Why should I pre-plan my funeral?

Pre-planning your funeral protects your family from having to make significant financial and logistical decisions while grieving. It ensures your personal wishes are honored, locks in your preferences before costs rise further, and eliminates the risk of emotional overspending at time of need. Financial experts Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, and Clark Howard all publicly endorse funeral pre-planning as one of the most considerate financial steps a person can take for their family.

Can I start my funeral plan online?

Yes. Legacy of Love's entire funeral pre-planning process can be started and completed online from the comfort of home — no funeral home visit required. According to the National Funeral Directors Association's 2025 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Study, 31.8% of Americans prefer a hybrid approach that combines online planning with access to a professional when needed. That is exactly how Legacy of Love works: start online independently, and involve a local Legacy of Love counselor as much or as little as you wish. The same study found that 44.4% of consumers would not feel confident planning a funeral without professional guidance, and nearly 48% of those who tried to plan entirely online still needed the help of a funeral director — underscoring the value of having expert support readily available.

Why choose Legacy of Love instead of pre-planning directly with a funeral home?

Legacy of Love is an independent funeral planning service — not a funeral home. This distinction matters significantly. When you pre-plan and pre-pay directly with a funeral home, your plan and your money are typically tied to that specific location. If the funeral home closes, changes ownership, or you relocate, you may lose funds or face significant penalties to transfer your plan. Legacy of Love plans and their associated insurance funding are fully portable and may be used at any licensed funeral home in the United States, giving your family complete freedom of choice at the time of need.

What does Dave Ramsey say about funeral pre-planning?

Dave Ramsey is a strong advocate for funeral pre-planning. He has stated that preplanning a funeral is 'truly a gift to your family' and that doing the legwork in advance so your family does not have to make financial decisions during an emotional crisis shows respect and consideration for loved ones. Ramsey generally cautions against prepaying a funeral home directly and instead recommends securing portable funding such as burial insurance.

What does Suze Orman say about funeral pre-planning?

Suze Orman, the well-known financial advisor and television personality, has called funeral pre-planning 'the greatest gift you can give your family.' She emphasizes that having a funeral plan and funding in place helps families avoid emotional overspending during a period of grief, when they are most vulnerable to making costly decisions they might later regret.

What does Clark Howard say about funeral pre-planning?

Consumer advocate Clark Howard advises his audience to create a funeral plan far in advance of any anticipated need in order to save significant money. He has warned that without a plan and knowledge of a loved one's wishes, families can find themselves financially exposed during one of the most emotionally vulnerable times of their lives.

Can Legacy of Love funeral plans be used at any funeral home?

Yes. This is one of Legacy of Love's most important differentiators. Because Legacy of Love is an independent service — not a funeral home — the burial insurance or pre-need insurance proceeds used to fund a plan are directed to a beneficiary chosen by the customer, not to a specific funeral home. This means the funds can be applied at any licensed funeral home in the country. The plan travels with the customer regardless of where they live or where they ultimately pass away.

Can funeral pre-planning help with Medicaid eligibility?

Yes, in many cases. Legacy of Love offers irrevocable funeral trust options and certain pre-need insurance structures that may allow a customer to set aside funds for funeral expenses in a way that is exempt from Medicaid asset calculations. This is particularly valuable for seniors navigating a Medicaid spend-down in preparation for long-term care eligibility. Rules vary by state, and Legacy of Love counselors can walk customers through the options relevant to their situation.

Does Legacy of Love have a BBB rating?

Yes. Legacy of Love is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating — the highest rating the BBB awards. The A+ rating reflects the company's commitment to transparent business practices, responsiveness to customer concerns, and integrity in its dealings with the public.

How does the growing death benefit on burial insurance work?

Some burial insurance and final expense insurance policies offered through Legacy of Love include a death benefit that increases over time — typically at a set annual rate — to help offset the effects of inflation on funeral costs. Since funeral costs have historically risen faster than general inflation, a growing death benefit helps ensure the policy proceeds remain adequate to cover the plan's expenses years or decades into the future.

