Archive for the ‘Legal’ Category

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Who is Responsible for Burial Costs When a Loved One Dies?

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Who is Responsible for Burial Costs When a Loved One Dies?If an individual passes away without any advance funeral planning in place, it can be difficult to know who is responsible for funeral costs. Few people can afford to foot the bill for a funeral all by themselves, and in a situation that’s already filled with tension, it can put a strain on the family to determine who should play the primary financial role.

To further complicate matters, every state has its own regulations regarding fiscal responsibility. While most states adhere to similar laws, you may have to talk with a local attorney to get specific information for your situation.

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What are Cremation Societies?

Thursday, November 29th, 2012

What are Cremation Societies?If you’ve chosen cremation as your preferred funeral planning method, or if you’re simply gathering information on the burial options available to you, you’ll probably encounter the term “cremation society.” This term is loosely defined as an organization that provides specialty cremation services as part of a funeral pre-plan package.

There are currently several cremation societies in operation in the United States—both national organizations and smaller, local organizations licensed to operate in individual states . For a fairly small membership fee (usually around $100 per person), you are granted access to cremation services through that organization and/or their partners. Benefits to membership may include:

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Funeral Planning: Create a List of Contacts and Personal Information

Friday, September 21st, 2012

Funeral Planning: Create a List of Contacts and Personal InformationSome of the best (and lowest-cost) funeral planning efforts don’t involve buying or arranging anything. In fact, before you do any concrete planning, it’s a good idea to sit down and organize your fiscal and personal information so that everything you need is in one place. By taking an extra step to outline your funeral wishes and to provide a copy of this information to the individual who will be responsible for your estate after your death, you can save quite a bit of time and effort.

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Before You Sign the Funeral Contract

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

Before You Sign the Funeral ContractWhenever you pre-plan a funeral or make arrangements to handle the remains of a loved one, you will be asked to sign a contract with the funeral home. This is designed to protect both you and the funeral home, which is why it’s important to make sure you understand the fine print before you sign (and why you might possibly run it by your lawyer first).

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What to Do When a Loved One Dies Overseas

Friday, August 31st, 2012

What to Do When a Loved One Dies OverseasAlthough it’s a rare occurrence and few people think it can happen to them, there are incidences in which a United States citizen dies while living or vacationing abroad. This can be a trying experience. In addition to dealing with the grief of loss, there is quite a bit of red tape to go through in order to transfer the body of the deceased and to get all the appropriate paperwork to settle the estate.

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Funeral Planning: Online Wills

Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

Funeral Planning: Online WillsOne of the biggest steps you’ll take during the process of estate and funeral planning is to create a will. This legally-binding document contains directives how to disburse your estate after you are gone, including how and where your property and assets are divided (as well as the care of any dependents you leave behind). Although the traditional method has always been to draft a will under the direction and guidance of a lawyer, the ease of online transactions has made online wills more popular than ever before.

And while there are benefits to drafting an online will, it’s not the right solution for everyone. If you’re in the funeral planning stages and are considering looking to the Internet for your will and estate needs, here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

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When an Unexpected Death Occurs

Tuesday, August 7th, 2012

When an Unexpected Death OccursMuch of the information you’ll find online (and here at our blog) has to do with funeral pre-planning. We always encourage people to look ahead to those difficult times, since making financial and physical arrangements can greatly reduce the burden on loved ones. This is especially true for those in the retirement planning stages of their life.

Unfortunately, death isn’t always something we can plan for. Many times, the loss of a loved one occurs out of the blue or when they are at an age when such a thing shouldn’t be possible. If this is the case, and you haven’t had any time to prepare or learn about funeral planning, you can expect to follow a timeline similar to this:

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Cremation and Burial Alternatives

Saturday, August 4th, 2012

Cremation and Burial AlternativesIn the past, funeral planning was simple and straightforward. You bought a burial plot, a casket, and said your goodbyes. Choice was limited, and you often ended up with the same casket or headstone the rest of the family had. In more recent decades, the popularity of cremation meant that families hoping to cut back on expenses or simplify the process had additional options.

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Who Has the Legal Right to Make Funeral Decisions?

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

Who Has the Legal Right to Make Funeral Decisions?If a loved one dies and there is contention within the family, it can be difficult for everyone to agree on the right decisions to make regarding funeral planning and other burial decisions. While many families are able to work this sort of situation out for themselves, some struggle with finding a way to stay true to the wishes of the deceased and adhering to their own individual views on death.

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