Planning Ahead

Why Should I Plan Ahead?

Discussing death is often difficult. A death in the family can create uncertainty for survivors which may be alleviated by discussion and pre-planning. Funeral arrangements, including traditional funerals and cremation services, should be discussed openly and frankly whenever possible. Pre-planning and pre-financing a funeral or cremation service is a method many people choose to assist their survivors after death occurs. Careful counseling with an experienced funeral director can help you avoid unwise planning and will provide peace of mind for all involved. We recommend consulting with those survivors who will be most affected by the death and allowing them the opportunity to be active participants in the decision making process, when appropriate.

Part of funeral or cremation pre-planning can be pre-funding. Funds paid in advance of Funeral Services provided are held in Funeral Trust Accounts at a federally insured banking institution. These accounts are interest bearing, with accumulated interest used to offset any increases in funeral expenses. These accounts are either revocable or irrevocable, based upon the Medicaid status of the individual.

Unlike many other funeral homes, Lansing Funeral Home's belief when it comes to pre-funding services is that families should not be responsible for yearly price increases that exceed the interest earned in the trust account. For this reason, Lansing Funeral Home price guarantees all fully funded pre-arrangements. This means that we will provide all services and merchandise agreed upon using only funds available in an individual's trust account. We are also able to set aside money for outside expenses, or cash advances, in the trust account. These include items such as cemetery or crematory expenses, death certificates, and obituaries. While we cannot guarantee the prices of these items since they are not controlled by the funeral home, all money set aside for these expenses plus interest goes to offset the cash advances, and usually covers them in full.

If you prefer to not pre-fund your arrangements, preplanning is still advisable. No cost pre-arrangement conferences are available either in our office or in the privacy and comfort of your home. This conference allows us to explain all of your options and discuss your specific wishes. We keep a written record of your selections at the funeral home for the future. While you will be provided with an itemized price estimate, there is no cost to do this. Your family would be responsible for the expenses at the time of your death.

Common Questions about Preplanning