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A funeral celebrant shares the end of life planning tips to set in motion now
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A funeral celebrant shares the end of life planning tips to set in motion now


by Lizzie Gore-Grimes
29th Jan 2025

Funeral celebrant Liza Clancy encourages you to start planning for your funeral now, and shares some tips on how to do so…

Think about the type of funeral arrangements you would like. Set your arrangements in place or at least write down what you would like (if you have a preference).

Set aside a savings pot for the funeral costs. You can do this in advance with most funeral directors and service providers. Alternatively, consider funeral insurance, An Post offers a good package.

Speak to family members about your wishes – for your funeral, for your care if you are dying, in relation to organ donation or the donation of your remains.

Consider your digital legacy. Many people can have precious photos and memories stored in their social media accounts that do not exist elsewhere. Facebook has a memorialisation option, so you can nominate someone to take over your profile if you pass away, and they have a number of options then. Instagram does not at present, but you can contact them to have an account memorialised.

Make a list of all of your personal bank accounts, investments, policies etc, with all of the associated passwords and provider contact details etc somewhere safe. Include your computer and phone security PIN and passwords. This helps people know where everything is, and to manage the paperwork during the estate/probate process.

If you have bitcoin, make sure someone knows about it! It’s the least regulated of all the investment spaces. Ensure the passcodes are recorded as they are not retrievable if someone passes away without that information.

Keep a copy of your staff contract with this file, you may have a Death in Service benefit due to your estate.

Consider filling in the “Think Ahead” planning document, published on The Irish Hospice Foundation website. It’s probably the best resource out there for care and funeral planning.

Ideally take all the above, and keep all these various documents and letters of wishes in one safe place. But make sure people know where it is, tell your family, friends, solicitor and even your GP. I’ve had occasion where someone has pre-planned a funeral and paid for it and the family were never aware until long afterwards.

Finally, don’t forget to make a list of the people you would like to be notified in the event of your death – we live in a world now where people have so many friends from different circles, that it could be very hard for one person to know who to contact.

This article appeared as part of a larger feature on end of life planning. Read the rest here.

This article originally appeared in the Autumn 2024 issue of IMAGE.

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