When designing a burial service, there are a lot of considerations to take into account, especially when on a fixed budget. This four part series will go over some of those considerations and different ways to plan a burial service on a budget. Part four will cover monies available to help ease the cost of a service and different ways to keep your money safe when saving for one.

Government Benefits

A surviving spouse or eligible child can receive a benefit from Social Security that can be used to reimburse the cost of the funeral. For individuals who served in the military who choose to be buried at a national cemetery, their service will cover the cost of opening and closing of the plot and some of the costs of burial. It will cover ground burial or placement in a niche. Some individuals may be eligible for more reimbursement of cost based on circumstances of the death.

Life Insurance

Many individuals take out a life insurance policy to cover the cost of a funeral. When death occurs, the policy will need to be assigned to the funeral home in order to pay for the service. To do this, you will need to make the funeral home the beneficiary or assign a trusted beneficiary who will apply the proceeds to the funeral home.

Tribal Death Benefit & Insurance

Most tribal members are eligible for death benefits provided by the tribe. It is important that the benefit is assigned to someone or the funeral home of your choice, as there is not a default beneficiary. Locally, the Siletz Tribe also has caskets on hand that have a Siletz Tribal Pendleton blanket liner that can be purchased directly or with death benefits.

Prearrangement

Prearrangement can include insurance policies, money invested with a reputable broker, or payment plans to cover the cost. Money from life insurance, social security or a military burial benefits can all be included in the preneed. By making a plan with a funeral home before the services are needed, it will allow you to lock in current prices and discounts. Bateman Funeral Home puts money into a third party trust that is state audited to make sure that it is safe. It will be held in accordance with all of the applicable laws and annual reports will be submitted by a third party administrator. This will ensure that your money is safe, even if the funeral home does encounter problems.

This is not an exhaustive list of ways to cover the cost of a burial service. For more information on your funeral options and to learn more about any of these options, call 541-265-2751 or check out our pre-arrangement form online.