None of us will ever truly comprehend death, but you can count on the finality that death will affect all of us. The goal of this book and funeral arranging in general, is to make this process a healthier, less stressful and confusing time. This book can provide information that will help you navigate through the processes that occur after a death. Some things you may know and others may be things you have no idea about. Knowledge and understanding can make any situation easier.

What You Need To Know Didn't Know Or Were Afraid To Ask

About Funeral Arrangements, Preplanning, and the Process That Occurs After A DeathBy Sharon Mitchell

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Mitchell
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4567-4089-4

Chapter One

The Place of Death

The things you need to do when the death occurs will depend on where the death takes place. If it is at a hospital, nursing home, under hospice care, or at another facility, the staff there can help you. You just need to let them know who your funeral home of choice is. If you have not decided, then you have some options before you decide. You can let the deceased be taken to the morgue at the facility if they have one, or have them call a funeral home and have the deceased taken to their facility until you decide on a funeral home you wish to use.

If the death was an accident, or a death that occurred when the person was alone, or if there are suspicious circumstances, the procedures are a bit different. You will need to call the police department or the local law enforcement agency in the area. A Justice of The Peace (a judge) will need to be advised of the death. Usually the police officers will handle this and they will know the jurisdiction and which judge to call. It will be at the discretion of the judge as to whether or not an autopsy will be ordered. If there is to be an autopsy, the judge will decide to which medical examiners office the body will be transported. You will then have time to decide whom you wish the body to be released to after the autopsy has been done. I will take at least 24 hours or more for this to occur depending on the workload and schedule at the coroner or medical examiners office.

If an autopsy is not ordered then the judge will grant permission to have the body removed from the scene of the death. The body will then be moved to a funeral home of the judge's discretion to be held until the family is notified of the death Then the family can make the decision of where they wish the body to be taken. You DO NOT have to use the funeral home the body was taken. If you do not want to use this funeral home, you are not required to do so. It is your choice, if you change funeral home locations or not, it is your choice. It is ok to choose another funeral home.

The place of death will also be one of the deciding factors as to who will sign the death certificate. It may be a physician, a judge, or a medical examiner. It will depend on the circumstances of the death as to which of these individuals will agree to sign the death certificate. The funeral home will take care of this process. This will be explained in detail for you later in the book.

Chapter Two

Choosing a Funeral Home

The funeral home you choose may be an easy decision if there is only one in the area and you know of one you want to use because of convenience or if your family or friends have used their services in the past. If there are multiple funeral homes to use, then you need to know what is important to you when you make the decision of a funeral home.

Do you want a privately owned or family funeral home versus a corporate owned or conglomerate funeral establishment? It is perfectly acceptable to base your choice on prices and each establishment must provide you with their price list which will help you make the right choice for you or your family circumstances. Check to see which offers a better value, best fits the assets available for the funeral expenses or feels like a place you would want to work with and that offers you the services and options you desire. You need to have a comfort level with the funeral home to which you are intrusting your loved one. It is ok to check out your options if you feel up to it or if you have someone to do it for you. You can visit with a director and see facilities before making your ultimate decision with no obligation or charges.

Think about things that will be important to you and your family. Do you want a funeral home that will handle just the usual funeral services? Or, do you want a full service establishment? All will handle the preparation of the body, funeral arrangements, paperwork, and visitation if desired. There are others funeral homes who will have more services such as flowers, catering, help with travel arrangements, hotels and the like. You can ask each place what they offer or you will see the services listed on their price list. These services may be priced separately or they could be included various packaged selections. The packages may group more items at a discounted price. Your choices will be based on the desires of the deceased, your family desires or the financial circumstances involved and how much you wish to be involved.

There is nothing that states you must spend a lot of money for a funeral, cremation or whatever your choice of disposition is. The amount you spend has is not linked in anyway to how much you loved or cared for the deceased. Take time to know what you can afford, what finances you have available to spend, and what the loved one would have wanted. Do not spend money you do not have or cannot get, be realistic. There can be a meaningful and wonderful service for any budget. Just let the funeral director know your constraints and they will help you with decisions and suggestions that will keep you within the guidelines and budget you have in mind as best as they possibly can. There is nothing wrong with stating you only have a certain amount available to work with. Their job is to assist you or advise you on the best way to do this.

