When asking consumers if they were financially prepared to pay the funeral expenses of a loved one, a recent National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) online poll revealed that an overwhelming 83 percent either were not prepared to take on the financial responsibilities of a funeral or had no idea what a funeral costs. “Today the average cost for expenses [...]
Planning a funeral is a complicated process which is made even more difficult by the emotional stress that accompanies the death of a loved one. Fortunately, many of the arrangements can be made ahead of time, which will decrease the burden on those left behind. The time to start thinking about it is when it’s unlikely to happen any time [...]
If you value the opportunity to grieve your loved one without the obligations a traditional funeral home might present and prefer simplicity, the choice of a direct cremation provider could be the smartest. When deciding between the traditional funeral and a direct cremation, please consider that by 2017, it is estimated that half of all Americans will opt for cremation [...]
David Heckel,a licensed Funeral Director since 1995, has served hundreds of families from diverse cultural and religious traditions in St. Louis (MO), Denver and Boulder (CO) and Raleigh, NC. Ben Franklin wrote that there are two certain things in this life: death and taxes. We all hope to live a long life, and we think we’ll have time to think [...]
What is a direct crematory? A direct crematory is a licensed facility where a cremation takes place without a memorial service. A family will save on the expenses of purchasing a casket, embalming, hair and makeup, etc. as these funeral services are not required when you choose direct cremation. Are all direct cremation service providers the same? All direct cremation [...]
Though it’s not a topic most of us want to think about, planning for what happens after your death can reduce the stress on grieving loved ones. Making decisions now about your funeral arrangements can help assure those left behind that your wishes are honored. “The death of a loved one is always stressful. Fortunately, preplanning is something you can [...]
