Industry Tips
Funeral, Planning A
At an average $6000.00, one of the most expensive purchases consumers will make is a funeral. For this reason, consumers should treat this purchase with the same care as buying a car. Death is not a reason to be less than assertive and accept the purchase of something that is more or less than what you want. In fact, you will even benefit emotionally by taking a proactive posture in expressing your needs. This is true even if the funeral director has the highest ethics and best intentions.
Every element of a funeral is negotiable: type of casket, amount of flowers, funeral time, music, and cremation or burial. If you do purchase a funeral package, your funeral director should review each of these elements item by item.
Don't forget to contact Social Security or the Veterans' Administration for some limited help.
Many people consider pre-need planning as a way to relieve your loved ones of a great deal of concern. If you decide to invest in this service, please make sure inflationary factors, future unexpected costs, and transferability are covered. This is especially true if the initial contractor merges or goes out of business.
