Top Myths About Preplanning

In life, we are almost always planning ahead for our future. Planning toward a personal goal or planning for the next phase of life. The families we serve here in Houston are particularly goal-oriented. We set a plan so we can know where we’re headed. Planning relieves stress and answers many questions ahead of time. One thing people do not always plan for is their final arrangements. When a loved one unexpectedly dies, you can expect family and friends to have conversations centered around questions such as:

What type of service did he want?

Where did she want to be buried?

Did he want traditional burial or cremation?

This is especially true if final wishes were not preplanned. Preplanning is a clear solution, even a gift, to friends and family who need time to grieve. But people sometimes hesitate to preplan, citing concerns like cost or flexibility. At Morales Funeral Home, we want to address the top three concerns, or “myths,” about preplanning, so you can clearly see the benefits and be able to make the right choice for you and your family.

Myth #1: You are required to pay for your arrangements ahead of time.

This is definitely one of the biggest misconceptions about preplanning your funeral. While we do offer pre-payment options in order to make life less complicated when a loved one dies, pre-paying is a choice and not a necessity. Preplanning can simply mean trusting us to keep your information and final wishes on file with our staff.

Myth #2: Once you’ve planned with one funeral home, you’re locked into that choice.

Well, it depends on who you plan with. If you plan with us at Morales Funeral Home, you can change your mind at any time. We understand that circumstances can change or people move, so we make our services and arrangements completely transferrable.

Myth #3: Preplanning leaves family and friends out of the planning process.

We strongly encourage you to include your family in preplanning, if they desire. While it’s better to make the big decisions in advance, many of the smaller details can wait until the time of need. For example, your loved ones might want to choose flowers and songs that will help celebrate your life and get them through this difficult time. For items that are important to you, you may want to discuss your preferences with your family in advance. Your loved ones will appreciate that you preplanned your final wishes, and they will not be left wondering what you really wanted.

Come visit us at our Houston location, and we can help you with all of these funeral options to make sure everything is done the way you want. Feel free to contact us with more questions about preplanning, so we can continue to challenge the myths and prove there are only benefits.

One of the most important decisions you will make when it comes time to plan a funeral for someone you love, or for yourself when preplanning, is choosing a final resting place. We have seen among Houston families that there are many preferences, cultural elements, and religious requirements that can go into such a decision. The team at Morales Funeral Home can help you determine your options. To help you get started, here is a Q&A to guide you through some of the most common choices available.

Q. How do I choose among the many kinds of caskets available?

A. That decision is highly personal and may be determined by preference and/or by budget. A variety of woods and metals are used in the construction of caskets, and the choice of styles is practically limitless. Our funeral professionals can guide you through the many selections available.

Q. If I choose cremation, is a casket required?

A. That depends upon your wishes. Even when you choose cremation, you can still have a traditional viewing prior to cremation, and you would need a casket for that purpose. If you choose to not have a viewing, then a casket is not required.

Q. What is a burial vault or grave liner?

A. These are both containers into which the casket is placed. A burial vault is made of very sturdy materials – concrete, steel, copper, bronze or fiberglass, for example. A grave liner is also very sturdy but is a more lightweight version of a burial vault. The purpose of each is to keep the grave surface from sinking.

Q. What are alternatives to grave burial?

A. A casket or cremated remains in an urn may be placed in a building called a mausoleum. Most mausoleums are large and provide crypts to hold casketed remains and niches to hold cremated remains in an urn. Both crypts and niches are sealed once the remains are placed inside. Urns are sometimes placed in a columbarium, which may be located in a mausoleum or chapel. A columbarium is composed of several small compartments designed specially to hold urns. We invite you to come to our selection room to see the options you have at Morales Funeral Home.

Q. Are there other alternatives available to cremated remains?

A. Yes. Some people keep the remains in their home, in a special urn. Many cemeteries provide designated scattering gardens for ashes. If permitted by local regulations, you may scatter remains in a place that is meaningful to you – at sea, for example.

While your memorial options are many and vary, the team at Morales Funeral Home knows there is one that is perfect for you or your loved one. Contact us today, and we will help you discover which one it is.