How much do consumers really know about funeral planning? According to Funeralwise.com, not enough. That’s the conclusion suggested by a fascinating new study released this week that shows consumers are reluctant to pre-plan funerals or express their final wishes.
Conducted by Funeralwise.com, the survey polled 2,647 people who entered the company’s Death and Taxes Sweepstakes during the month of April. They were asked whether they had made funeral plans, intended to preplan, purchased cemetery space, wanted their parents to preplan, and if the family knows their final wishes. Nearly 3,000 adults entered the sweepstakes.
“What’s most surprising are the results we didn’t expect,” said Funeralwise co-founder Rick Paskin. “For example, when those who have already purchased cemetery spaces were asked if they also intended to preplan their funeral, only 12% of those people intended to preplan. And only 17% of respondents had purchased cemetery spaces.”
Some of the more surprising revelations of the Funeralwise.com survey include:
46% – less than half – say their family knows their final wishes.
24% intend to preplan their funeral.
23% do not intend to preplan their funeral, and only 17% of these people say that their family knows their final wishes.
21% have already made funeral plans, and 29% of these people have already purchased cemetery spaces.
What does this mean? Far fewer people than previously thought are inclined to preplan their funerals. “This really shows that people need information on funeral planning, especially when making decisions that could cost them a lot of money during a time of grief,” said Paskin.