Funerals - More Answers than Questions

Life’s Moments... Memories of home, family, friends. Those special moments we recapture when time seems to stand still and we find ourselves considering just how blessed we are.

Mark Heiner and the staff at Heideman Hughes Mortuary are committed to helping bereaved family members and loved ones recreate those memories in their time of need. Compassionate understanding is the hallmark of our unique community service programs. We know first-hand just how difficult making funeral arrangements at a time of need can be, both emotionally and financially.

We can help you put together a plan in advance that will leave your loved ones with guidance and support at a time when they need it most. This will ensure that things are in order so that there will be more answers than questions. An important part of a pre-arranged funeral plan is discussing and recording some of your “life’s moments.” This will also assist you in helping your family create and be part of a personal and meaningful service, where the stories of a unique life will be shared.

To learn more about why, when and how to plan ahead, frequently asked questions, funding options, and more.  Please call us to schedule a confidential complimentary consultation in your home or at our location, 435-674-5000.

Mark the Mortician - Advanced Funeral Planning Reduces Stress

It’s not an easy subject, but seniors and adults in general may want to start talking about their funeral plans today.  After reading the news/obituaries for Davy Jones, Andrew Breitbart, (only three years my senior) and others, many people like me will have a reality check and may wish to inquire about and possibly plan their own funerals so their families won’t have to.  Seniors preplan and prepay for their funerals for a variety of reasons, such as estate planning or Medicaid purposes, but I have to say the reason I hear most often is to relieve their survivors from the many details and decisions associated with arranging a funeral.  Death can be a very stressful time. Not only is there grieving, but often traveling, legal issues and the many decisions that must be made in a short period of time.  If you choose to prepay for your funeral selections, then the financial considerations have been addressed as well.  Planning ahead can ease emotional and financial stress, and also provides you with the time needed to make practical and detailed decisions that reflect your preferences.  It puts you in control and ensures your wishes will be known, and it spares your loved ones the anxiety of making critical decisions at a time when they are least prepared. But, most importantly, is the peace of mind in knowing that when the time does come, you have eliminated the emotional and financial burden that occurs when arrangements have not been made in advance.

If you've got questions about advanced funeral planning, give me a call, I'd be happy to help.

-Mark

435-674-5000

What would you do if your spouse charged $7,755.00 on your credit card?

What would you do if your spouse charged $7,755.00 on your credit card?

Anything? Nothing?

Unfortunately, many of us will be the ones responsible for the charges, posthumously.

$7,755.00 was the average cost of a traditional funeral in 2011 according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

Many of you know my passion for advanced funeral planning because I see too many families bury their loved one via Visa, MasterCard or American Express, further complicating and adding financial stress to the existing emotional stress and grief accompanying the loss of a family member.

Advanced funeral planning isn't a topic many of us want to think about, however most people can agree that planning for what happens after your death will reduce the stress of grieving loved ones. It’s easy to understand how making decisions now about your funeral arrangements can help assure those left behind that your wishes are being honored.

You may not realize, though, that preplanning your final arrangements also makes good financial sense. There a few key ways in which funeral preplanning can impact your financial bottom line.

Avoid Grief Overspending

Planning your final arrangements in advance ensures your funeral will be conducted according to your wishes, which will ease the burden on your loved ones to make choices they think you’d want. But advance planning also helps your loved ones avoid spending on things not important to you by communicating exactly which merchandise and services you want for your funeral.

Find the Quality and Value You Want

If you're like me, you probably shop around to find the car, new electronic gadget or vacation that delivers the quality and features that are right for you, so why don’t more people do the same when it comes to funeral providers?

Contacting different funeral homes is an important part of planning a funeral. Compare options and services to find the right fit for your final wishes. Our community, St. George, Utah, is home to the following funeral providers:

Heideman Hughes Mortuary - 435-674-5000

Metcalf Mortuary - 435-673-4221

Spilsbury Mortuary - 435-673-2454

McMillan Mortuary - 435-688-8880

Pine View Mortuary (Metcalf) - 435-986-4222

SereniCare Funeral Home - 435-986-2085

Comparison shopping now allows you to feel secure you’re receiving the quality and value you deserve.

