PLANNING SERVICES

Planning Ahead

Funeral planning is a difficult process involving emotional stress, financial decision making and uncertainty. Without some guidance, the options and information surrounding funerals and arrangement planning can seem overwhelming at an already difficult time.

When faced with the task of arranging a funeral, we can take you through the first stages of funeral planning. The information we offer is given with your interests at heart, and with the goal of helping you to make the personal and financial choices that leave you with peace of mind.

Why Plan Ahead?

Most of us are not prepared to deal with the problems, grief, indecisions and costs of a loved one’s death. Making decisions about memorial property or cremation in advance helps protect your family from having to make these decisions when their lives are complicated by grief.

Pre-planning Advantages

Puts you in control of decisions 
You can make choices together with your spouse and family 
Ensures that Wills, Trusts, and Probate items are in line 
Important personal records are in a safe location 
Purchase at today’s prices 
Pay in installments over time with no interest

Pre-payment Option

At Riverview Cemetery families may pre-pay for cemetery services and merchandise, such as property, interment/inurnment fees, markers, monuments, final date engraving, cremation niches and urns. Pre-paid funds are set up in an irrevocable contract per individual.

To learn more about our pre-payment option, please ask one of our staff or contact us at (651) 457-1109 or [email protected]

Where to Start

It can be difficult to know where to begin. We have compiled some information for you to consider.

Choosing a cemetery property

To help you prepare for a conversation about your options, think about the following questions.

Do you want traditional in-ground interment (burial), above-ground inurnment (cremation)
If choosing cremation, do you want a place to be remembered where family can visit?
Do you want to be near other family members?
Are you interested in an upright monument or an in-ground marker?
If choosing cremation, where will the body be cremated?
What is your budget?
Who should contact the cemetery at the time of death?

Planning a funeral

You may want to consider choosing a funeral director to help you with funeral planning. Funeral directors have experience in all areas of funeral planning, including arranging ceremonies, providing caskets and placing obituaries. If you would like to do some of your own research, there are many funeral planning articles and guides from different sources online. Try Funeral Service 101 and Funeral Planning Checklist

Create a will, trust and/or healthcare directive

Consult with your lawyer or estate planner to develop these official documents. This downloadable pdf will help you get started Planning Ahead Booklet.

Organizing personal records

lt’s a good idea to gather and keep important information in a safe place so when the time comes your family is able to easily find the necessary documents and carry out your wishes. Personal records you will want to consider are:

Your will
Your healthcare directive
A detailed account of your personal history
Veterans benefits
Social Security benefits
Financial/insurance information
List and receipts of any pre-paid funeral expenses, cemetery property and/or merchandise
Detailed account of your funeral wishes and who should contact the cemetery
Contact information for children, professional advisors and lawyers