Posts Tagged ‘Funeral Planning’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

When You’re in Charge of the Funeral Plans

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

When You’re in Charge of the Funeral PlansWhen it is up to you to take on the responsibility of funeral planning, it can be helpful to have some guidance. From choosing a funeral home to making burial arrangements, there are a lot of decisions to be made. In addition, you likely need to attend to the comfort of others as well as to your own grief. Fortunately, there are resources available to simplify funeral planning.

Funeral Directors and Homes

The funeral planning process will probably be easier with the guidance of an experienced funeral director. These professionals are educated in proper procedures and can help you to respect traditions and the law regarding funeral services. The funeral director will work with the funeral home that you choose. You may find that your clergy person or a friend will have recommendations for you regarding what funeral home you may want to use.
(more…)

Funeral Planning and Consumer Rights

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

Funeral Planning and Consumer RightsDue to the highly emotional state associated with burial arrangements and funeral planning, it is all too easy for corrupt businesses to take advantage of families in mourning. While this isn’t a common occurrence, it does happen, and it’s important to safeguard yourself against it. Time constraints, emotional pressure, and a lack of knowledge about the industry allow some funeral homes to charge more or provide only the most expensive options to their consumers, who may then pay considerably more than they have to for services they may not actually need.

The reality is that funeral costs don’t have to be overwhelming. In the past few decades, the Federal Trade Commission has put a focus on consumer rights when it comes to funeral planing. When you follow their guidelines and work with a funeral home you trust, the results are much more likely to leave you and your family with the satisfaction of knowing your loved one has been cared for in the best possible way.
(more…)

Top Five Tips for Planning Your Own Funeral

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

Top Five Tips for Planning Your Own FuneralFuneral planning in advance is a great way to save your loved ones time, money, and much of the burden of decision-making. However, like most large decisions, it’s important to take the time and preparation necessary to ensure that you make choices that will benefit everyone you care about – after all, the number one reason people choose funeral planning is to make sure that things are easier for the family left behind to grieve and mourn.

The top five considerations when creating a funeral pre-plan include:

1. Know your funeral planning options. There are many different types of funeral pre-plans out there, including funeral insurance, burial plot purchases, and fully covered funeral programs. You will want to determine what type is right for you and consider the pros and cons of each before making a decision.

(more…)

Benefits of Funeral Insurance

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

Benefits of Funeral InsuranceOf all the funeral planning options, one of the more popular is funeral insurance. It is similar to funeral pre-plans, in that you are making preparations to cover funeral costs well in advance of the time of death. However, instead of tying up your funds at a particular funeral home or for specific services and funeral goods, you are simply setting aside a pre-determined sum of money that your family can then use to defray some or all of your eventual funeral costs.

Why Choose Funeral Insurance?

Like life insurance, this is a policy that allows your beneficiary to cover funeral costs from a large payout that occurs at the time of death. The number one benefit is saving your loved ones from financial hardship in covering all the funeral expenses.
(more…)

Funeral Planning and Family Heirlooms

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Funeral Planning and Family HeirloomsWhen funeral planning, it’s common to spend some time sorting through your possessions as well as the possessions of the deceased. This difficult time is often made better by going through memories that you’ve shared as friends and family members, and finding photographs, keepsakes, and hand-written notes is a great way to infuse a positive spin on the mourning process.

Much of the time, this is done before the funeral takes place, since you may want some of these keepsakes and pictures to display at the ceremony or to give to a loved one who will be in attendance. Some families also wait a few weeks in order to have the time they need to sort through items or even to determine who gets what, as determined by the will.

Both situations are just fine, and only you can determine for certain what works best for your family. However, one thing that remains the same regardless of your background and situation is just how precious family heirlooms can be.
(more…)

Funeral Planning Before You Retire

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

Funeral Planning Before You RetireOne of the best times to start funeral planning is before you reach retirement age. Although you might be a long way from thinking about where you want to be interred or how much money you would like to put into your funeral arrangements, funeral planning is a lot like retirement planning – the earlier, the better.

When is the Best Time to Start Funeral Planning?

