Finance - Pre Planning Funeral Expenses
Pre-Planning Funerals Helps Make Decisions Easier
(NAPSA)-When a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends often are confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral-all of which must be made quickly and often under great emotional duress.
Each year, Americans spend billions of dollars arranging more than two million funerals for family members and friends. The increasing trend toward pre-need planning-when people make funeral arrangements in advance-suggests that many consumers want to compare prices and services so that ultimately, the funeral reflects a wise and well-informed purchasing decision, as well as a meaningful one.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers seven steps to help shop for funeral products and services pre-need:
1. Shop around in advance. Compare prices from at least two funeral homes. Remember that you can supply your own casket or urn.
2. Ask for a price list. The law requires funeral homes to give you written price lists for products and services.
3. Resist pressure to buy goods and services you don't really want or need.
4. Avoid emotional overspending. It's not necessary to have the fanciest casket or the most elaborate funeral to properly honor a loved one.
5. Recognize your rights. Laws regarding funerals and burials vary from state to state. It's a smart move to know which goods or services the law requires you to purchase and which are optional.
6. Apply the same smart shopping techniques you use for other major purchases. You can cut costs by limiting the viewing to one day or one hour before the funeral, and by dressing your loved one in a favorite outfit instead of costly burial clothing.
7. Plan ahead. It allows you to comparison shop without time constraints, creates an opportunity for family discussion, and lifts some of the burden from your family.
In addition, if you are planning your own service, it's a good idea to review and revise your decision every few years.
(NAPSA)-When a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends often are confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral-all of which must be made quickly and often under great emotional duress.
Each year, Americans spend billions of dollars arranging more than two million funerals for family members and friends. The increasing trend toward pre-need planning-when people make funeral arrangements in advance-suggests that many consumers want to compare prices and services so that ultimately, the funeral reflects a wise and well-informed purchasing decision, as well as a meaningful one.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers seven steps to help shop for funeral products and services pre-need:
1. Shop around in advance. Compare prices from at least two funeral homes. Remember that you can supply your own casket or urn.
2. Ask for a price list. The law requires funeral homes to give you written price lists for products and services.
3. Resist pressure to buy goods and services you don't really want or need.
4. Avoid emotional overspending. It's not necessary to have the fanciest casket or the most elaborate funeral to properly honor a loved one.
5. Recognize your rights. Laws regarding funerals and burials vary from state to state. It's a smart move to know which goods or services the law requires you to purchase and which are optional.
6. Apply the same smart shopping techniques you use for other major purchases. You can cut costs by limiting the viewing to one day or one hour before the funeral, and by dressing your loved one in a favorite outfit instead of costly burial clothing.
7. Plan ahead. It allows you to comparison shop without time constraints, creates an opportunity for family discussion, and lifts some of the burden from your family.
In addition, if you are planning your own service, it's a good idea to review and revise your decision every few years.
Article content is copyrighted by their respective authors. Auto-Loan-Financing.com makes no claim to ownership of the articles.
The Articles provided are solely for educational and informational purposes and do not constitute legal or financial advice.
Files, source code, page layout, and design contained herein are the intellectual property of Auto-Loan-Financing.com and
may not be reproduced without the express written consent from Auto-Loan-Financing.com. The Articles provided are solely
for educational and informational purposes and do not constitute legal or financial advice to erase, fix, or repair bad credit.