Posts Tagged ‘pre-planning’

How to Plan a Funeral Quickly

Monday, March 7th, 2016
How to Plan a Funeral Quickly

How to Plan a Funeral Quickly

There are times when planning a funeral is something that needs to happen quickly and with a minimal hassle. Whether you are dealing with a busy schedule of your own, you have family coming in from out of town and can’t commit to a lengthy funeral planning process, or you simply cannot handle the idea of lingering over the details, there are ways to cut back on the time required—and to still enjoy a beautiful, memorable goodbye. (more…)

Hidden Costs of Cremation

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016
Hidden Costs of Cremation

Hidden Costs of Cremation

We often see cremation offered as an affordable alternative to burial—a way to say goodbye without the heavy costs associated with buying a casket, purchasing a grave plot, and putting up a headstone. While it is possible to save thousands of dollars this way, not all cremations end up being less than burial. Because so much depends on the details, you could actually end up paying more for cremation than you would for a simple or direct burial. (more…)

How to Set a Funeral Budget

Wednesday, January 27th, 2016

How to Set a Funeral BudgetBefore you sit down with a funeral director to go over all your options for a loved one’s funeral plans, it’s a good idea to figure out how much money you’re willing to spend. Although the average funeral can go as high as $10,000, you aren’t required to spend this much—nor will you have to. With the right planning, you should be able to find a budget you’re comfortable with and buy a respectful, beautiful service to go with it. (more…)

How to Tell Your Loved Ones You’d Like to Be Cremated

Tuesday, January 5th, 2016

How to Tell Your Loved Ones You’d Like to Be CrematedEven though over 40 percent of Americans opt for cremation over burial, there are still many different kinds of religious, cultural, and personal taboos that make cremation a difficult decision. This is especially true if your family has traditional views regarding funeral planning or has a long history of burial in a particular cemetery.

If you’ve decided on cremation but aren’t quite sure how to tell your family, we suggest you set aside a time to have this important conversation. It’s never a good idea to leave this sort of thing as a surprise, so the sooner you can open up to those you love, the more time you’ll have to enjoy what’s left of your time together.

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Burial Insurance, Part Three: Buying Burial Insurance through a Funeral Home

Friday, December 4th, 2015
Burial Insurance, Part Three: Buying Burial Insurance through a Funeral Home

Burial Insurance 3 of 3

There are two primary ways to buy burial insurance. The first operates like any other kind of life insurance policy, in which you name a loved one as the beneficiary who receives the payout when you die. The second option allows you to name a funeral home as the beneficiary, in which case they receive the insurance money directly.

This second option may seem a bit strange—after all, a funeral home isn’t your family, and you haven’t worked hard your whole life so they can receive a payout. However, it’s actually a quite common occurrence, and it can work out in your favor. Here’s how. (more…)

Burial Insurance, Part Two: How and Where to Purchase Burial Insurance

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015
Burial Insurance, Part Two: How and Where to Purchase Burial Insurance

Burial Insurance 2 of 3

Once you’ve decided that you’d like to purchase a burial or funeral insurance policy as part of your final plans, the real challenge comes into play. There are countless burial insurance providers out there (which range from funeral homes to traditional insurance companies), and you have options when it comes to choosing the right one. (more…)

Burial Insurance, Part One: Introduction to Burial Insurance

Monday, November 30th, 2015
Burial Insurance, Part One: Introduction to Burial Insurance

Burial Planning Series Part 1 of 3

Funeral insurance, burial insurance, final expense insurance, preneed funeral insurance—these terms are often used interchangeably to talk about the same thing. With any of these types of insurance, money is paid out to a beneficiary to cover part or all of your funeral costs, including everything from traditional burial to cremation.

Unlike other types of insurance, which are designed around a “what-if” scenario (what if I crash my car, what if I need to go to the doctor, what if my home catches on fire), burial insurance is a guaranteed pay out. As long as you keep current on your premiums or pay the amount required up front, this money will be available upon your eventual death. (more…)

Funeral Planning for Your New Year’s Resolution

Thursday, January 1st, 2015

Funeral Planning for Your New Year’s ResolutionFor most of us, New Year’s resolutions are an opportunity improve our lives. We make promises to eat better, exercise more, remember to visit the dentist twice a year, and otherwise look after our health. After all, a new year is a fresh start, and what could be better than to find ways to enjoy a more positive, fruitful life?

One answer might be to find a way to enjoy a more positive, fruitful death. (more…)

Funeral Planning Glossary

Sunday, August 3rd, 2014

Funeral Planning GlossaryFuneral pre-plans, preplanning a funeral, pre-need cremation…there are so many different terms out there related to the funeral planning industry it can be hard to keep track. Although many of the phrases are used interchangeably, there may be subtle differences that provide different financial and personal options. (more…)

How Many Cemetery Plots Should I Buy?

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

How Many Cemetery Plots Should I Buy?One of the most common ways to begin your funeral pre-planning is to purchase a cemetery plot well in advance of death. Because these parcels of land are fairly expensive (expect them to range between $2,000 and $4,000), getting the payments done and out of the way is a great way to reduce future funeral costs.

Of course, doing anything this far in advance means you to need to think long and hard about what you want out of your funeral package. Cemetery plots are very stationary things, and while some contracts allow you to buy and sell them after your original purchase is complete, this option isn’t always guaranteed.

How Many Cemetery Plots?

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