Funeral: A religious service used to remember the dead in their honour.

FUNERALS AND ESTATE PLANNING

By arranging for and paying for you burial in advance, you can save your estate and your beneficiary’s monetary funds and survivor grief. Let’s face it, at the time of your death, the last thing you want your family and friends to have to worry about is “How they’re going to pay for it and what you would want in a burial.” This will cause emotional and financial stress for everyone involved. There are dozens of questions to answer, form the difficult questions (buried or cremation, place of rest) to the simple questions (what kind of flowers) and MANY questions in-between, all of which you should decide before that inevitable day.

FUNAERAL COSTS

Many funeral homes offer help with planning your funeral, costs and payment plans. Some even offer funeral insurance, which can help save any trust fund you create if you were to default on the payments.

BASIC FEES

There are basic fees that will have to be paid no matter the type of options you choose. These fees are set fees that everyone will have to pay. The basic fees include:

• Funeral planning
• Necessary permits (if applicable)
• Necessary death certificates
• Notices of death (including newspapers)
• Sheltering remains
• Coordinating arrangements with cemetery (if applicable)

SERVICE AND MERCHANDISE FEES

There are fees for optional services and merchandise, such as:

• Transporting the remains
• Embalming
• Funeral home viewing
• Ceremony or memorial service
• Use of equipment and staff
• Use of Hurst for deceased
• Use of limousine for family
• Outer burial container (this container hold coffin)
• Cremation container
• Other misc. services and supplies (including office supplies, viewing visitor sign-in book, memorial handouts, etc.)

CASH FEES

There are basic fees for items needed that are purchased from outside services, such as:

• Flowers
• Obituary notices
• Organist or other music arrangements
• Clergy
• Pallbearers
• Signers

FUNERAL PLANNING

A funeral home advisor can help you with these and more questions, here are just a few things to plan for:

• Do you prefer creation or burial?
• Do you want a viewing?
• If so, do what would you like to be wearing?
• If so, do you want an open casket?
• If you want a burial, do you want an open casket at service and / or burial?
• Do you want flowers at your viewing, service and / or burial?
• Do you want to have a visitor sign-in book, memorial handouts at viewing?
• Do you want music at your viewing, service and / or burial?
• Do you want someone to speak at your viewing, service and / or burial?
• If so, who?
• In lue of flowers, or do you prefer donations to a charity in your name?

There are many more questions that will need to be answered, but these will get you prepared to talk with a funeral home ditrector.

OTHER IMPORTANT PAPERS

Confusion can be avoided with a little bit of planning, sorting, and organizing. Making things easier for your family is not difficult, but it may be time-consuming. It’s best to break the task into manageable sections and take it one step at a time. Start by thinking about some broad categories of information:

• Bank, money market, and mutual fund accounts
• Stocks and bonds
• Items in safes, safe deposit boxes, and other locked or hidden places
• Family history, including the location of photographs, heirlooms, and other irreplaceable items
• Funeral plans (arrangements and whom to notify)
• Insurance policies
• Wills, living trusts, deeds, and other important documents
• Pensions and retirement accounts

Then think about organizing this information in a way that will help your family handle your affairs after your death.

FINDING A FINANCIAL ADVISOR
A financial advisor can ensure you’re saving enough to meet all your immediate and retirement needs. Find out what’s best for you and your retirement goals! Learn more about the different asset allocation types, explore the areas above and fill out our on-line form to find a certified financial advisor in your area.