Posts Tagged ‘Funeral Planning’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

How Much Does Burial Insurance Cost?

Saturday, April 5th, 2014

How Much Does Burial Insurance Cost?One of the easiest ways to pre-pay for a funeral is to buy burial insurance (also known as funeral insurance). Instead of picking out details like caskets or cemeteries now, you simply set aside a lump sum that is payable out to your beneficiary upon your death. They can then use the money to fund your funeral in a way that fits with your wishes and their grieving needs.

Because burial insurance is a “guaranteed” payout (unlike car insurance, which will only pay out in the event of an accident, everyone will eventually die and collect on their burial policy), most of the costs are fixed. Your policy provider will take into account your age, your desired method of payment, and how large your payout is. From there, you will choose a policy that fits with your needs. This means that while one person (say, a 50-year-old in good health) might pay a fairly small monthly charge, another person (someone in their 70s who is a smoker) can expect larger monthly fees and even big upfront costs.

(more…)

Pre-Plan a Funeral Online

Friday, February 21st, 2014

Pre-Plan a Funeral OnlineIf the idea of calling funeral homes and meeting with estate planners to make advance funeral arrangements isn’t one you cherish, you may be able to find online options to save you time and money. Although unheard of just a few years ago, online funeral planning is now a viable option that allows you to plan and even pay for your funeral from the comfort of your own home.

How Online Funeral Planning Works

There are two ways you can pre-plan a funeral online. The first option requires nothing more from you than to make decisions regarding your wishes. For example, you can:

Print out a funeral planning worksheet, which you can then fill out regarding your specific wishes.
Find a funeral planning app or other online option that allows you to make decisions and email your answers to family members.
Coordinate funeral pre-plan options with a specific funeral home, which will use the information provided to contact you at a later date.

(more…)

Safety and Good Businesses Practices When Purchasing Caskets Online

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014

Safety and Good Businesses Practices When Purchasing Caskets OnlineOne of the most common pieces of advice on how to save money on a funeral is to buy a casket online. Funeral homes mark up items like caskets, urns, and other burial effects by hundreds or even thousands of dollars—an amount of money that can seem insurmountable when you’re already facing such a devastating loss. Because the FTC’s Funeral Rule requires that funeral homes accept these items from a third-party vendor, you can shop around for caskets online.

However, buying anything online comes with a risk. Because you’re talking about an item that comes with a hefty price tag (and requires immediate shipping), it’s important to get things right. If you’re hesitant to buy a casket online because of the dangers of internet shopping, here are a few tips to ensure a safe transaction.

(more…)

I Want to Plan My Own Funeral, Where do I Start?

Monday, January 6th, 2014

I Want to Plan My Own Funeral, Where do I Start?Although it might sound preemptive and a bit macabre to plan your own funeral, this kind of advance arrangement is becoming more and more common. Not only does pre-planning a funeral allow you to have more control over what happens to your remains after you pass, but it can also save your family quite a bit of grief and money.

Planning your own funeral can be as simple as making a list of your wishes and ensuring your family knows where it is, or as complex as paying for everything in advance (even going so far as to purchase the casket or arrange every detail with the funeral home). There is no wrong way to go about it, but here are a few suggestions for getting started.

 Choose Your Final Interment Plan

(more…)

Funeral Luncheon Etiquette and Advice

Sunday, December 15th, 2013

Funeral Luncheon Etiquette and AdviceAfter the funeral planning has come to an end and the family gathers to say goodbye to the deceased, it’s time for the funeral luncheon to start. Because most funerals take place during the morning (or in the early afternoon), it’s common for the deceased’s family to hold an informal luncheon afterward, in which guests can enjoy a light repast and share their grief.

Although this type of after-funeral memorial party isn’t a required tradition, it’s a good idea to brush up on your funeral lunch etiquette before you arrive.

(more…)

What Does a Cremation Oven Look Like?

Monday, December 9th, 2013

What Does a Cremation Oven Look Like?The cremation process is difficult for many people to picture happening to their loved one’s remains. Unlike burial, which gives a feeling of calm quiet and eternal rest, cremation is hot, messy, and oftentimes frightening. You might be afraid that the body won’t be treated with respect, or that the incredibly high temperatures required to break a body down are uncontrolled and dangerous.

While historical cremation practices might hold this to be true, modern-day cremation and cremation ovens are quite safe, sanitary, and practical. The cremation process is regulated so that it becomes more of a scientific breakdown of bodily remains than a blazing inferno, with the result that it is actually more decorous than the slow decay of a body underground.

(more…)

Funeral Planning: Winter Burials

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013

Funeral Planning: Winter BurialsThe behind-the-scenes aspect of the funeral industry is one that remains a mystery to many people. Often because we don’t care to know the gritty details of death and burial, and sometimes because we aren’t sure what kinds of questions to ask, or what funeral directors and funeral homes do to care for your loved ones isn’t always widespread knowledge.

