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Funeral Planning - Information Gathering PDF Print E-mail

 

So what is Advance Funeral Planning? Advance Funeral Planning is the process of planning for your funeral long before the need arises and, therefore, making things easier for your family members at one of the most difficult times of their lives-the death of someone they love. By planning your funeral in advance, much of the paperwork has already been completed and many of the expenses have been pre-paid. This allows your loved ones to focus on their grief and the creation of a meaningful and personalized ceremony rather than being consumed by the details and business of planning a funeral. In turn, you have the peace of mind of knowing that the task of selection and difficult decision-making has been taken care of.

Relieve your family of the emotional burden:


  • Allow your family the time to build a foundation for healing, to support one another, and to celebrate their memories of you.
  • Express your own wishes
  • Save your family from the stress of wondering if they chose the right things for you or if they left out any important details.
  • You can take comfort in knowing that you have helped make the most difficult time of your family's life a little easier.


Relieve your family of the (often sudden) financial burden:


  • Save thousands of dollars by 'freezing' the price of the funeral at today's costs.
  • Alleviate emotional overspending.
  • Relive your family members of the financial burden and allow them focus on supporting one another and celebrating their memories of you - rather than worrying over how they will pay for the funeral.
  • Our pre-arrangement plans are exempt from Medicare/Medicaid qualifications and are also tax free.
  • Our plans are portable and transferable.


As funeral professionals, we see the relief that families experience when a funeral has been planned in advance. Advance Funeral Planning certainly makes a difficult time much easier to bear. Indeed, it is a gift of compassion and a smart financial decision for you and your family.

As a convenience and service to you, we have developed an informative online worksheet to allow you to learn more about the steps of advance funeral planning and to begin the pre-arrangement process on-line.

Our step-by-step overview will allow you to begin collecting and recording important and necessary personal data, to learn more about and record funeral preferences, and to explore the important benefits and options of pre-payment. Once you have filled in the information and completed these steps you may:


  • Choose one of the options at the end of the form and press the submit button
  • Print the completed form and mail it to Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory for us to keep on file
  • Print the completed form and place it with your important papers
 
Funeral Planning - Overview of Services and Merchandise PDF Print E-mail

The second step in Advance Funeral Planning is to select the type of services and merchandise that best suit your wishes. Generally, there are two categories of funeral services: those ending with burial or entombment and those ending with cremation. Your choice will help to determine the types of professional services and merchandise to be considered. However, here is a brief overview to help us get started.

Funeral services include:

  • Professional services of the funeral directors and staff.
  • Transportation services.
  • Embalming and other preparation.
  • Facilities for visitation.
  • The funeral ceremony.
  • Other services or items necessary or requested by the family.


Funeral merchandise includes:

  • Casket, urn or both.
  • Outer burial container-burial vault or other selections.
  • Other merchandise or materials such as memorial notes, acknowledgement cards or transfer containers.

 

When choosing the services, it is important to understand the purpose of a funeral

A Funeral Service fills several important needs in today's society. First, it provides the respectful care of the deceased, by providing a special tribute or memorial to a unique life. Equally important, the funeral service helps survivors cope with the reality of death - the first big step in overcoming grief. It also brings together relatives and close friends who can lend support and comfort when most needed. A funeral gives friends and relatives the chance to express the love they feel for someone who was important to them.


Things to consider:

Funeral Services ending with burial, entombment or cremation?
Preference of casket type?
What are my options in choosing a casket? Metal or Wood
Visitation: Yes or No
If yes, where?: Funeral Home, Church or Home
Casket/Urn Present? Yes or No
Funeral Service to be held at: Funeral Home, Chapel, Church or Graveside Only

 

If you'd like you can submit the answers to these questions and more using our "Contact Us" form by clicking here.
 
Funeral Planning - Pre-Payment Benefits and Information PDF Print E-mail

Today the average cost funeral service in South Carolina is often between $6400.00 and $7000.00. This average price includes the funeral home's services, the casket, the outer burial container, as well as miscellaneous costs such as flowers, obituary notices, death certificates and honorariums, etc.

Certainly you can spend much less than this or much more depending on the choices that you make. It is important to do what feels right for you and your family. Do not feel as if you must spend beyond or below your means (as sometimes happens when there are no guidelines for your family to follow). Advance Funeral Planning will help to avoid over-spending or under-spending by your family.

Families who plan funeral arrangements in advance select a plan that "Freezes' the price of the funeral at today's cost and protects your family from the impact that inflation has on the costs of funeral goods and services.

Here's an example. A $6000 funeral expense today could cost as much as $7900 within the next 7-10 years due to inflation. In 15 years, that expense could be as high as $13000.

It is also important to note that many of our Advance Funeral Plans are exempt from Medicaid/Medicare qualifications and are tax free.

At Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory, we are proud to offer affordable ways to fund your advance funeral plans that allow you to lock in the cost of your funeral selections at today's prices. Choose a single-payment option or an easy and affordable monthly payment plan.

It only takes few minutes to help you to determine what would be the best course of action for you and your family. You are under no obligation and our Funeral Cost Analysis is free.

You have already begun to take those important steps towards making a difficult time much easier for your loved ones and family. We encourage you to allow us to help you complete the pre-arrangement process. It will be one of the kindest and most compassionate gifts that you'll ever give your family.