Why preplanning for your final expenses should be one of your
New Year’s Resolutions for 2021
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t predict what will happen in the future. With so much uncertainty suddenly thrust upon us all, one thing I have been so grateful for is a financial safety net. Just as I couldn’t imagine dealing with an unexpected medical emergency without health insurance, I cannot conceive of a sudden loss in my family without preneed insurance.
My husband and I both feel that preneed insurance is one of life’s necessities. It honestly helps me sleep at night to know that if something terrible were to happen to me or to my spouse, we have life insurance to support our kids in the long term and preneed insurance to assist them with the immediate expenses of a funeral, burial, and other end-of-life expenditures. I think we’re all dealing with a lot of uncertainty and anxiety these days. We just don’t know what the future holds for each of us, which is exactly why insurance is something I’m recommending to everyone in 2021.
More Preparation = Less Anxiety
While you’re looking at what kind of a year you’d like to have in 2021, consider making some resolutions that will improve your emotional and mental health. There are a lot of ways to practice self-care; carving out time each day to exercise, relax, meditate, maybe reflect or enjoy some quiet alone time (definitely making my goal list). One underrated aspect of self-care is doing those adult things, like paying your bills on time and cleaning out your freezer. Adding preneed insurance to your financial priorities and getting the ball rolling in 2021 is a move you will not regret. The peace of mind that comes from pre-planning your funeral and securing preneed insurance for yourself and your spouse is absolutely part of the improved mental health you are seeking in this new year. We know that preparing for the future (and involving professionals in that process) can and will reduce that general anxiety we all feel about the unknown.
Financial Goals Meet Financial Security
When goal-setting as a family this year, we started with the question, “Is our money being spent according to our priorities as a family?” We looked back on the last year and really broke down where we were spending money, and found that one of our main priorities—safety and security—was not represented as important in our actual budget! Our goals for 2021 include some financial adjustments that will hopefully increase the mindfulness with which we spend our money. I think you should have this same conversation with your family: is preneed insurance something that aligns with our financial priorities? Are we setting goals with the long-term in mind, or is our financial way of thinking short-term and reactionary? Could we benefit from increased peace of mind and security this year? I think this is a great way to kick off the goal-setting that will guide you to a regret-free 2021!
