This is the fourth article about the Nov. 15 Friends program at the Crosby Memorial Library regarding what we all need to know concerning getting older, a lot older.

Today we will look at the need for a pre-care planning.  Again, I’m not an attorney so what I say here is my individual understanding and may not be totally correct.  That’s why you need to come to the program on Nov. 15.

It’s difficult to consider that one day, sooner or later, we will each be forced to pass-on (kick the bucket). See, even I don’t like to talk about it. But, if we ignore the inevitable, the full weight of decision making and how much to spend will fall on the family members we leave behind.

It can be highly destructive of family relationships if you have not made it clear what you consider acceptable for your funeral.

Especially if family members differ greatly on what is acceptable to them or some feel guilty because they did or didn’t do certain things while you were alive.  Funerals are not cheap and can quickly become very expensive.  We are talking thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars here and money alone may not be enough to save family relationships.

But you can make it much easier on everybody by pre-arranging and buying funeral insurance  up front, before the time of actual need. You can decide now on your casket, chapel service, obituary, grave site, head stone (marker) and other details of your funeral. Unfortunately, you can’t pay for all of it before hand. You can, however, buy funeral insurance that is designed to increase in value as the cost of funerals increase so that nearly all of the funds will be available at your time of need.

A few hundred dollars instead of thousands of dollars will be needed from the executor/executrix of your will to complete the process. Remember your power of attorney expires at the moment you pass on.

So come to the Crosby Library at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15 and get all the details you need.

See you then.

By Randy Holland.