Tips When Planning Funeral Arrangements
Health insurance, car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, taxes, IRAs, 401ks. The amount of things we have to save for and spend our money on seems exorbitant. However, there is one more expense you should consider, one that will help your loved ones when you can no longer. Preplanned funeral arrangements is a new option that allows you to set aside money and make your wishes known for that dismal day when you have to part ways with those you love. Don’t leave your spouse and children with over $5,000 in expenses and confused as to “what you would have wanted.” Make your wishes clear to ensure that they’re only mourning you - and not their finances.
The casket can be the most expensive part of the traditional family funeral. Loved ones feel especially torn when selecting an appropriate burial container. They wonder if you would have wanted pine or mahogany, they wonder if people will think they are cheap. The truth is, after the funeral, no one will ever see your casket again! Therefore, you may want to look into renting a casket and selecting a less expensive burial container. If your family is low-key and doesn’t care much for appearances, then a simple casket made of plastic or pine will be just fine. You can also choose from fiberglass, wood, plastic or metal, and you can even find them online! If you do purchase your casket online, then be aware that federal regulations state that funeral homes cannot charge you extra for supplying your own casket.
Instead, you may choose the direct cremation option (which runs from $300 - $600). If direct cremation sounds appropriate to you, then you’ll only pay for the funeral director’s consultation, a non-metal body container, hearse fees for crematorium transport, and an urn or container for the ashes. Some Christians desire burial of the ashes, in which case you’ll need to buy a grave site, marker and hardier container. Even so, this option is generally cheaper, though it doesn’t allow people that elaborate face-to-face mourning.
A new option that has sprung up is the idea of a “green burial.” A South Carolina doctor interested in environmentalism will bury you amid forests, water features and beautiful natural landscapes, giving you a proper, federally-regulated burial that’s kind to the earth for much less, without embalming, caskets or expensive tombstones. After witnessing the $20 billion-a-year industry firsthand and feeling dissatisfied with his father’s funeral arrangements, Billy Campbell started his own modest business. He found that the average funeral home tried to charge $6,500 for a casket, whereas he provided $2,300 caskets. Green burial locations have since spread to Florida and Texas. You’ll be happy to know that 25% of the cost of your committal, will go toward earth conservation, nature classes, tree plantings, etc. These small operations aren’t about making money, but they find it rewarding to revolutionize the funeral industry.
Know your rights! The Federal Trade Commission - through the Funeral Rule - requires a provider to give you a list of up-to-date funeral arrangements and services, along with the prices. The price list should include: funeral director services for consultations and paperwork, care of the body, embalming, casketing, dressing, use of facilities for wakes or memorial ceremonies, funeral flowers, obituary notices, funeral music, cremation, immediate burial, etc. Anyone who can’t give you at least this much information, cannot be trusted. Also, by law, funeral directors are not allowed to criticize your decisions or push you into buying something you don’t want. Feel free to shop around. You may prefer one funeral home because of its location or family tradition, but be aware that prices vary greatly from one end of town to the next.