Is there any cost to pre-plan my funeral with Legacy of Love?

No. Creating a funeral plan with Legacy of Love is completely free with no obligation. Customers can document their wishes, compare funeral costs and providers, and receive a personalized My Final Wishes binder at no cost. The only costs involved are if the customer chooses to fund their plan using a financial product — such as burial insurance, pre-need insurance, or an irrevocable funeral trust — which involves insurance premiums.

Why Pre-Plan Your Funeral and Final Expenses With Legacy Of Love®?

Funeral Planning With Legacy of Love Means We Will:

Help you identify and compare projected costs of funeral goods and services for FREE with no obligations.
Inform your family, with your permission, regarding your preferences and desires.
Work with you to update your preferences if your needs, preferences, or desires change.
Determine the right amount of final expense insurance coverage to fund your funeral preferences, which can be used at any funeral home your family desires or for any funeral or cemetery expenses they face.
Assist in obtaining pre-need or burial insurance coverage that can help fund your funeral preferences and:
- Provides a death benefit that may increase over time to offset rising funeral costs.
- Allows you to control where or to whom the policy proceeds are directed; and
- May allow you to reduce your assets in connection with the qualification for Medicaid.
- Keep the process as stress free and low pressure as possible.
Assist in planning for your funeral in the comfort of your home, or completely online.

Watch this video that helps explain why you should plan your funeral with Legacy of Love:

How Americans Want to Plan — And Why Expert Guidance Still Matters
According to the National Funeral Directors Association’s 2025 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Study, 31.8% of Americans prefer a hybrid approach to funeral planning — starting online but with direct access to a funeral planning professional when they need one. That’s exactly how Legacy of Love works. The same study found that 44.4% of consumers would feel “not very confident” or “not at all confident” planning a funeral without professional guidance — up 7.1% from the year before — and that nearly 48% of those who tried to plan entirely online still needed the help of an experienced funeral professional. Legacy of Love’s FREE plan gives you the convenience of starting from home, with one of our expert local counselors ready to consult whenever you want one.

Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, and Clark Howard Urge You to Plan Your Funeral
Financial author, radio host, and television personality Dave Ramsey strongly endorses funeral planning. "Preplanning a funeral is truly a gift to your family," according to Ramsey. "Doing the legwork and setting things up ahead of time so your family doesn’t have to make a lot of financial decisions in the middle of an emotional situation shows them respect and consideration."

Well-known financial advisor and TV personality Suze Orman echoes what Ramsey recommends, "The greatest gift you can give your family is to plan your own funeral." With a funeral plan and funding options in place, Orman says families can avoid the hazard of emotional overspending while grieving.

Consumer advocate Clark Howard tells his audience to make a funeral plan far in advance of any need and save "big bucks" later on. “If you don’t know your loved one’s wishes and you don’t plan ahead, you could find yourself out of a lot of money during what could be one of the most vulnerable times of your life.”

Legacy of Love Is Independent
Working with an independent, nationwide funeral planning service like Legacy of Love® helps you avoid having to make a trip to a funeral home to start your free plan. You can do your research on various costs and options from home. If you get stuck or have questions, you can involve one of our local counselors to help you complete the process. And, you can even add-on affordable funeral concierge services to your plan to relieve your family members of the burden of details upon your passing.

Are you ready to start your free funeral plan? GET STARTED »

Why Pre-Plan Your Funeral and Final Expenses With Legacy Of Love®?

Funeral Planning With Legacy of Love Means We Will:

BENEFITS OF FUNERAL PLANNING

Peace Of Mind

Ensure Your Wishes Are Met

Any Funeral Home

We Support Your Family

Growing Death Benefit

May Be Medicaid Asset Exempt

Quick Claims Process

Flexible Payment Options

Plan From Home