Advice on preferred cremation document

MeteredOut

OP, can your partner wait till March 2026 to get a will written?

https://freewillsmonth.org.uk/

silvercar

MeteredOut said:

OP, can your partner wait till March 2026 to get a will written?

https://freewillsmonth.org.uk/

Better would be to do a DIY will now and then replace it in March 2026.

silvercar

Keep_pedalling said:

Pip_cas1 said:

Pip_cas1 said:

elsien said:

Very simply, make your executors the people who you know will respect your wishes. 

And have the conversation with family now, so it doesn’t come as a shock to them at the time. 

Nothing to stop people from arranging their own wake to say a goodbye you outside of the funeral process if that’s what they feel they need to do for themselves. 

It wouldn't go well to have ''the' conversation 

I have a will which I could afford when it was done, my executors will respect my wishes. My partner could not afford a will we were hoping a simple letter could be drafted.

I don’t normally say this, but If your partner has a very simple low value estate then a DIY will is better than nothing. Funeral directions in a will are no better than a letter of wishes, but it does nail down who is going to manage your estate. 

Do wills always get read before burials or cremations are sorted?

user1977

silvercar said:

Keep_pedalling said:

Pip_cas1 said:

Pip_cas1 said:

elsien said:

Very simply, make your executors the people who you know will respect your wishes. 

And have the conversation with family now, so it doesn’t come as a shock to them at the time. 

Nothing to stop people from arranging their own wake to say a goodbye you outside of the funeral process if that’s what they feel they need to do for themselves. 

It wouldn't go well to have ''the' conversation 

I have a will which I could afford when it was done, my executors will respect my wishes. My partner could not afford a will we were hoping a simple letter could be drafted.

I don’t normally say this, but If your partner has a very simple low value estate then a DIY will is better than nothing. Funeral directions in a will are no better than a letter of wishes, but it does nail down who is going to manage your estate. 

Do wills always get read before burials or cremations are sorted?

No, which is why it's best to make sure by other methods that your funeral wishes are known. And bear in mind that they're not legally enforceable anyway.

RAS

You can always include the names of the executors in the letter of wishes, so that the family understand who is "in charge."

Wyndham

Just a word of warning - my father in law had paid for a direct cremation a couple of years before he died. It was a reasonably low cost option. When it came to it, it was an absolute nightmare. The company were hopeless, and we suddenly found there were 'extras' which we had to pay in order for them to get the body to the crem. So, naturally, you pay up because what choice do you have?

It's only one experience, but I would never take out such a plan. Just let a trusted person know your wishes.

Direct cremations are becoming more popular though. And I can see the attraction, especially if there is likely to be family angst about it!