At Stillinger Family Funeral Home, we do our best to reduce the anxiety of planning a funeral – and we’ve found that funeral preplanning is the best overall way to reduce worry and stress. But we also know that funeral preplanning can be a bit of a mystery for many people. What does it mean to preplan a funeral? What are the benefits? Is it risky to pre-fund a funeral? To help further reduce anxiety and confusion about funeral planning, let’s answer these and other questions:
What Exactly is Funeral Preplanning?
Funeral preplanning is the process of making final funeral arrangements before the time of need. Most items typically involved in funeral planning can be prearranged, including service or ceremony details, and choosing a casket, burial plot, headstone, and more.
What Are Some of the Benefits of Funeral Preplanning?
The primary benefits of funeral preplanning are that you can make sure you will get your service your way, reduce the burden of planning for your family, create peace of mind for yourself and your family, and, with pre-funding, potentially save money as a hedge against future cost escalations.
How Does Pre-funding a Funeral Work?
When funeral expenses are pre-funded, some of the final expenses to be incurred at the time of need may be covered at current rates. Typically, these costs are for those services provided directly by the funeral home if the anticipated growth in funds in an established funeral trust covers normal escalation of those costs. Third-party costs – such as services and/or products provided by a minister, cemetery personnel, musicians, newspapers, a hair stylist and others – might also be covered for future “at-need” costs, but these expenses are beyond the scope of any guarantees the funeral home might be able to offer.
Where Does Pre-funding Money Go?
As required by regulations, money collected to pre-fund a funeral must be deposited by the funeral home to a bank or insurance company within 30 days. There it is kept on deposit as an interest-bearing account until withdrawn at the time of need after the death occurs.
Can Funeral Preplanning Be Changed or Cancelled?
Preplanned funeral arrangements can be modified or updated at any time prior to the provision of service. Arrangements or payments made for pre-funding can be cancelled within 30 days of signing the agreement.
Are Preplanned Funeral Arrangements Transferrable if I Move or the Funeral Home Closes?
Yes. Services arranged through Stillinger Family Funeral Home can be carried out by another funeral home should the need arise. Your funeral director can explain how this works.
How Do I Start the Funeral Preplanning Process?
To learn more about funeral preplanning or to start the preplanning process, contact us today at (317) 462-5536. You can also start the process by completing the online form at this page on our main website.
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