Planning ahead is always a great idea. It provides peace of mind in knowing that you are prepared, especially for those life events that we have no control over.  Properly planned, it can be a celebration of life and a reflection of the individual. Left to the time of need, surviving family members can be overwhelmed by questions and second thoughts and oftentimes, finances can be depleted because of a long illness or because the estate was not properly protected. Planning ahead eases those worries by having decisions in place. Ask yourself this one question; if my death were to occur tomorrow, who would be making the arrangements and where would the money come from? This is pretty direct, but there is no easy way to ask it.