Most funeral homes will expect payment prior to the date of the service. There are few, if any at all, that will make payment arrangements for extended periods. Many will accept assignment on insurance policies if they are available, have no loans that would exclude the use of them, and are valid, payable policies. What does this mean? Let's say your policy is for 20 thousand dollars and your funeral expenses are $7, 500. If this policy is verified, they will take assignment on only the amount owed for the funeral expenses. You will sign documents for the insurance company to pay the funeral home the exact amount due them. If there are excess funds from the policy, the check for this balance will be made by the insurance company to the beneficiary of the policy. If the policy was for an amount less than the total charges, you will only be responsible for paying the balance the insurance does not cover to the funeral home before the service date or whatever the deadline for payment is at your funeral home of choice. The funeral home will then file the claim for the insurance to be paid to them. Some charge a fee for this service and some do not.

If you had a preneed plan then the same procedure will occur. The only difference would be that this process would go through the preneed company. The purpose of a prearranged plan will be discussed later in the book if you are not aware of what this is.

Chapter Three

Keeping Policy Information Updated

I want to make some comments to you about the importance of keeping insurance companies updated on changes in you life situation. Where you divorced, remarried, or if the beneficiary of your policy is no longer alive, let the insurance company know who the new beneficiary is. I know you are probably saying it does not matter because I have listed a contingent beneficiary. This detail will make a difference to your family or whoever makes your arrangements. Updates will help avoid undue problems for your survivors at the time of your death. If your spouse was the beneficiary and they have died, the person making the arrangements will have to supply a death certificate proving this to the insurance company and the funeral home. If you have multiple children then all will have to sign paperwork stating that they agree to let this policy be used for funeral payment. If they all do not wish to, then problems could arise. If not all of them are available it could just prolong payment problems. Please try to make changes on documents as changes occur in your life situations.

You would be surprised as to how often these seemingly small details can explode into numerous difficulties for the loved ones remaining. You do not want the wrong person to be the one to benefit from your life insurance policy. I have seen this many times and I do not want you or your family to have this happen to them.

Chapter Four

Information You Will Need to Provide for Arrangements

The first thing you will be asked by the director is the biographical information about the deceased. This information will be requested in order to complete the death certificate.

It is very important that you have correct spellings, dates, locations etc. for this legal document. Make sure you verify the information before you sign off because once it is filed it cannot be changed without amending it and having more costs involved for this change.

For the death certificate, you will need to know the following information:

• Correct legal name of the person. First, middle, and last. Where they a Jr., Sr. etc. What other names have they gone by? • If female, what was the maiden name

• Sex of the deceased

• Race of the deceased

• Age of deceased

• What is their date of birth

• What is their date of death

• Social Security number

• Where was the place of birth: city, state, country, etc?

• Where they a U.S. citizen

• What was the name of the deceased's father

• What was the maiden name of the deceased's mother

• Where did the death occur: hospital, home, nursing home etc?

• What was the address of this person. Is it within city limits.

• What is the marital status: single, married, divorced, widowed etc.

• If they were married what is the wife's maiden name

• What was the highest education the deceased attained

• Were they ever in the armed forces. A DD214 form will be needed if there will be military honors requested. See the section in the book regarding military service.

• What was their occupation and what type of industry

• Who will be the informant for this information, what is their address, what is their relationship to the deceased

• Will there be a burial, cremation, or body donation

• If burial name of the cemetery and the location

Chapter Five

How Many Death Certificates Will You Need

The number of certified death certificates you get is a personal preference. You can get as many as you want or just the amount you need to take care of business. I can give you some of the reasons why a certified copy is necessary. Certified copies will have a seal and show that it is an original, legal copy. This will be the necessary form needed for most of the things you will need to take care of following a death.

