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Why Plan Ahead?

Why should you pre-plan your funeral?

 

Pre-planning is easy.

You can take your time creating arrangements that best suit your needs and preferences, and all you have to do is fill out a form or meet with a member of our staff to put your plan in place. Anyone can create a plan, at any stage in their life, and you can make changes at a later date if you wish.

Pre-planning lets you decide how you'd like to be remembered.

Creating your own unique life celebration allows you to make sure that your wishes and desires are respected upon your passing. However you decide to be memorialized, pre-planning and preparation gives you control over the personal decisions that must be made when a person moves on from this life. Planning can be meaningful for your family, as well, if you choose to include them in the process. It can help them to feel connected to you both in life and in death, knowing that your arrangements reflect exactly what you envisioned them to be.


Pre-planning takes the burden off of your family and friends.

When a loved one passes, the family faces an overwhelming number of tasks and decisions, all while struggling through grief and a range of difficult emotions. By taking care of your arrangements before the time of need, you’re relieving them of that burden and giving them more time and energy to focus on healing and remembrance. They won’t have to ask themselves, “Am I making the right choices?” and can instead focus on what matters: saying goodbye and celebrating your life journey with those who cared about you most.


Pre-planning gives you the ability to pre-pay, if you wish.

While pre-funding your funeral is certainly not required in order to pre-plan, pre-payment means that your funds will be set aside and protected against inflation and unforeseen increases in cost. Your family won’t have to worry about payment, and can enjoy peace of mind knowing that everything has been taken care of. We’d be happy to provide you with more information and help you arrange for pre-funding of your services.


What if I move after I pre-plan?

Once you create your pre-plan with us, we store it in our files as a record of your final wishes and decisions. Your plan is easily transferable to any funeral home in the United States, so it can be used wherever you might choose to relocate. No matter where you live at the time of your passing, or which funeral home’s services you decide to use, we’ll make sure that your plan follows you there.


How do I start pre-planning?

The first step is to review our Pre-Planning Checklist to help you consider all of your possibilities and gather all of the information you’ll need. Then, you can use our Pre-Planning Form to begin creating your personalized arrangements. You can also contact us to schedule a time to meet with a member of our staff to discuss your options and design your plan in person.  Or you can email us at info@valleymemorialpark.com and we will mail you a complimentary "My Planning Guide" for you to fill out in the comfort of your home. 

 

 

Our collaberation with Vivalon - For 5 years, Valley Memorial Park has proudly sponsored our valued partner, Vivalon, to provide compassionate and professional services to our community. Through this partnership, we have provided estate planning and essential services for hundreds of older adults in our community. Together, we are dedicated to helping you protect your assets, honor your loved ones, and create a meaningful legacy. 

 Make a Will or Trust: Creating a will or trust is an essential part of protecting your assets and ensuring your wishes are honored. Valley Memorial Park Cemetery and Funeral Home shares FreeWill’s online resource to easily guide you through the process in 20 minutes for free.

Designate Beneficiaries: Thanks to our partnership with Vivalon, you can organize your non-probate assets (such as an IRA, 401(k), life insurance policy, or any other assets not included in your will) in one place. This tool also provides easy-to-follow instructions on how to update the institutions where your non-probate assets are held if you need to set or change designations from time to time.

Record a Planned Gift: By taking a few minutes to fill out this short form and record your gift, you’re maximizing your impact on Marin County’s older adults and people with disabilities with Vivalon. Your support is truly a legacy built on care and compassion.

 



 

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