You likely have at least some idea of what your final arrangements look like. If you’ve decided that cremation is the right choice for you – you’ve got company. Cremation is now the number one disposition choice for Americans. But just because you’ve chosen cremation doesn’t guarantee that those wishes will be carried out. Many families never have the disposition conversation before a loved one passes, leaving surviving family members to guess at what the decedent wanted.

To ensure that doesn’t happen to you – and to relieve your loved ones of making these tough decisions after you’ve passed – there are several steps you can take. We’ve detailed them here, so you can rest assured that your final arrangements are taken care of.

The most common recommendation is to make your cremation preferences clear in your will. That’s a good idea, and it’s a good idea to talk to an estate planning attorney to ensure your will is properly written out.



However, we recommend you also detail your cremation preferences in a separate document that can be easily accessed once death occurs. Why?

Wills are typically read after any disposition services have been rendered. Many include sensitive information that’s kept private until death. They may be stored in a safe or a deposit box that loved ones can’t easily access.

By the time your loved ones recover your will, there’s a real chance that it will be too late to act on your preferences. You may already be buried by the time your family realizes you wanted to be cremated, and it will be too late then to change the decision.

That’s why we recommend a second document that includes your final wishes. This document should be quick to access, and your family members should know where it is. If your loved ones know that you prefer cremation, they aren’t likely to choose an alternative.

It’s common for people to put off the disposition conversation, assuming they’ll have time down the road to address it. However, as we all know, accidents happen and health can fail suddenly, often leaving people unable to make their own decisions.



This is where an advance directive can be extremely valuable. An advance directive informs family members and doctors what to do should you become medically incapacitated. Include your final wishes in this document, too, and family members will be aware of them should you lose the ability to communicate them directly.

Before you’re gone, pick a person you trust to act as your power of attorney. Designate this person in your will and make sure they know it. Whoever is granted power of attorney will have the ability to make decisions in your place – including any decision regarding your final disposition. This person will also be able to make financial and medical decisions in your stead, so it should be someone you trust entirely.

Empowering a loved one in this way will ensure you have a living representative after you pass.

It isn’t easy to talk to loved ones about your final wishes, but it’s a conversation worth having. The more people who know about your disposition plans, the more likely it is that they will be carried out. In particular, inform your spouse and any adult children, as they are the ones who’ll need to make most of the tough disposition decisions.



Communicating your preferences doesn’t guarantee that they will be respected once you’ve passed, but most people are uncomfortable violating a deceased loved one’s final wishes. It’s a moral quandary that most would rather avoid, particularly while they are in a state of grief.

This conversation can be quick and stress-free, especially if you’ve already drawn up a will or other document that includes what you want. Letting your family members know about this document can even provide peace of mind. And if you want to provide total peace of mind to loved ones, funding cremation services ahead of time is recommended.

With the cost of traditional funeral services skyrocketing, it’s common for a funeral home to offer prepaid funeral arrangements for their clients.

Many cremation services also allow people to preplan and pre-fund their final disposition ahead of time. Again, it’s recommended that you inform

loved ones about your preplanned arrangements. By preplanning, not only are you relieving your family of any financial burden – you’re also increasing the likelihood that your cremation wishes will be carried out.

Think of it this way. If your loved ones have to decide between free (to them) cremation services, or other services that will cost them a lot of money, the decision is often an easy one.

Just thinking about death produces anxiety in a lot of people, but if you’ve made peace with your cremation decision, your loved ones should be able to as well. Don’t be afraid to communicate what you want to family members directly, through documentation, and with the available legal tools.



By doing so, you and your loved ones can make a difficult time a little less difficult.