of Ontario. This is a considerable expense.
The trend of citizens preplanning and paying in advance for their own funerals began about 35 years ago, and has been steadily increasing since then, says LaFramboise.
Yet, although some are beginning to personalize their own memorial services down to the smallest detail, experts say more people should consider it.
“We’re a death-denying society,” LaFrambois says. “In general, we don’t stop to think about how we’re human and vulnerable. We don’t know when our last day will be. We don’t consider the impact our death will have on others.”
Traditionally, those who begin thinking of how they might pay for their funeral are entering or about to enter the retirement phase of their life, says Mike Robinson, a funeral director at Kelly.
But it’s both the financial and emotional peace of mind which makes preplanning desirable. This, says Mary Nash of the Funeral Information Society of Ottawa, accounts for younger and younger planners considering their funeral options.
“They can be in their late 20s and early 30s,” she says.
Her organization offers advice to consumers on how to navigate the complicated funeral-planning process.
Nash says few people fully realize the benefits that preplanning offer.
The provincial government even provides incentives for citizens to preplan. The money saved in a funeral trust earns tax-free interest every year. If someone puts aside money for their funeral, this tax shelter ensures that the balance of the fund can keep up with changing prices and inflation.
Preplanning also allows consumers to get the most bang for their buck, says Nash. Bereaved relatives are in a vulnerable position when considering funeral arrangements and wares, she says.
The risk of being taken advantage of while in a shocked or mourning mindset disappears if a person plans his or her own funeral beforehand. The Funeral Information Society even provides a price list each year. It compares average prices for funeral accessories across the province. This allows funeral service shoppers to make better-informed choices. Then preplanners can “compare with a clear head,” says Nash.
And if an individual wants to complete all the paperwork required for funerals they can make complete funeral service blueprint without paying up front.
Some seemingly arcane information is required to fill out a death certificate, notes Robinson, and after a loved one dies trying to find a Social insurance number, or remembering a mother’s maiden name can be very stressful, he says.
Yet LaFramboise says planning for death is not a behavior that society is generally comfortable with.
Even Nash, who strongly believes preplanning is the best way for consumers to protect themselves from the “well thought-out marketing” methods funeral homes may employ, has not yet fully prepared her funeral pre-plan.
The paperwork can be laborious and the amount of money needed, usually upwards of $5,000, is not often readily available. Nash points out, “That’s half a car!”