Posts Tagged ‘Funeral Planning’

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Bereavement Airfare and Hotels

Friday, June 14th, 2013

Bereavement Airfare and HotelsWhen you’re called out of town for the unexpected death of a loved one, it’s often necessary to put your life on hold while you attend to all the details of attending a funeral. And this type of thing doesn’t always come cheap. From taking time off work to all the travel plans, funerals can put quite a strain on those who wish to pay their respects and bid the deceased a fond farewell.

Getting Flight Discounts for Funeral Purposes

Almost all funerals occur within one week following the death of a loved one. If you live in another state, this means you have just a few days in which to put your affairs in order and book your travel arrangements.

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How to Plan a Funeral with No Money

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013

How to Plan a Funeral with No MoneyIn strained economic times, it’s not uncommon for families to find that they have no money to pay for an unexpected funeral. The death care industry is a notoriously expensive one, and if you don’t have disposable income or advance funeral plans, being hit with a several thousand dollar funeral bill might be more than you can handle.

Fortunately, programs do exist to help bury a loved one even if you don’t have enough money to cover funeral costs. In most cases, you will need to provide proof of income or extenuating circumstances in order to qualify.

Indigent Burial Options

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The Cost of Cremation in Your Area

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013

The Cost of Cremation in Your AreaOne of the things we often talk about on this blog is how funeral costs vary depending on region. As is the case with almost any cost-of-living differences between large cities and smaller towns, or even state to state, burials and cremations are marked up differently. That’s because in addition to things like shipping costs, local business have to take into consideration things like state and city taxes, business licenses, operation costs, general overhead, and personnel.

How Expensive is Cremation?

Cremation costs are almost always less than traditional burial. Because you don’t need to purchase a plot of land (unless you’re burying the urn), and because an elaborate casket and body preservation techniques aren’t required, you can cut thousands of dollars off the total price tag of a funeral.

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Celebrate Life not Death with a Living Funeral

Monday, May 27th, 2013

Celebrate Life not Death with a Living Funeral

iMortuary welcomes guest contributor, Dennis Aimes. Dennis Aimes is a writer and insurance advisor that specializes in the GIO funeral insurance product for his Australian based clientele.

The end of life can be a time of great sadness.  It should also be a time of joy, as we not only mourn the passing of a cherished loved one but celebrate the accomplishments of their life.  The celebration is one reason why the living funeral has been rising in popularity as an alternative to the traditional funeral.

Why a living funeral?

When someone is born we celebrate their entrance into our world and our lives.  We feast and celebrate when a child is born.  We celebrate each year that passes with birthday parties, marking the annual ceremony of when someone’s life began.  This is where the logic behind having a living funeral comes from.  Why should the end of life be any different, why focus on the negative aspect of a person leaving us when we should look back and celebrate all that they have accomplished?

When to have one

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Cremation Urn Alternatives

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Cremation Urn AlternativesFuneral planning traditions exist for a reason—to provide a time-honored and familiar ritual for those who are lost in their bereavement. People derive quite a bit of comfort from familiarity, and even though funerals tend to be somber affairs, they provide a place for people to turn when they need it most.

So what do you do when it’s not tradition that brings you joy? What funeral options are available to you if you’d rather not perform the same rituals being done all over the world?

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Planning an Outdoor Memorial Service

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Planning an Outdoor Memorial ServiceThe majority of funeral and memorial services are held indoors. Although many people opt to include an outdoor gravesite service in addition to a more formal indoor event, the most traditional funeral planning option is to hold a memorial service in a church, funeral home, or private home. This indoor environment means that it’s easy to control the temperature, ensure that any audio-visual equipment is protected from the elements, and know that everyone will be comfortable as they prepare to say their farewells.

Because death occurs rain or shine, getting outdoors to enjoy a memorial service under the sun might seem like a challenge. However, with the right kind of planning, you can hold a memorial service outside and enjoy a different, more natural kind of funeral.

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What You Should Know about Funeral Makeup

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

What You Should Know about Funeral MakeupWhen you opt for a body viewing or an open casket during funeral planning, there is quite a bit of preparation that has to go in to making the body of the deceased presentable. In addition to techniques like embalming, it is the job of a funeral makeup artist to provide a serene, lifelike pallor to the deceased’s face and hands.

Most people accept funeral makeup as part of the funeral planning process, and one of the many items you’ll be asked to bring (in addition to the clothes you wish the deceased to be buried in as well as jewelry and other personal effects for display) is a photograph of the deceased that depicts her favored type of makeup. In some cases, you may even bring in the actual makeup, since it can be used to recreate the deceased’s normal appearance.

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Are Funeral Costs Tax Deductible?

Saturday, April 13th, 2013

Are Funeral Costs Tax Deductible?Most experts agree that funeral planning should be undertaken with the guidance of an attorney or financial advisor. Because of the high costs associated with funerals—not to mention the tricky tax laws when it comes to inheritance—it can be difficult to navigate the waters alone. This is true for the phase of funeral planning as well as when tax season rolls around.

Medical Expenses

Most medical expenses not covered by insurance can be claimed on a tax return (assuming you itemize your deduction), and keeping good track of all monies paid for the medical care of the deceased is a good idea if you want to claim some of the funds you paid out of pocket. Things like hospital stays, surgery, hospice care, medication, and other end-of-life concerns all apply under this setting.

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Funeral Costs You Might Not Be Expecting

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Funeral Costs You Might Not Be ExpectingWhen most people go into a funeral home expecting to plan a funeral, they have a pretty good idea of what they can afford to pay and how they want to spend their money. Caskets, use of the facilities for a memorial service, funeral flowers, and embalming are all the kinds of things we’ve become accustomed to purchasing. Those who want to save money might decide on cremation or direct burial, while those with a comfortable life insurance policy might plan on going for a little more extravagance.

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Funeral Order of Service Suggestions

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

Funeral Order of Service SuggestionsWhen it comes to funeral planning, there are no strict rules when it comes to how you set up the memorial service—but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few guidelines you can rely on to help. The order of service (also known as the funeral service sheet or funeral program) is a sort of itinerary for the memorial service, outlining what your guests can expect and providing a memento to take home after the service completed. Religious in nature (but not required to be), this is a great way to organize the day so that you don’t become overwhelmed by decisions.

Because the order of service is such a standard practice for religious memorial services, there are plenty of places you can turn to find more information. You can ask for help and support from your funeral director, religious officials, or even your own ideas of what should or should not be included.

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