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.
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Benefits of Preplanning
Planning Ahead Lets Your Wishes Be Known
The death of a loved one often brings about unwarranted stress and turmoil among families. One family member wants one thing, while another family member wants something different. By planning ahead, you help prevent those disagreements by letting your family know what your wishes are and how you want your funeral service to be carried out and your business handled.
Planning Ahead Offers Peace of Mind
Our staff guarantees we will carry out the arrangements you want, just as you directed. Once the plans have been arranged, you and your family can rest easy knowing at the time of death, those uncomfortable decisions have been made. In a time when a family should be able to easily grieve, preplanning allows for that to happen.
Planning Ahead Offers Flexible Funding Options
When you preplan your funeral arrangements, there are more options when it comes to funding the funeral. A preneed trust account can be established before the time of death. For applicants or recipients of SSI or Medicaid, this account can be made irrevocable to be excluded as an asset. At the time of death, services must be paid in full, so having options ahead of time can also reduce other stress related to losing someone.
Planning Ahead Relieves The Burden From Family
Following the death of a loved one, there are more than 150 decisions that have to be made within the first day or two following the death. Those stressful decisions on top of the stress of grieving a loss can be eliminated by arranging your final wishes ahead of time. If those decisions are made, your loved one’s aren’t left wondering what you would have wanted and how they should proceed with funeral plans. With those decisions out of the way, your loved one can begin the healing process sooner.
