Funeral pre-planning is not an everyday conversation topic, but it is an important planning process for all -regardless of age, young & old. I would like to share with you my personal story that I hope will benefit all.
My Personal Story
My mum passed away unexpectedly. She just returned from an overseas trip and she was recovering from asthmatic attacks. It was a common occurence and we never thought much of it. She lived with my elder brother, and she had a fall in the middle of the night and passed away peacefully. We received the devastating message while on the way to work and rushed to the hospital but she has passed on. No farewells or final messages.
The silver lining to the entire episode was that my mum has pre-planned her final journey with Nirvana Life Plan (formerly known as Funeral Service Package). In that time of shock and grief, we proceeded to call the Nirvana Service Advisor who made all the necessary arrangements. They assured us they will make arrangements for a meeting at Nirvana Sungai Besi to discuss expectations and next steps. Without prior planning, we would have to quickly find a caretaker and make financial decisions. We are grateful that mum has thought about funeral pre-arrangements so that we did not have to make difficult choices.
Many years on, this personal story and many others have inspired me to help others to consider pre-plan your own funeral arrangements – stating your final wish, choosing between burial or cremation, and to precisely detail down what you’d like.
Pre-Planning A Funeral: A Taboo?
Gone are the days when discussing about funeral pre-planning is a taboo. In fact, most elderly people keep some money aside as “funeral money”. The question is whether that money is sufficient for today or future funeral service packages, with increasing prices and inflationary pressure. The last thing anyone would want is to place the responsibility of arranging and paying for a funeral on our loved ones. If you are curious about how much a Nirvana Life Plan funeral package costs, you can check out a summary of the latest funeral package price here.
Regardless of your faith—Buddhist, Taoist, Christian, or Catholic—pre-planning your funeral is akin to writing a will or purchasing insurance. Nirvana has packages for the different religions and faiths – so you can be assured that your needs will be met.
Funeral Pre-Planning Benefits [For All Ages!]
The sooner you pre-plan, the easier and better it is for you and your family. Here are the benefits of a funeral pre-plan:
#1 Lock-in Today’s Prices
One of the key reasons people pre-plan early is to lock-in the prices. Inflation and rising costs will continuously push prices up. Purchasing a funeral arrangement package in advance gives you the ability to hedge against inflation, so you can have peace-of-mind about affordability when the time comes.
#2 Easy Financial Planning with Installment Plan
Funeral services are all cash terms, and you will have to fork out a big lump sum if you have not pre-planned. With Nirvana Life Plan, you can pay in installments (subject to terms & conditions) so it is easier for you to plan. A monthly payment of RM300 is definitely more affordable than a lump sum of RM20,000. Plan early for your grandparents, parents, and yourself so that you can budget it in your expenses. When everyone is emotionally distraught over the loss of a loved one, the last thing you want to worry about is the financial burden associated with the funeral.
#3 Professional Bereavement Services
If you are planning for your grandparents or parents, give them a dignified final journey with Nirvana funeral service package. Being in business for over 30 years, Nirvana prides itself as a professional bereavement service provider. When you purchase a Nirvana Life Plan package, you will be given a list of items that comes with each package, which is legally binding. There is no second guess or question about purchasing a Nirvana funeral package. All payments are made direct to Nirvana Care, so you can have full assurance that you are dealing with a legitimate company.
#4 Peace of Mind for Your Loved Ones
Provide you and your loved ones with peace of mind, knowing that you have planned this final journey. Give your loved ones a chance to grieve and heal during the challenging times, instead of worrying about paying for a funeral. Even if you are in your 30s, 40s or 50s this is the best time to start thinking about pre-paying for your final journey.
#5 Eliminate All Uncertainties
One of the key factors of pre-planning is knowing for sure what to expect when the eventual happens. Everything will be taken care of and pre-arranged ahead based on the options you have selected. You can decide on how, and what you want in your funeral. No one needs to make decisions during a funeral, such as what type of urn, cremate or burial, how much to spend, etc. Pre-planning removes unnecessary worry and headache during and after the event.
#6 Celebration of Life
Planing ahead gives you and your family time to plan a meaningful funeral service. You can discuss the process with your family, plan your options to fulfill your wishes and also meet the emotional needs of your family. Pre-planning is the first step for your bereaved loved ones to go on their individual grieving journey.
Best time to plan for end-of-life funeral plans
Death is inevitable. Make it easier for your loved ones. Many families are burdened with decision-making before and during a funeral wake, leading to uneasiness, uncertainties, and sometimes even disagreement among family members. Let them know exactly what you wanted and what needs to be done. Once you have made a decision based on the options available, you can put your mind at rest. Do not wait to do this at later stages of your life as you will find it financially harder than when you were younger. Additionally, inflation and rising costs will make it more expensive. Begin early so you can easily budget it in your expenses when you still have an active income.
I am a strong believer in pre-planning, after witnessing many of such cases. Personally, I have planned both my funeral service and final resting place with Nirvana. It is my responsibility as a husband to not burden my wife, and to let her focus on remembering and healing. She will never need to worry about the financial aspects of a funeral or the stress during the difficult time. As a Nirvana Life Plan agent, my goal is to make people aware of the importance of pre-planning. It is my hope that you will explore the various options available (pre-plan funeral services, columbarium, or burial land) to you and I will be happy to explain them in detail. Send me your inquiry here.
Nirvana Life Plan is a special gift of love for your loved ones – plan ahead for peace-of-mind today & tomorrow.