Funeral Pre-Planning

Helping families honor the legacies of their late loved ones isn’t just a job for Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons, Inc.—it’s a sacred trust. We own and operate nine award-winning funeral homes throughout Michigan, and can provide assistance with funeral pre-planning, traditional and custom funeral services, and more.  Keep reading to learn more about how we can help you during this challenging time, or call us today to request a free consultation—we’re here for you 24/7.

What Is a Pre-Planned Funeral?

Funeral pre-planning refers to the practice of designing a funeral service or memorial in advance. 

Why Should You Pre-Plan Your Funeral?

With early planning, you can control costs and ensure that the services accurately reflect your life and legacy.  Pre-planning funeral services is also helpful for your loved ones; having fewer decisions to make during this stressful time allows family, friends, and associates to start the grieving process. Pre-arrangements will often eliminate some stress and minimize disputes among loved ones who are left behind. Additionally, you may involve friends or family in the decision-making process, if you choose. 

Mistakes to Avoid When Pre-Planning

  1. Not Documenting Wishes: This is perhaps the biggest mistake you can make, especially if you do have specific burial instructions that you want your loved ones to honor. 
  2. Rushing Your Decision: Be sure to get all of the information that you need from the very beginning. You must understand what is included and not included in your funeral package. Knowing this information will help both you and your family save money down the road. Additionally, working with a professional during the pre-planning stage is essential, as they can fully explain each package and break down any costs associated with them.
  3. Procrastination: Another mistake to avoid is waiting— each month or year you wait, prices will likely increase. Pre-need plans protect against inflation.
  4. Overlooking Grief Counseling: Lastly, something that is often overlooked is grief counseling. It’s easy to focus on the cost of the funeral, but what about your family and their future needs? Everyone processes grief differently—professional grief support will help your family learn how to move forward. Wujek-Calcaterra’s partner, Dr. John D. Canine, Ed., has been a grief counselor and consultant for more than two decades, and specializes in bereavement aftercare. 

What Types of Costs to Expect

Pre-planning a funeral allows you to create a memorial service based on your unique preferences. For example, some people may want to select special music, floral arrangements, or video elements for their funeral, while others may want a more simple memorial. There are a few common costs for each type of funeral service, including:
  • Caskets, Urns, & Coffins
  • Funeral Director & Support Staff Fees
  • Memorial & Viewing
  • Embalming & Body Preparation
  • Cemetery Plots
  • Graveside Services
There are a wide array of factors that could impact the overall cost. This includes the type of funeral service (traditional burial, cremation, green burial, or military funeral), the material that the casket or coffin is constructed of, whether you want to purchase a plot, and any additional services (flowers, memorial media, etc.) To receive a more accurate cost estimate, we recommend using our online estimator tool.

Request a Funeral Pre-Planning Consultation Today

Since our founding, we’ve planned, overseen, and orchestrated over 35,000 funerals in Michigan. We value your trust and want to ensure you understand the options available to you. Whether you want to schedule a funeral pre-planning consultation for yourself, or plan services for a loved one, we’re here to help you 24/7.  To schedule your free consultation, please fill out our online form. You can also reach our Sterling Heights office at (586) 826-8550 and our Shelby Township location at (586) 677-4000
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Find Peace of Mind With Funeral Pre-Planning

We are here for any questions regarding your pre-plan funeral and the consultation is free.

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