Why does AMAC recommend pre-planning funeral services?

AMAC advises pre-planning to reduce the emotional burden on family members during a time of grief and to ensure that the individual’s exact wishes are honored. Documenting preferences avoids guesswork and potential conflict among surviving family members.

Does AMAC suggest pre-funding my funeral?

Yes, AMAC emphasizes the importance of pre-funding to prevent a large, unexpected financial burden on surviving family members. They recommend exploring secure, dedicated methods like pre-need or burial insurance options to lock in costs and protect funds.

How does Legacy of Love align with AMAC's funeral planning advice?

Legacy of Love aligns with AMAC's comprehensive approach by offering both funeral planning services to document wishes AND providing pre-need or burial insurance options, allowing visitors to pre-fund their planned service securely.

Are burial insurance and pre-need plans better for seniors than traditional life insurance?

For seniors who primarily need to cover final expenses, burial insurance and pre-need plans are often more suitable than traditional life insurance and provide a solution in the absence of adequate personal savings. They are typically easier to qualify for, coverage amounts align better with funeral costs, and the funds are specifically directed to end-of-life expenses.

What Does AMAC Say About Funeral Planning?

Proper Planning Avoids Family Disagreements, Relieves Financial Burden on Survivors

Key Takeaways

What does AMAC say about funeral planning?
What are some key recommendations from AMAC?
What financial aspects of funeral planning does AMAC suggest?

AMAC's official stance on funeral pre-planning and pre-funding. Founded in 2007, The Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) emphasizes they offer an alternative to "the other 50 plus organization" by providing good information, trusted insight, reliable news, and an all-American source of grounded guidance.

What Does AMAC Say About Funeral Planning?

AMAC does offer guidance to their 2 million+ members on end-of-life planning by encouraging their members to plan their funerals in advance. Doing this eases the emotional and financial burden on their survivors. AMAC discourages avoiding the topic, promoting guidance that focuses on documenting specific wishes and making informed financial decisions.

Per VJ Russo Law, “Unfortunately, seniors are prime targets for financial abuse and scams. Sadly, the elderly are often taken advantage of by strangers – and sometimes even their own family members. That’s why it’s crucial that planning is in place to help seniors protect themselves and their assets.” Additionally, with age, assets may become more challenging to personally manage, and decision-making may become tougher.¹

What Are Key Recommendations From AMAC?

AMAC offers clear direction to its members on end-of-life planning.

Specify Wishes: AMAC emphasizes the importance of clearly stating your preferences for burial versus cremation, type of casket, and details of any memorial services. This helps prevent disagreements among family members and ensures your wishes are honored.
Document Everything: Even a simple handwritten note can make a difference, provided family members know where to find it. These plans can be included as part of a will or estate planning documents. Legacy of Love helps you accomplish this suggestion.
Once you complete your FREE funeral plan with Legacy of Love, your preferences and plans are preserved in a personalized, leather-like My Final Wishes binder. You also receive free access to our secure Online Legacy Vault, where you can safely store and share key documents, photos, and messages for designated family members. Accessible anytime, the online vault keeps everything your family needs in one secure place.
Avoid Over-Spending: Planning ahead helps families avoid making potentially expensive, emotional decisions under pressure during a time of grief. Home finance advocate Suze Orman echoes this stance observing that, "You don’t want your family to be in a position where they are grieving and have to make decisions. They will always overspend. Always."
Legacy of Love offers two ways to help you avoid overspending. First is your local Legacy of Love funeral planning counselor. Their depth of experience can provide guidance to you in settings outside the funeral home. Second is adding on a best-in-class funeral planning concierge to your funeral plan. Legacy of Love partners with Sequoia Funeral Concierge Services to provide an advocate for your plan's wishes, ensure you're not being over-charged, and lighten the burden of details on your loved ones.
AMAC notes that, under federal law (the Funeral Rule), funeral homes must provide an itemized price list to allow consumers to choose services without paying for unnecessary items.

What Financial Aspects of Funeral Planning Does AMAC Suggest Considering?

AMAC also weighs in on the financial aspects of funeral planning it wants its members to consider:

Pre-paying vs. Pre-planning: Some AMAC-linked resources suggest that pre-planning (documenting wishes and setting money aside in a safe, accessible way) may be a more flexible option than pre-paying through a specific funeral home, as regulations and transferability can vary.
Home financial experts like Dave Ramsey and Clark Howard agree with AMAC's stance. If you want flexibility on your funeral plans, don't pre-pay a specific funeral home. You can maintain flexibility and portability by pre-funding your funeral plans with Legacy of Love so that, if you move or if the funeral home goes out of business, your pre-funding solution can move with you or be transferred to another funeral home.
Alternatives to Prepaid Plans: AMAC recommended alternatives for funding funeral costs include using a Payable-On-Death (POD) bank account, which bypasses probate, or utilizing final expense life insurance.
Final expense life insurance—also known as burial insurance or pre-need insurance—is designed to cover funeral, burial, and other final costs (like medical bills or debts).
Policy benefit amounts are smaller ($5K-$20K) compared to traditional life insurance, but those amounts are usually sufficient for funeral expenses. Qualifying for a policy is a simplified process usually requiring answers to a few questions instead of a full medical exam.
This makes burial insurance policies ideal for older adults—especially those with pre-existing medical conditions—or those who don't have adequate personal savings or a POD bank account established.
Medicaid Planning: For individuals seeking Medicaid eligibility, a properly structured, prepaid irrevocable funeral trust contract can be an exempt asset and a legitimate "Medicaid spend-down" option to reduce countable assets. Legacy of Love can consult with you on options available and help you set up a prepaid funeral trust to protect assets.
Veteran Benefits: AMAC also provides information on VA burial and memorial benefits for veterans, which can cover costs at a national cemetery.

Summary: AMAC Says Plan and Pre-Fund Your Funeral

AMAC is an alternative organization for 50-plus adults serving millions of their members nationwide. They recommend that their members plan their funerals in advance to prevent disagreements among surviving family members. Planning also helps avoid emotional overspending by grieving family. AMAC favors pre-planning vs. pre-paying a specific funeral home. They advocate preparing to pay for the funeral with Payable-On-Death bank accounts or burial insurance policies - especially if pre-existing medical conditions or inadequate savings prevent self-funding your funeral plan.

Legacy of Love Funeral Planning can help you research options available in your area and finalize your wishes in writing. Our caring team is here to guide you every step of the way. You can start your FREE online funeral plan today HERE, or call Legacy of Love at 833-888-0355 or fill out our online form and we'll reach out to guide you through this process.

Back ↵

* Legacy of Love Funeral Planning is not affiliated with or endorsed by AMAC or any other individual or financial-advice personality mentioned on this site.

Resources

Leaving a Legacy: How to Create a Will or Trust. June 18, 2025. https://amac.us/newsline/lifestyle/leaving-a-legacy-how-to-create-a-will-or-trust/