When we consider the cost of dying, our first thoughts tend to go to the funeral itself. However, the facts are that death more often than not has a price tag that would most certainly run longer than service. Legal bills, travel costs, and the list of unforeseen expenses can be quite daunting. To make matters worse, at the most inconvenient moment, too.
Thankfully, you can familiarize yourself with these costs to prepare better. It is one of the primary reasons why others prefer funeral plans, so that they do not have to impose on the people they love and so that they may secure themselves against the unknown.
Probate charges and law fees
Once a person dies, their estate is typically required to undergo probate. This is the legal process of paying debts and assigning property. It may take months, and in many cases, there are costs to the solicitor, the court, and the administrative processes.
Probate can be quite expensive, even on technically simple estates, often costing several thousand pounds where professional advice is required. Regrettably, not all people plan ahead of time. Thus, relatives are left struggling to afford legal expenses while they should be mourning.
Family travel and accommodation
Death does not always come at home. In case your family is far away, or even in a different country, they must fly in at short notice. That includes flights, hotel rooms, transportation, and time away.
These may accumulate rather fast, particularly at peak travelling periods. In the absence of a plan, family members are likely to pay out of pocket or worry about the expenses of attending the funeral in the first place.
Loss of earnings and sick leave time
Bereavement leave is usually restricted, and most individuals take their own time off, unpaid, to handle the logistics, mourn, or assist other family members. Self-employed individuals or hourly workers, in particular, lose money at a time when their finances are already stretched.
Paperwork and death certificates
Many of the things your family will require are many certified copies of the death certificate for closing bank accounts, claiming pensions, or life insurance. They are not wildly costly on their own, but they are not free, and they can quickly rack up when you require a number of them.
Memorials, catering, and special touches
Some families include their own touches regardless of the funeral plan, e.g., flowers, a memorial bench, wake catering, or a newspaper notice. These are not always included in your basic packages and can run hundreds of dollars extra when not planned for.
A prepaid funeral plan will not pay all the hidden expenses, but it can help pay a big difference. Paying up front on core services such as the funeral director, cremation or burial expenses, and ceremony plans means fewer expensive aspects that your family has to consider.
Final thoughts
The actual cost of dying may sometimes be more than the funeral. A well-designed funeral plan will not eliminate all the expenses, but will help alleviate the burden, both financial and emotional, from your loved ones.