Anyone would want to give their dearly departed loved one the most dignified funeral memorial ceremony possible, and could often in their endeavors land them self in a lot of debt. The last thing you would want is for your family to drown themselves in debt in order to ensure that you receive a decent funeral memorial ceremony. Ensure that your family and friends are not forced into financial hardships, by taking out a funeral plan.

A funeral plan is different from life insurance, in that there are no delays with payment – the money is meant to pay for funeral expenses and so the money will be payed out immediately to the listed beneficiary upon presentation of all necessary documentation. Your family can use this money to settle any debts and provide you with the most dignified funeral memorial service possible.

The funeral plan on offer goes a step further than most other funeral plans, this funeral plan will provide your beneficiary with a monthly income for one year to ensure that your family can afford groceries or any other expense they may incur. This money can help lessen the financial burden while your family adjusts to having one less person bringing home an income.

A funeral plan will give you peace of mind, knowing that your loved ones will not face financial difficulty in order to provide you with a dignified funeral memorial ceremony, and that your family does not go hungry in the months following your death.

I believe two of the most important factors are to consider who will make your final plans first, then how will those plans be funded? Simple questions yes, but among those most of us fail to ask ourselves or give serious thought to.

Choosing a person to handle your final arrangements can be done in reality by doing nothing at all. At your death in most states, lineage will decide who will have right of disposition. If no legal descendants are available to handle this duty most counties, townships and/or states will step in and have the final disposition done. This will usually be a direct burial or cremation as determined by the government body handling it. I recommend avoiding this possibility by selecting a family member or friend to entrust with this duty and to make sure they have the legal documents necessary to abide by your wishes. Also, be sure your chosen administrators will have access to final expense funds. Many problems can be avoided by making sure of this one thing. Tip: Burial insurance will in most cases let you designate the beneficiary. This allows you to make sure specific funeral and burial expense funds are in control of your designee.

Secondly, give thought to the funding aspect of your final arrangements. Are you satisfied with your current funding (insurance, savings, etc.) to be sufficient and available when that time comes? Is it possible your current insurance might be needed to settle other expenses such as medical bills, estate taxes, etc.? Are you comfortable that your current insurance or savings will keep pace with funeral inflation costs? If you answered no to any of these questions, then you may want to consider additional insurance specifically for your final expenses. Tip: Burial insurance policies can be issued in small amounts to subsidize your existing insurance or larger amounts to cover total funeral and burial costs. In many cases it is also easier to qualify for in older age groups.

Does everyone need burial insurance? Certainly not, but as a funeral director I can tell you that many families I’ve assisted were able to honor a loved one’s wishes only because that person had a burial insurance policy in force at the time of their death.

Take a few minutes and give this some thought. The attention and consideration you give these matters now will make a tremendous difference for those who eventually will do your final planning.

A funeral home may offer a wide selection of funeral caskets. Many locations will have their selection on hand for viewing or in a catalog display. Depending on the number of caskets available, there is usually a wide selection to choose from. Funeral caskets are made from various different materials. They can also come with many different designs or artwork, if preferred. For example, a casket could have crosses, hearts, angels, or other peaceful or religious ark work carved in. There are also caskets that come with detachable pieces, allowing family members to keep this as a memento.

Funeral caskets are important because they will be seen at memorial services. The deceased individual will be buried in it and it will be the last memory that many friends and family will have of the deceased. Selecting a funeral casket is a decision that many family members must all agree on.

Another common place to purchase a casket is directly from the maker. This is often done if a casket needs to be custom made or personalized. Funeral homes also purchase caskets from the manufacture. Since they will generally purchase a large amount of caskets at one time, they are typically given a wholesale casket price. This means that they will be purchasing their caskets at a price lower than normal. By purchasing a wholesale casket lot, many funeral homes are able to offer their quality caskets a reasonable prices to their customers.

A customized funeral casket directly from the maker will likely have to be ordered in advance. It is not uncommon for individuals to make burial arrangements ahead of time, especially if they are sick. More and more elderly individuals are trying to plan out their funerals and other final expenses. This is done to help relive the financial burden on remaining family members. Although it is typically common to order a customized casket in advance, there are many casket makers who will rush an order. This feature is nice; however, it will likely cost a large amount of additional money.

No matter when a casket is purchased, there are great deals available on quality funeral caskets. Although it is a difficult decision for family members, there are many who are selecting a casket based solely on price. Thanks to wholesale casket companies, many funeral homes are able to offer their fine caskets at discounted prices. Finding the perfect casket may be expensive, stressful, or time consuming task, but it can be one of the most important decisions in an individual’s life.

Providing for the needs of those that remain after a death can be troubling if a person has no life insurance. The costs of a funeral and burial can mount up quickly leaving loved ones with added debts in addition to a mortgage, college funds, car payments and other expenses that need to be taken care. Who will provide for the family in the event of a sudden passing of a father and husband? What will become of the family that is torn apart by death?

It is a morbid thought to plan for death, but it is more troubling not to make some sort of plan that can provide for loved ones in the event of death. No one knows when they will die or under what circumstances they will depart their mortal condition. By planning now for the future eventuality of death that no one can escape from, a person can see to it that the people they care about the most will be able to continue living and have a means to provide for themselves.

Life insurance is the best way to attend to the uncertainty surrounding when and where death may strike. By putting in place a policy that covers the insured person against their demise a family will be able to grieve knowing that their loss will not be end of the life that they are accustomed to.

