Pre-Planning Frequently Asked Questions
What is pre-planning?
Pre-planning is simply having your funeral service wishes on file with a funeral service provider. Experience has shown that advance planning is prudent whether it is for yourself or a family member.
Years ago, most people did not pre-plan funerals. When a death occurred the family would call the neighborhood funeral home to handle everything. Today, people prefer to plan their high quality, dignified service in advance providing peace of mind both for themselves and their loved ones. In addition, people realize that planning in advance results in long term cost savings.
Why should I pre-plan?
The main reason many people pre-plan is to save their loved ones the burden of making decisions at a difficult and emotional time. It’s easy for a family to overspend when emotions are high.
Taking care of personal arrangements ahead of time will actually give you peace of mind knowing that these decisions don’t have to be left to others.
Does it cost anything to pre-plan?
No, it does not. Whether you just want your questions answered and a complete cost estimate, or would like to have all your funeral service information recorded and kept at Church & Chapel, there is no cost.
Then, when a passing occurs, it only takes a telephone call to Church & Chapel to retrieve the personal information.
What if I have already pre-planned at another funeral home?
You may transfer your arrangements to any other funeral home at any time. There is no penalty for doing so. If you have prepaid with another funeral home and transfer to Church & Chapel, our less expensive fees may result in a substantial refund.
What is pre-funding?
Pre-funding is simply paying some, or all of your pre-planning arrangements ahead of time.
Do I have to pre-fund?
No, pre-funding is not necessary. Pre-planning does not mean that you have to pre-fund.
Are there any benefits to pre-funding?
Yes. Among many benefits, people have expressed the following two as being the most important to them:
- The peace of mind that comes with knowing you took the burden of financing your funeral off the shoulders of your children, family members and friends at a very vulnerable time, allowing them the freedom to concentrate on healing.
- Pre-funding guarantees that the service charge, and the merchandise items Church and Chapel supply will be inflation proofed. That means no matter how much of a price increase there is on our service charge, a casket, vault, or other merchandise supplied by Church and Chapel, there will always be enough money to cover these costs.
What does Church & Chapel do with the money?
The money is held in a trust account in YOUR name. Church & Chapel has no access to your funds. If the trust account is made irrevocable, the funds may qualify as an exempt asset under current Medicaid and SSI regulations.
What happens to the excess funds after all the bills are paid?
Excess funds can be paid to a named beneficiary or to a deceased’s estate.
What would happen to the money if Church & Chapel were to close?
Since we have no access to those funds, the money would remain in the trust account. Church and Chapel never holds any money when someone prefunds a funeral.
What happens to the money if I were to move out of State?
The trust account can be transferred at any time.
Why should I pre-plan my funeral arrangements with Church & Chapel?
A. To save your loved ones the burden of making difficult decisions at a stressful time.
B. Pre-planning will spare your family from emotional overspending.
C. Your expressed wishes are on file at our office.
D. Pre-funding is optional but can result in significant cost savings.
Start pre-planning with our On-line Pre-Planning Guide now.
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