Veterans: Is My Funeral Paid For? When it comes to a veteran’s funeral, it’s important for their families to understand what the military will pay for. There’s no way to repay the debt that a veteran has paid to our country, but there are some elements that the military covers for a veteran’s funeral and final disposition. So, what help can you as a veteran expect to receive for your funeral? As long as you meet specific criteria, your family can expect some help when the day of your funeral arrives. Do veterans have to pay for their funerals? In general, the Department of Veterans Affairs ..read more

How to Choose a Casket? For the most part, when a loved one passes away, you’ll need a casket for their burial or at least for their funeral or viewing. But with so many options to choose from, how can you be sure you’re getting one that you need? Here are a few things to consider before deciding on a casket for a loved one. What to Consider When Choosing a Casket 1.  Do you need a casket? The first thing to consider when choosing a casket is whether or not you’ll be needing one. If you decide to cremate your loved one without holding a funeral with them present, you may not need a cask ..read more

Preparing for a Funeral: Clear and Open Communication with a Funeral Home Planning a funeral starts with creating a relationship with your funeral home, which is forged through clear and open communication. What should you talk to your funeral director about? Let’s break down the main topics you’ll need to be open about with your funeral home. What to Talk to Your Funeral Director About 1.  Clear and open communication with a funeral home starts before you begin planning the funeral. Before you can begin planning your loved one’s funeral, you’ll need to find the right funeral home to wo ..read more

Do I Really Need to Attend the Funeral? Your presence is important. If there is any way possible, please, just be there. When a child is born it is a life changing event for the parents, siblings and grandparents at the very least. It may also be a life changing event for the kindergarten teacher five years in the future. Bottom line, life matters.      When a life ends, it is also a life-changing event. Regardless of the age at which the person dies or circumstances of the death, lives will change. Family and friends will never see that person again. They will not share in eac ..read more

What to Do When Someone Dies: Should We Have a Service? When a loved one passes away, one of the first questions family and friends ask is when the service is. But if you’re in charge of taking care of your loved one after they pass, it’s up to you to decide if you have a service at all. Funerals are very personal events, and some people opt out of having one at all. So, do you have to have a funeral service? And if you don’t have to, should you anyway? Should I have a funeral service if my loved one died? There’s no legal requirement to have a funeral when a loved one passes away, but that ..read more

What to Do First When Someone Dies Whether your loved one’s death was expected or sudden, no loss is easy. From the moment your loved one passes, you may feel overwhelmed not only by emotion but also by everything that must be done to take care of them. What should you do right after a loved one passes? Here are your five first steps. 1.  Contact a funeral home. If you know the funeral home that your loved one wanted to use, contact them for assistance as soon as you can. If not, check if they’ve declared any final wishes in their medical or legal documents. Your loved one may have prep ..read more

What are Death Certificates for and How Many Do I Need? Paperwork can be daunting even when you’re in a good mindset, but when you’re in a period of mourning following the death of a loved one, the last thing you want to be doing is filing forms. Unfortunately, when a loved one passes, there’s quite a lot of paperwork to do. But to start, you’ll need to obtain several death certificates. But what are death certificates for, and how many do you need? What are death certificates for? Death certificates are official documents that state the date, time, and cause of death. Although the steps to ..read more

How to Dress for a Funeral First, understand that what you wear to the funeral is much less important than actually going to the funeral or gathering. Don’t underestimate the value of your presence.    Your kind words, shared stories, or even just a hug will mean a great deal to friends and family when there has been a death. Don’t let not having a pair of dress shoes keep you from offering your support.   That being said, what you wear depends on several different factors. The first thing to consider is who died.   If your 80-year-old grandfather passed, the funeral is l ..read more

What to Expect at a Funeral We’ve all been there. Going to a funeral can be a little daunting, especially if it’s your first or if it’s been awhile since you attended one. Let’s talk a little bit about some of the terms you will hear and what you can expect in general. There’s a great deal of variety in funeral service today. The funeral home works with the surviving family to help them choose service options that reflect their lifestyle and belief system. The spouse, parents, or children of the deceased determine the content of the service. The service typically includes: 1.   A ..read more

What Do Funeral Directors Do? It’s late, why is the light on at the funeral home? Today, there was a funeral. People cried. Tissues were crumpled and left on the tables. Flower petals fell to the floor. Now, the cleaning staff is making things tidy for the family who will be here tomorrow. It’s late, why is the light on at the funeral home? Someone in our town died away from home, the funeral director is traveling many miles to bring him home and into the funeral home’s care. The light is on in anticipation of his safe return. It’s late, why is the light on at the funeral home? Hospice ..read more