Thinking about your own funeral can be kind of uncomfortable, but most of us have at least a general idea of what we would want: burial or cremation, funeral or memorial service, religious or secular. Some of us have highly specific funeral wishes. For instance, one older woman we knew wanted the church at her funeral decorated with her large collection of decorative birdhouses; at the end of the services, mourners were instructed to take a birdhouse they liked to remember her by.

Whether you have imagined every detail of your send-off, or whether this is the first time you’ve thought of it, one thing is for certain: you won’t be there to carry out your own wishes. If you want the funeral you have envisioned, you will have to communicate your preferences to someone else. But what is the best way to do that? The logical way to convey your funeral wishes might seem to be a will. Read on to learn why putting your funeral preferences in a will is probably a bad idea—and to get some better ones.

Does a Will Include Funeral Wishes?

Technically, a will can include funeral wishes, but that doesn’t mean those wishes are legally binding. But there’s ano… Read More