The National Funeral Directors Association estimates that more than half of all funerals in the United States are pre-arranged. Funeral pre-planning (personal funeral planning) is a wise practice that's becoming increasingly accepted and appreciated. People are sometimes hesitant to pre-plan a funeral because they think they're not going to die anytime soon, or they may not like the idea of thinking about their own death and funeral. There may even be some superstition that planning your own funeral will somehow bring on a hasty death. However, many people who get over their initial resistance to the idea actually find funeral planning to be a freeing experience. You're able to make sure things are done in the way you'd like them, and you'll know that you're relieving your loved ones of some very burdensome future responsibilities.

You can begin the funeral planning process long before you are even close to death. If you're ill or in the process of dying, funeral planning can be a proactive way of dealing with the inevitable.