You might assume that a will is the best place for loved ones to specify whether they prefer to be buried or cremated and whether they want a funeral or memorial after death. In fact, wills are poor places to express such preferences, because they're often not located and read until several days, weeks, or even months after a death occurs.

Wills should contain only instructions about how property should be divided and to whom it should be distributed after death, along with preferences for who should be named as a guardian for any dependent children. Final arrangements are best discussed separately, well before they're actually needed.