Planning for the future is a natural part of life, and for many families, this includes making final arrangements. One question that often arises during pre-planning is whether it’s possible, or even appropriate, to purchase a headstone or monument before a loved one has passed away. The answer is a resounding yes.
Purchasing a headstone or monument in advance is not only permissible but is a thoughtful and practical decision known as pre-need planning. At Shastone, we specialize in helping individuals and families secure their memorial preferences, providing peace of mind during an otherwise difficult time.
The Benefits of Pre-Need Headstone Planning
Deciding on a memorial is a deeply personal and often emotional process. Choosing to do this in advance offers several significant advantages:
1. Financial Clarity and Stability
The cost of memorials, like many goods and services, increases over time due to inflation and rising material costs. By purchasing the headstone, monument, or grave marker ahead of time, you are able to secure today’s price. Many memorial companies, including Shastone, offer payment plans that allow you to pay off the memorial over time, easing the financial burden on your surviving family members when they are least prepared for it.
2. Peace of Mind and Reduced Stress
When a loved one passes, their family must make countless decisions under intense emotional stress and time constraints. Having the memorial stone already selected, designed, and often paid for eliminates one of the most significant and personal decisions that must be made immediately following a loss. This allows the family to focus entirely on grieving and supporting one another.
3. Complete Personalization and Control
Pre-need planning ensures that the final memorial perfectly reflects the wishes, personality, and life story of the individual being remembered.
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Design Freedom: You have the time to carefully select the perfect granite color, size, shape (upright monument, flat marker, or bench), and finish.
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Inscriptions and Epitaphs: You can proofread and finalize the inscriptions, epitaphs, quotes, or religious symbols. This guarantees accuracy and personal significance that might be overlooked during rushed post-need decisions.
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Approval: The individual being memorialized can fully approve the design, guaranteeing satisfaction with the final tribute.
Understanding the Process
When you choose to purchase a headstone in advance, the process is straightforward and respectful:
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Design and Selection: You work directly with a designer to select the material, size, and artwork. You decide on all inscriptions, including the full name, date of birth, and any epitaphs.
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Date of Passing: You leave the date of death blank. This information is typically engraved on the stone at a later time, usually within a few weeks of the passing, once the stone has been placed at the site. This subsequent engraving is included in the original pre-need contract or handled with a simple follow-up service.
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Secure Storage or Placement: Depending on the cemetery’s rules and your preference, the memorial may be installed immediately with the death date blank, or it may be held in secure, climate-controlled storage until the time of need. Your memorial provider will coordinate with the cemetery to ensure all regulations regarding size and installation are met.
Is Pre-Need Planning Right for You?
Pre-need memorial planning is an emotionally responsible decision that provides a final, thoughtful act of love for your family. It shifts the burden of difficult, expensive, and complex design decisions away from a time of crisis and into a time of reflection and calm.
At Shastone, we guide our clients through every step of this process with sensitivity and expertise, ensuring your legacy is preserved exactly as you envisioned. Taking care of your headstone today is truly taking care of your family tomorrow. Contact us to schedule a consultation and begin the pre-need design process.