What are the advantages of Pre Arranging a Funeral?

Pre-arrangements is done for the peace of mind, economy, and the ‘grief relief’ that pre-arrangement provides.

Peace of mind: knowing that the task is done is a blessing to many. Your family won’t have to do it for you. You’ll be secure in the knowledge that both you and your family are assured that all is under control.

Economy: Because you will be paying for a funeral in full at today’s prices, and the funds are set aside and placed into a trust account, the cost of what you have arranged will not increase at the time of a death. This could represent hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Grief – relief: Making funeral arrangements under the stress of a death, in the midst of emotional upheaval, can be very difficult for anyone. By pre-arranging, it will relieve your family of some of the detail, letting them concentrate on important family matters.

Pre-arranging is just good, sensible, estate planning. Your local funeral director is well versed in the many aspects of planning and is available to assist or inform you at any time.
 

Are your Money Matters in Order?

Financial planning is part of your future security program. But if you were to die tomorrow, would your family know what to do? You may have already taken care of most of the important elements, but here is a general checklist for your reference.

Insurance. Is the beneficiary up to date? Are premiums paid?

Are bankbook and mortgage papers, pension and other important documents all together? Does your family know where they are?

Is your will current and available?

Do you have a list of names, addresses and phone numbers of Insurance agents, lawyers, accountants, and funeral homes?

There are many details you may require. Your local funeral director can supply booklets for this purpose, or merely just give you information on what more could be required.

With a Will – There’s a Way

If you own anything – a car, house, savings account, possessions of value – you should have a will.

With a will, you save your relatives considerable time and money in the handling of your estate. Further, you are assured that your estate will not be executed by strangers, but by people you know and trust.

How do you make a will? First, see your lawyer. It’s not all that expensive for most estate planning. They have the forms, know the requirements of the province and probably enough of your personal affairs to help in preparing for future management of your estate.

You may change your will whenever and however you wish. The important thing is to get started and make one right away.

Your funeral director can provide counseling on funeral arrangements, without obligation, on this aspect of your estate. Your local funeral director would welcome your questions on this most important topic, at any time.
 

What are Trust Funds, and How is My Money Handled?

Pre planning and prepaying of funeral costs has become a larger and larger part of the funeral business in the past several years, due largely in part to the planning people are now putting into their estates, and making things relatively less stressful at the time of a death.

Trust funds are established to place monies that are paid to the funeral home, to ensure that those dollars will be available at the time of a death, thus eliminating the burden on the surviving family members both financially and emotionally.

At the time a funeral is pre paid, you money is placed into a specifically numbered trust account between the funeral home and the client. This money is locked into place and can not be accessed by even the funeral home until such time as our services have been rendered and a copy of the Statement of Death is issued to the Trust Company. At this time, all monies in that fund go directly to the funeral home and the family does not have to become involved at all.

Trust funds are strictly handled by the funeral homes and only qualified, licensed funeral directors who also have a license to do pre arrangements are qualified to take your funds and place them into a trust account. All Trust fund accounts are audited and monitored by the New Brunswick Department of Justice on an ongoing basis. It is the responsibility of each licensed person to ensure that all conditions of the Act are met when handling trust dollars.It is a great misconception by a number of insurance companies to tell people that they can prearrange their funeral funds by acquiring insurance policies. These people are only insurance people and are not qualified to discuss either pre arranging or the costs pertaining to a funeral. Only a funeral director can give you factual information on funeral costs and only one with a pre arrangement lisc. can actually pre arrange trust fund funerals.

We in the funeral industry, are very proud of our Funeral Directors and Embalmers, who study and work hard to attain their credentials. We know they are working in the best interest of all the families they serve when discussing future plans with them.

In addition, the NB Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association have set up a compensation fund, for the protection of our families. This is your ‘insurance’ that everything is done in your best interest and to protect your hard earned dollars. Please feel free to contact any member of our association at any time with regard to questions you may have regarding this important topic.