In preparing to purchase a life insurance policy the consideration of exactly how much insurance coverage is required to securely provide for the surviving members of the family is a priority. Taking out enough to cover the balance of the mortgage and paying off the cars as well as figuring out what amount of money the remaining family members are accustomed to living on each month and multiplying that amount by the number of years that you plan on living. If the insurance money were put into a bank and paid out over equal monthly payments how many years would it last? Having these kinds of numbers in mind will help to determine how much insurance is needed to provide for a family after the loss of a husband or wife.

Author

Legacy Group of America (http://www.legacyterminsurance.com) is a provider of affordable life insurance, with personal One-On-One service, assuring our clients get the policy they need at the best premium available. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

Thinking ahead allows you to plan the service that you see fit. Not only does this help control costs, should you choose to pre-pay for everything, it also relieves family members of this task, during their time of grief.

In truth, one of the greatest benefits of pre-planning your funeral is that it reduces the chance of emotional overspending, which is quite common when family members are left to plan a love ones service. They feel they must buy the best of everything for a proper memorial.

Of course, that is not the case. But unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous, fast talking funeral providers out there who are only in the business to make a buck. These individuals excel at selling the most expensive products, to grieving families.

Because of these unscrupulous providers, the Federal Trade Commission has stepped in and enacted laws, in regard to your rights as a consumer. These laws regarding burials and funerals vary, from state to state. Before making any purchases, educate you on the goods and services that are optional, when planning a funeral.

If you do make a decision to pre-plan your funeral, it is suggested that you review your arrangements every few years… in the event that you need to change or revise anything.

When making plans, you have the option of finalizing everything from location to choice of Minister or Clergyman to flowers to casket to even urn and pedestal, should you choose cremation. Each of these items that are notated, in your plan, will be one less item that your family members will have to designate.

Obviously, your funeral plan should be put in writing, to avoid any questions or confusion. It is best to give copies to more than one family member, as well as your attorney.

Many people make the mistake of including their funeral wishes in their will. But many times, the will is not located or read until after the funeral. So, in these cases, pre-planned fuel arrangements can not be carried out.

If you are considering prepayment for your funeral, either partially or in full, there are specific questions you should ask the funeral provider. These questions include:

* Are you paying for goods, services or both?
* What happens if the funeral provider goes out of business, before services are required?
* Can you obtain a full refund, if you change your mind?
* And… can the services be transferred to another funeral provider if you move out of the area?

Always ask for a price list, when shopping for funeral goods and services. Funeral homes are required to give you a written price list, if requested.

Don’t be pressured into buying something that you really don’t want. Treat these purchases just as you would any other major purchase. Take the time to shop around, for the best prices.

When planning your funeral, pre-purchase smaller items if possible. For example, if you’ve served in the military consider purchasing a coin rack or flag case, to be displayed prominently at the service.

About the Author: John Andersen with us-flag-display-cases.com, US leading Flag Display Cases provider company. Get heirloom quality flag display cases, coin racks, urns, and display cases for Pre-Planning Your Funeral at affordable prices.

1. What services do you provide?
Since memorial homes are often family businesses, services offered vary by establishment. Look for directors that offer consolation and act as listeners, crisis managers, and tribute planners. Possible tasks for your funeral director include:

- Completing any necessary paperwork
- Contacting physicians, florists, newspapers, and any other vendors
- Attaining licenses and death certificates
- Contacting family, friends, and solicitors
- Coordinating the details of a funeral service or memorial services with clergy members
- Recommending local support groups and other sources of professional help

Often, funeral directors’ most important role is taking care of the body. Be sure to ask your director what options are available for internment. These choices may include:

- Earth burial: one of the most popular forms of interment. This requires a cemetery plot and usually includes additional costs such as fees for opening and closing the grave.
- Aboveground Burial: this type of entombment requires purchasing a crypt within a mausoleum designed specifically for that purpose.
- Cremation: Cremation usually involves placing an urn in a columbarium. An urn could also be buried in a cemetery. If cremation is chosen, services such as visitation, the viewing of the body, a memorial service, and funeral service may still be conducted.
- Anatomical Gifts: Organs and tissues may be donated without interfering with the preparation of the body for funeral services. A funeral director should be able to guide one through this process.

2. What is the cost?
Funeral directors must provide the consumer with service prices over the phone and be able to provide the same in writing before any goods are shown. All costs associated with any services must be explained: no hidden fees are allowed. Before making any payments, see that all costs and services are in writing

Directors should never be charge an extra fee for purchasing internment containers elsewhere. Additionally, they must go over all the options for disposition: cremation, embalming, direct burial, etc.

A funeral director can assist budgeting, arranging payment plans, and suggesting financial assistance options. Local funeral and memorial organizations can help point one to a reputable funeral home and may be even able to negotiate discount rates for those in need.

3. Why should I hire you?
Like any business owners, funeral directors should be able to tell you what sets them apart from their competitors. Also consider how much experience this person has acting as a director and what type of support staff is in place. Ask if the staff receives mandatory on-going training to ensure professional development.

No family should have to face the loss of a loved one uninformed and unprepared, and keeping the above questions in mind will help you find a funeral director that can provide valuable knowledge and expertise to help you and your loved ones through difficult times of loss.

~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2009

About the Author

Funeral Service Planning: Find more resources for coping with grief, including an open discussion forum at Valley of Life, our online tribute site.