In our recent blog, we answered, we addressed many questions people ask about funeral planning.

Questions like:

“What’s the proper etiquette for sending flowers?”

“Are funeral expenses tax-deductible?”

“What to wear to a funeral?”

“What is the length of a funeral service?”

In part two of funeral planning questions, we answer even more questions about the subject.

Your Ultimate Funeral Planning Questions AnsweredFuneral Planning: Your Questions Answered

When Should a Funeral be Held?

In today’s culture and society, there’s more flexibility when it comes to planning and scheduling a cremation, funeral or memorial service. In the U.S., services typically take place between three and seven days after a passing. There are many factors that determine when to hold a funeral including religion, local cultural traditions and burial practices, and sometimes even the local climate.

In Catholicism, a two-day wake is traditional with funeral and interment on the third day after death. In Jewish tradition, it is seen as disrespectful to delay the burial. Thus, funerals are held as quickly after death as possible. Muslim burial typically takes place within 24 hours or before the next sunset following the death, and after the traditional bathing and enshrouding of the body.

Today, almost all of these faiths show increasing flexibility when it comes to burial traditions, including allowing for travel time. Even if your church or synagogue is fairly conservative or traditional, you will have some leeway about when to hold the funeral after death.

Why do People Preplan Their Own Funeral?

People choose to preplan their own funeral for various reasons. A person might choose to preplan their funeral so they can ease the burden on their family. If your family doesn’t know your desire when you pass, it will make it harder for them to make decisions that honor your memory and legacy. A person might also choose to preplan their own funeral so they can assume the financial responsibility. Preplanning enables you to make financial arrangements to cover your funeral costs. Even if you leave behind money, will your family be able to access it in time for the funeral?

What Should I Know about Driving in a Funeral Procession?

Funeral Processions are very common and help people get to the cemetery after the funeral service. However, there are certain things to be aware of when you’re driving in one.

  • You will drive slowly. Typically you will drive 30-40 mph on roads and no more than 55 mph on the highway.
  • Stay in line with the procession at all times. Stay in line even if it means you are going through a red light. Local traffic ordinances give funerals the right-of-way and other motorists must yield until the procession has passed.
  • The last car in the procession will have 2 flags on their car and will have hazard lights flashing to alert other motorists that the procession has ended and traffic may resume.
  • You will need to stay close to the car in front of you during the procession. Do not allow room for a vehicle that’s not in the procession to cut in.

Is there anything else you want to know about funerals?

Leave a comment on our blog and we will answer them in our next installment.

Everdays is designed as a solution to help make communication around a passing less burdensome. You can communicate and send condolence notes privately to friends and family without calls and texts on multiple platforms.