Lock in Today’s Prices

If you choose to fund your advanced funeral plan, you can lock in today’s prices for products and services that will be more expensive in the future. It is important to work with a funeral professional to understand the laws that regulate and protect advanced funeral funds. You need to feel comfortable that your funds are secure in an insurance policy or in trust with a reliable provider.

Take Advantage of Additional Benefits

You may be eligible for additional funeral benefits if you are a military veteran or civil servant. By planning your funeral, you can learn about these benefits in advance of your death so your loved ones will have all the information they need at the time of your passing. Our entire staff can provide information regarding additional benefits for which you may be eligible.

The reasons to make your final arrangements in advance are valid for everyone, no matter your age or financial status. While saving your loved ones from difficult decisions at an already difficult time, advance funeral planning also makes good financial sense. In today’s economic climate, it’s good to know that your final expense is one you can control.

If you would like to lean more about advanced funeral planning please contact me at 435-674-5000 for a no cost/obligation consultation at your home or my office.

-Mark Heiner

Heideman Hughes Mortuary

St. George, Utah

(information found via the library of dignitymemorial.com)

Merry Christmas from my favorite petrol heads

Transmission - BBC Top Gear

Plan Early for Last Days

This is a great article written by Mark Russell reminding us all about the importance of being prepared.

My father's death in October just before his 82nd birthday inspired me to focus on a topic rarely discussed at length but of vital importance: the need for advanced planning for the end of life. This is particularly true for working-class people such as my father, who in his 61 years of marriage to my mother always emphasized the need to be prepared.

Although many aspects of his departure were prepared in advance, there are always unseen and additional expenses as well as inflation. There is also a strong need for good and clear communication with those entrusted to caring for the needs of your loved ones as they transition to eternity. This applies not only to funeral and burial providers but legal issues as well.

Even a modest funeral service and burial can be costly to families of limited means. Without proper advance planning, grief can override rational decisions related to affordability and the wishes of the deceased.

My father was fond of saying that "funerals are for the living" and cautioned us that no one's casket was heaven-bound so we should not be extravagant in dealing with his death.

This is not an issue solely for those of advanced age. Death can strike anyone at any time of any age. A quick survey of my 40ish peers found few had a will, instructions or powers of attorney for a designated person in case they became impaired and could not make their own end-of-life decisions. Perhaps the most famous person of recent memory to have committed this oversight was the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The legacy of that oversight still plagues his surviving children to this day.

For low-income individuals and families these necessary arrangements can be even more burdensome because they often lack the financial means to procure legal assistance. This void represents a great opportunity for the Indiana legal community to fulfill its pro bono requirements. The Indianapolis Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic does offer this type of service for low-income residents as well as preventive legal education workshops on family law and other matters.

See you on the other side, Dad.

The full article can be viewed here:  http://www.indystar.com/article/20111213/OPINION13/112130306/Mark-Russell-Plan-early-for-last-days?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7COPINION

Christmas won't be the same this year

For bereaved persons, it is important to acknowledge up front that it
won’t be the same this year. Things are not the same. Someone pivotal
in our lives is gone. Moreover, we are not the same persons. Death forever
changes the self we were before. Therefore, we cannot expect to “buck
up” and act as if nothing has changed. Everything has changed.

My monthly newsletter entitled "Stepping Stones" is a collection of short stories and poetry designed to aide those families and individuals currently grieving the loss of a loved one.

Grief During Christmas - How to Cope

Business & Technology | Money tip: Tips for budgeting a funeral | Seattle Times Newspaper

It's quite rare that an article involving Advanced Funeral Planning makes a paper such as the Seattle Times.

It's good information, however I disagree with their advice to not fund a Funeral Plan. I know I'm biased, but look at the benefits: You get to take time now to make wise financial decisions for the future; make your decisions free of emotional stress and pressure; find a comfortable payment plan that fits your needs and budget; benefit from the convenience of funeral insurance (subject to qualification); enjoy portability for your plan should you relocate; and have peace of mind and no regrets.

Business & Technology | Money tip: Tips for budgeting a funeral | Seattle Times Newspaper:

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