Services

Forms of Final Disposition of the Body

• Earth burial: The act of placing the remains of a deceased person is a grave chamber; interment

• Cremation: Cremation is actually a process of preparing the body for final disposition whereby the body is reduced by intense heat over several hours to a few pounds of small skeletal fragments. These cremated remains are usually placed in an urn which may be buried, placed in a memorial niche, or kept in some other location. The cremated remains may also be scattered where permitted by law.

• Entombment: The act of placing the remains of a deceased person is a crypt, in a mausoleum: Sometimes this act may be referred to as "an above ground burial".

• Shipping: The act of transferring a deceased to another funeral home, usually out of state. Includes removal of remains, necessary services of staff, embalming, necessary authorization and local transportation to transportation connector (Airline, Train or Bus etc.) This service does not include visitation, rites or ceremonies prior to forwarding the remains. Air Fare, Train or Bus fare etc., is posted as a separate charge.

Alternatives to traditional services:

• Direct Burial: This is immediate burial without any attendants, rites, viewing , or ceremonies. This service would include the removal and shelter of remains, local transportation to the cemetery, necessary services of staff and authorizations. When selecting this type of service you may be required to use an alternative container. Alternative containers encase the body and can be made of material such as fiber board or composition materials. (with or without an outside covering) or like materials.

• Direct Cremation: This is immediate cremation without any attendants, rites, viewing or ceremonies. This service would include the removal of remains, local transportation to crematory, necessary services of staff and authorization,. When selecting this type of service you may be required to use an alternative container. Alternative containers encase the body and can be made of material such as fiber board or composition materials.

• Pre-Arrangements: Making your wishes known in advance, arrangements which have been completed by an individual prior to need. It is often formalized with an agreement to deliver specific goods and services.

Funding Mechanisms:

• Individual Plans- You can provide for the cost of a funeral without prepaying. Example: Earmark existing assets, such as a savings account or life insurance policy, for funeral cost. Make sure these assets are not subject to probate, the legal process by which property is passed on and debits are paid. This process could take a year or more and most funeral homes can't afford to wait that long for payment.

• Option 1. To aviod the probate process you may open a savings account or Certificate of deposit equal to the cost of the funeral. Designate the account as (POD) "payable on death" to the funeral home.

• Option 2. Open a joint account with a family member who has the right of survivorship (the funds pass to the joint owner outside probate.) The survivors should then pay for the funeral.

• Insurance - Funded: The consumer signs a prearrangement agreement and purchases life insurance equal to the value of the funeral. The funeral home can become the beneficiary, or the benefits are assigned (signed over) to the funeral home.

• The State Regulated Trust: A prearrangement agreement is signed first. The funeral director then accepts payment equal to the cost of the funeral and places a portion or all of the money in a trust account. The funeral home is the beneficiary of the trust account and receives funds after the funeral. The goal of a state regulated trust is to ensure that the pre-payment is protected until needed. State laws specify the amount trusted. Trust- a legal agreement where money is held on behalf of another. Trusting- the percentage of money the funeral director must place in a trust.

• A guaranteed price plan means no matter what happens to inflation in the future, the funeral that you have prepaid for will be provided at no additional cost.

• A non-guaranteed plan means that you may have to pay the difference if the selected plan did not keep pace with inflation.