Funeral pre-planning is an ancient practice that dates back nearly 2,000 years. It is one of the many helpful services available through Meyer & Geiser Funeral Home, an establishment that has assisted the residents of Cincinnati, OH in saying goodbye to loved ones for over a century. The funeral home’s compassionate directors make funeral planning as easy and stress-free as possible, whether planning your memorial service or a family member’s.

Take a moment to learn about the history of funeral pre-arrangements and what they involve:

History Of Funeral Planning

The history of funeral pre-planning begins in ancient Rome. Burial associations collected dues during monthly meetings that paid for funeral expenses, a practice that continued into the Middle Ages. Guilds, fraternal groups, and craft organizations collected money to pay for their members’ funerals.

Burial societies gained further popularity, and by the mid-19th century, London, England was home to over 200 clubs of this kind. The clubs were not very selective, but did feature weekly premiums and high rates. This idea crossed the Atlantic, with clergy in the United States creating “death insurance,” the first incarnation of life insurance.

Funeral directors did not sponsor death insurance plans for a long time, however after the First World War directors in the U.S. began providing “burial insurance.” Plans such as funeral trusts and savings accounts, mutual benefit associations, funeral debentures, and similar plans followed. Funeral pre-arrangement options are currently a common funeral home service.

How Funeral Planning Works

The first step in funeral planning is drawing a will. A will is an inventory of everything a person owns, from real estate to life insurance to bank accounts to stocks and bonds to valuable artwork and more. The will outlines the distribution of assets to family members, close friends, charitable organizations, etc.

The next step is to plan the funeral, which involves choosing a ceremony format and location. Some may choose to review numerous memorial service possibilities and total their costs before making a final decision.

Funeral pre-planning is helpful to family members following the death of a loved one, as all funeral decisions are already made. Discuss funeral pre-arrangements with the caring staff at Meyer & Geiser Funeral Home to create a beautiful memorial. For more on funeral planning and other services available through Meyer & Geiser Funeral Home, please call (513) 921-4144 or visit the website today.