What should I Know about Funeral Providers?

When a loved one day and you find yourself responsible for planning and preparing for the funeral, you will be meeting with a number of funeral providers that will help you plan a memorable tribute to your loved one. They will also be essential in transporting the body and burying the dead. Here are some funeral providers you need to know about:

1. Funeral Directors

These days, everyone is leading busy and hectic lives that it could not be expected of the immediate family to take on responsibilities for funeral planning. Where a traditional DIY approach is not possible, it is wise to hire a funeral director or undertaker to make the funeral arrangements and direct funeral proceedings.

These are licensed and trained professionals that are hired to handle the proper care of the deceased, the preparation of all funeral arrangements, the proper presentation including choosing a casket and ordering funeral flowers from the local flower delivery, and handling the final disposition or burial of the deceased.

Funeral directors are knowledgeable about legal and administrative matters of handling death. They can help arrange a personal and meaningful funeral ceremony. You may hire funeral directors at funeral homes or specialty funeral service organizations. You may ask friends and relatives for recommendations or ask the nursing home or hospital personnel.

2. Funeral Homes

The funeral home may recommend a funeral director. They should be equipped with the necessary facilities for visitation and the funeral service. They should also have vehicles and equipment to transport the deceased from the place of death to the funeral home and later to the burial site.

While it is common to choose a funeral home for visitations and funeral services, others opt to set the event at a local chapel or place of worship. They may also hold services at a cemetery chapel or at the graveside.

Do note that funeral homes do not directly provide burial at sea as well as cremation. They may be able to recommend service providers that do. Still, they should arrange for transportation of the deceased to the crematory or cemetery grounds.

It is wise to pre-plan with a funeral home that also owns a cemetery. You can easily purchase interment property there. If not, you will need to purchase the burial site and later make it known to the funeral home.

You can find good funeral homes online, in newspapers, and church newsletters. You may also ask for recommendations from relatives, associates, and friends. Hospital and nursing home staff may also give a few recommendations. Be sure to compare price quotes before you sign a contract. Be sure that all upfront and extra fees are written on the contract.

3. Cemeteries

You need to choose between traditional cemeteries with upright tombstones and private mausoleums or memorial gardens where tombstones are absent. Grave markers may be placed in lieu of tombstones in these memorial parks. These places also have beautifully landscaped lawns, architecture, sculpture, and fountains. Also, consider buying cemetery property where you hope other family members will be interred. You may purchase multiple gravesites that are next to or near each other.

Consider the location of the cemetery so you can frequently visit the departed loved one. Choose a cemetery nearest the immediate family members. However, there are people who avoid choosing a cemetery where they can frequently pass by and remember the deceased.

It is fairly easy to choose a cemetery as they often have active sales programs and advertisements. You may contact several to inquire about their pricing options. Pre-planning should be able to get you the best locations at affordable prices.

If you have already purchased cemetery property and wish to change to another cemetery, check with your local laws whether or not you can resell the burial site. It is best to ask the cemetery about its terms for resale or exchange of burial site before purchasing a burial property. Take note of the service fee, charges for installation of grave markers, and maintenance fees

4. Crematoriums

It is increasingly common to remain the body and place the ashes in an urn. The ashes may be disposed of in several places meaningful to your loved one. You may opt to enclose the urns in columbariums at your local cemetery. Often, this is located inside mausoleums.

The bereaved often opt to keep the ashes at home. They may choose decorative urns to keep the ashes in. Be sure to check local regulations before scattering ashes on public properties. You may also consider scattering gardens in local cemeteries.

5. Specialty Funeral Service Providers

• Storefront Funeral Service- This kind of funeral service provider may not have a standalone building. Instead, they can be located in an office building or at a local shopping center. These companies offer cheaper options for burial and cremation services.
• Memorial Society- A non-profit and non-religious organization that offers low-cost services for the deceased. If you cannot afford to pay for a funeral, you can contact this group for assistance. They may offer favorable pricing provided that you become a member and do some volunteer work.

What type of funeral is best for you?

It is best to have your loved one decide on his or her funeral wishes before passing on. If they do not have funeral wishes, you may need to make decisions with the rest of the family. One important decision to make is the type of funeral you want to hold. These include direct cremation or direct burial (for Jewish, Islam, and other religions and culture that practice same-day burial), and burial or cremation with viewing or memorial service.