Talking about your final arrangements isn’t easy. But it doesn’t have to be hard.

You could be encouraging a loved one to pre-plan. Or you could want to broach the topic of your own plans with your family. In either case, it’s all about approaching the topic with confidence and care. Don’t be surprised if discussing final wishes brings up strong emotions. Just reinforce that you’re doing this out of love, to make things easier in the future.

Your family is everything. So the last thing you’d want is to put them in a difficult position. A time of loss is a time of confusion, but your final arrangements don’t have to add to the uncertainty. Pre-planning your funeral services can save your loved ones from having to make decisions while they’re grieving. And they won’t have to guess what you’d want. Making pre-arrangements is the financially and emotionally thing to do. Instead of getting bogged down in details, your family will be able to focus on celebrating your life.

• Why are you considering pre-planning?
• How would you like your family to be involved in the process?
• Now that we know your wishes, what should we do next?
• Does this mean you anticipate needing a funeral soon?

Here are a few common reasons people pre-plan. These benefits could help guide your conversation.

• Even if it’s far into the future, you’ll assure that a difficult time is less stressful for your loved ones.
• When everything is determined in advance, families can focus on celebrating life, knowing that last wishes are perfectly fulfilled.
• Planning a funeral can require over 150 decisions, and making those choices now, together, can be an experience that brings families closer.
• Some people go so far as to pre-pay, and this is a gift to loved ones, because funerals often come at unexpected times. This act unburdens family members from what can be a sudden expense.