One of the often overlooked details of burial is what happens during the winter months in colder climates, when the ground is frozen. Frozen turf is difficult (and expensive) to dig into, especially at the depth required for human burial. When combined with other harsh winter hazards like unplowed roads, unsafe driving conditions, and the snowfall on the cemetery itself, the results are not conducive to immediate burial. That’s why many of the colder states (think Alaska and North Dakota) have contingency plans in place.

Burial in Cold Climates

Few states have laws in place to regulate winter burials. Some, like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New York, require burial in the winter regardless of weather conditions. Others might allow you to opt for a “cold storage” option to avoid the heavier fees of opening a grave in the winter.

In this instance, “cold storage” isn’t as terrible as it seems. Funeral directors may keep bodies in cemetery crypts or inside the funeral home until a date when the ground thaws enough to allow for burial. This practice is one that has existed for hundreds of years. If winter burials are difficult in our age of backhoes and jackhammers, it’s easy to imagine how hard it would have been in centuries past. And because older generations didn’t have access to morgues and other indoor body storage options, it was common to keep bodies in a crypt until spring.

(more…)

Funeral Scams to Avoid

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013

Funeral Scams to AvoidAlthough it seems unthinkable to take advantage of a grieving family to make money, scams and fraud related to the death care industry can happen. As is the case in any field where emotions are high and decision-making is a strained business, unscrupulous vendors and outright scam artists may take advantage of the situation to earn a buck.

The majority of funeral homes operate in conjunction with national laws and regulations related to the funeral planning industry—and do it with compassion. However, if you find yourself feeling uncomfortable with any part of the process, be sure and step away from the funeral plans and check with this list of common funeral scams.

  • Not Allowing You to See The Prices: Under the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, funeral homes must provide you with an itemized list of all their goods and services—including both packages and a la carte options. This list must be offered up front and without any other obligation on your part. In many cases, you can even request a copy over the phone or via mail, allowing you the chance to look it over at your leisure.
  • Pressuring You to Decide Now: Like car dealerships, funeral homes have a better chance of getting results if they keep you on site until you’ve made all your decisions and put down a deposit on the funeral of your choosing. This exhausting process often leads to impulsive decisions and overspending. You have every right to take your time and ask to return at a later date.
  • Forcing You to Buy from Them: There is no law that says you have to buy all your funeral items from the funeral home (in fact, the law says the exact opposite). You are allowed to shop around and order things like caskets, headstones, and funeral flowers from an outside provider—and the funeral home must accept them. (more…)

Funeral Protest Laws

Friday, October 18th, 2013

Funeral Protest LawsIn a country where free speech reigns and everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, the rights of mourning families regularly come into question. This is never more true than when military funerals or other funerals of high public interest occur. On the one hand, it is important that those who are grieving are able to plan a funeral and say goodbye in a way that is respectful and private. On the other hand, the United States works hard to allow organizations to voice a protest in keeping with their rights as citizens.

New Military Funeral Regulations

In August 2012, President Obama signed the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 into law. Foremost among the law’s details, there are now restrictions in place to keep protestors at military funerals a discreet distance from the mourning family.

Under this new legislation, any protests (usually held in response to the individual’s private life or as a larger protest against military service) must be held at least 300 feet from military funerals. Likewise, these groups are prohibited from forming two hours before or after a service in order to give the family a wide berth. The law directly counteracts a 2011 Supreme Court ruling that allowed public displays as protected under the First Amendment.

What This Means for Funeral Planning

(more…)

Attending a Masonic Funeral

Tuesday, October 15th, 2013

Attending a Masonic Funeral

When it comes to funeral planning, religion and culture aren’t the only determining factors in how a ceremony is conducted. If the deceased was a member of the Freemasonry (the oldest functioning fraternal organization), he may wish to have a traditional Masonic funeral. Although most of the rituals of a Masonic funeral are similar to those you’ll find in any type of memorial service, there may be a few differences you can prepare for.

What it Means to Be a Mason

One of the key factors of being a member of the Freemason organization is the instant brotherhood and kinship that arises. In addition to general support and friendship, this means that members often step forward to provide assistance to others, regardless of how close they are or plan to be in the future. When a member passes away, this may mean that other members will attend the funeral, help cover expenses, or otherwise support the grieving family—even if they never met before.

A Masonic funeral may therefore be more crowded than a regular funeral, as members will attend to show their support of their deceased Brother. In a kind of tribute that echoes those of a policeman, military member, or other service provider, individuals often go above and beyond the call of duty to show how much they care.

(more…)

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »