Funeral Wishes

How much thought have you given to your funeral wishes?

Not a subject that we like to think about. Many people avoid the subject and don’t feel comfortable discussing it with their nearest and dearest. However, when making a Will, you may be asked “do you have a funeral wish?” The response usually is “how much direction can I provide to my Executors?”

This is a good question as all we all have our own personal preferences:

· Do we wish to be buried or cremated?

· Is a religious or non-religious ceremony more appropriate?

· Are there any hymns or favourite songs to be played?

· Will there be a dress code? Perhaps you have a favourite colour that you want everyone to wear.

We hope that our loved ones would follow our wishes, especially if we have very specific preferences of how we want our funeral to take place. You can include as much or as little detail as you wish.

The problem that arises is that often, and for understandable reasons, the Will may not be looked at until after the funeral has taken place and so funeral wishes are sometimes missed. This can lead to the feeling that final wishes sadly have not been fulfilled.

The main point to recognise is that funeral wishes in Wills are not legally binding. There are various options when trying to make your wishes known.

1. Leave a Letter of Wishes to accompany your Will (this letter can be updated if your wishes change in the future) without the need to amend your entire Will.

2. Complete a funeral plan with a local funeral director – this way you are certain that your wishes will be followed. You can also pay for your funeral costs up front, reducing the burden on family members after your death.

3. Finally, simply discuss your wishes with your Executors and loved ones.

Understandably, everyone feels reluctant to discuss what will happen upon their death, but by making the decision to talk to family and friends now, you can ensure that all of your wishes are fulfilled.

For any help relating to funeral wishes, our friendly and approachable wills, trusts and probate solicitors will help guide you through this difficult process and give the best outcome for you and your loved ones.