1. Social Security Benefits

If the person was married with a surviving spouse or dependant children they will need a copy for social security. This will get the surviving spouse the $255.00 death benefit. It is a one time thing. If the surviving spouse receives this benefit upon the death of a spouse the children or other survivors will not be able to get it when the other spouse dies. Example, your father dies and all of the children are grown. Your mother, the surviving spouse, will get the death benefit. But, when she dies there will not be another $255 benefit available since there is no surviving spouse or dependent children. You will need a death certificate for surviving dependent children so they can get the social security benefits of the decease parent until they are of age. Your social security office will guide you through these processes depending on which circumstance applies to you.

2. The Will/Lack of Will for Settling of the Estate of the Deceased

You will need a death to take to your attorney so the estate can be settled and necessary documents can be filed and the affairs of the deceased can be handled.

3. Property

You will need a death certificate for any property, residences, buildings etc that the deceased owned. One will be necessary for all vehicles, farm equipment etc. This will allow you to have the titles to these changed to the appropriate individual.

4. Life Insurance, Accident Policies or Preneed (Death) Policies

You will need a copy for each insurance policy. If they are all with the same company you may get by with fewer. Just be sure to check with the company upon notifying them as to the death of the policy holder.

5. Bank Accounts

The bank will need to have record of the death to close out accounts or change to the name of the surviving individual that may be on the account with the deceased. If the assets are frozen upon a death it is still possible to get money out of these accounts to pay for the funeral bill. You will need to take a copy of the funeral bill to the bank and most times the funds can be made to the funeral home to directly take care of the death charges. The other bills may have to wait until the settling of the estate or whatever the banks and/or attorneys require. Just ask them what is necessary and you will get their guidance.

6. Retirement Funds, Securities, IRAs, Bonds, Certificates of Deposits

Each individual place will require their own death certificate. You may luck out if these are at the same institution. It will depend on their procedures.

7. Credit Cards, Utilities, Medical Bills etc.

Some times you can get by with copies. You should check with the individual places. It is always a good idea to have extra certified copies for just these types of things.

8. Personal Use, Records Keeping

Some people like to just keep a copy for their own reasons whether it is for a keepsake, future findings, or to just complete their records.

9. Military Pensions or Benefits

You will need to provide proof of death to the military liaison in order to see what benefits you are eligible for after the veteran's death.

10. Miscellaneous

You will know the lifestyle of your loved one better than anyone else so you can decide how many will be necessary. You may enlist the help of your attorney if you cannot decide from the examples given above.

The cost of death certificates may vary from state to state. I will give you the example using Texas prices since this is my state of practice.

The charge for death certificates in Texas are as follows, the first death certificate will cost $21.00 and each one after that will cost $4.00. Example: If you ordered 10 death certificates it would cost you $57.00. This is 21 + (4x9) 36.00. You can always go back and get more death certificates but the state will start over with charges of 21 + whatever number more you need. It is always better to get a few extra at the 4.00 cost.

Chapter Six

Power of Attorney

Many of the families I spoke with during my funeral arrangement conferences did not know that a power of attorney ends upon the death of an individual. Once a person dies, the will or law of intestacy will govern the handling of the deceased estate. Most importantly the power of attorney does NOT take the place or is it in anyway a substitute for a will. Please make sure you have a will or instructions on how you want your estate to be handled after your death. Have your affairs in order prior if at all possible and it will make things much easier upon your death. It is important to have legal counsel in deciding what is the best way to handle this for you or your family.

CH7[ Military Veteran Information

You have an option of having military honors for the deceased no matter what type of service you will have. The funeral director will ask you the appropriate questions needed depending on whether it is a burial, cremation or whatever is necessary for the type or arrangements you wish to have.

To secure any honors you will need to provide the funeral home with a discharge document called a DD214. It is the document that states some of the following information of the military service of an individual upon release from the military duty. It will state their name, rank, place of entry into service, place of discharge, what their job was, the places they served, if any honors or medals were received, and other related information. This will be necessary on all branches of the service. The funeral director will have to fax this to the branch they are requesting honors from to show proof of military service and that the discharge from military service was honorable.

(Continues...) ]CH7

Excerpted from What You Need To Know Didn't Know Or Were Afraid To Askby Sharon Mitchell Copyright © 2011 by Sharon Mitchell. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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