Ideally, you should start funeral planning some time in your 40s or 50s. By this point, you will have already set aside some money for retirement, and you are in the type of stable situation that makes it possible to direct even more funds toward estate planning and funeral planning. You’re also more likely to have a good idea of where you’d like to be finally laid to rest, and will have an understanding of the different options (cremation, burial, body donation) and what each one will mean to your family.

If this seems a little early to be funeral planning, the good news is that there are all different types of funeral plan options.
(more…)

Funeral Planning Checklist: Burial Vaults and Grave Liners

Monday, November 1st, 2010

Funeral Planning Checklist: Burial Vaults and Grave LinersWhether you are pre-planning a funeral or making decisions for a loved one who recently passed away, one of the items you’ll come across on your funeral planning checklist is a burial vault or grave liner. These items are typically offered by the cemetery (as opposed to the funeral home), and help to ensure that your loved one’s remains are protected against early decay and to keep the cemetery grounds level and well-kept.

What Does a Burial Vault Do?

Also known as a “ burial container,” burial vaults are large box-like structures that hold the casket underground. They can be made of everything from steel or copper to concrete, and are designed to keep moisture and flooding out of the casket for as long as possible through a strong airtight seal. This not only slows down the decay process, but also to increase the overall aesthetics of the cemetery. That’s because many cemeteries find that caskets buried directly in the ground tend to show “ sinkage” over time, as the dirt around the casket becomes flooded and weighted down.

Burial liners are very similar to burial vaults, but instead of encasing the entire casket, they cover only the top and sides and don’t have a hermetic seal.

Burial vaults add a touch of elegance to burial arrangements, as a coffin dropped into a vault is often a very touching and beautiful sight that accompanies the graveside ceremonies. These vaults also allow you to further personalize the funeral, since you can choose materials and designs based on your loved one’s wishes.
(more…)

The National Funeral Directors Association and Funeral Cost Statistics

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

The National Funeral Directors Association and Funeral Cost StatisticsOne of the leading sources for good, factual funeral information is the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), which is the world’s leading funeral service association at almost 20,000 members nationwide.

Although most individuals going through the funeral planning process aren’t likely to need the NFDA to help them make decisions, the organization does have an impact on what choices you have. By overseeing the body of funeral home directors and providing a basic core of ethics that they must follow, consumers are the ones who benefit.

The NFDA recently released a 2010 report on funeral costs. According to their findings, the national median cost of a funeral is $6,560, taking into account costs associated with different locations as well as with the quality of materials purchased for the funeral. This figure includes:

(more…)

Consumers Guide to Buying a Grave Plot

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Consumers Guide to Buying a Grave PlotOne of the most important decisions you will make during funeral planning is which grave plot to choose as the final resting place for either you or a loved one. Cemetery plots are actually one of the top funeral planning decisions made prior to death, since many people feel very strongly about a particular location or about being near those they love. Family plots, for example, are often part of a long tradition in which you make burial arrangements in accordance with land that has already been purchased. And because the cost of “real estate” in the funeral industry tends to go steadily up, making your gravesite purchase years in advance can save tens of thousands of dollars down the road.

How Much do Grave Plots Cost?

Like real estate in the residential and commercial aspect, where your grave plot is located will play a big role in how much it costs. Most burial sites start at around $1,000 for single plots, and can go up to tens of thousands of dollars from there. Historic cemeteries, sites on hills or exclusive areas, and large plots big enough to fit families for generations may cost even more, especially if you’re in a big city or in a location where green land is hard to come by.

(more…)

Why Does a Funeral Cost What it Costs?

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

Why Does a Funeral Cost What it Costs?The average cost of a funeral in the United States is an estimated $7,500, not including costs associated with the cemetery and the actual burial or disposal of the remains. While this number seems high to anyone seeing it for the first time, funeral costs have been on a steady incline for decades, raising at a higher rate than the economy, but a much lower rate than the average cost of a wedding (which sits at an overwhelming $28,000).

And just like weddings, the actual amount you will pay depends on what type of ceremony and burial arrangements you choose. Things like advance funeral planning and funeral insurance can also help defray costs, especially if you’ve had years in which to begin the planning process.

If you’re facing funeral planning, and you’d like to know where the money goes, you might want to consider all the steps involved:
(more…)

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »