When grieving and pressed for time, planning a funeral can feel overwhelming. To alleviate this burden on your family members, you can begin preparing for the service in advance. A common step in this process is choosing a funeral home, but with so many available, it can be challenging to determine which will meet your wishes. Here's how to choose the right one. 

A Guide to Choosing a Funeral Home

1. Compare Prices

Most people aren't familiar with the funeral planning process, so they're unaware of what costs are reasonable. Before researching prospective businesses, determine what ceremony services you want and their expected prices.

As you get quotes from funeral homes, you can better understand which locations offer what you need within or close to your budget. By law, these businesses have to offer transparent pricing over the phone and provide itemized proposals when you visit for consultations. 

2. Identify Priorities

While planning a memorial service, you should know what aspects of the ceremony mean the most to you. Therefore, organize a list of priorities from most important to least. You can create it on your own, with a spouse, or with the help of your family. 

Your preferences can include convenience, proximity to your home, budget, religious ties, or the ability to accommodate many guests. Using that list, look for the funeral home that best accommodates these priorities.

3. Document Your Wishes

Planning your own memorial service involves ensuring your explicit wishes—including the selected funeral home—are documented and available for others to obtain. This approach lets your loved ones know what you want for your ceremony, making it easier for them to organize it after your passing.

Some people include their preferences in a will or safebox, but these plans often won't be accessed until after the services have taken place. Instead, ensure your wishes get carried out by making several copies and sharing them with a lawyer, spiritual advisor, close friend, or partner. 

The professionals at TP White & Sons Funeral Home strive to support families through the difficult loss of a loved one with as much ease as possible. Located in Cincinnati, OH, this locally owned business has provided compassionate care and funeral services for over 150 years. Their thoughtful services include personalized planning, memorials, burials, and cremations, and they offer an expensive inventory of caskets, urns, and vaults. Learn more about this funeral home's facilities online, and call (513) 231-7150 to discuss your plans with a staff member.