Spiritual Laws
Advanced Directive Planners
Final Arrangement Funding
ADVANCED DIRECTIVE PLANNERS:
SPECIALISTS IN FUNERAL FUNDING.
Many individuals desire to leave their affairs in order. Often, inquiries
from local providers result in sales professionals knocking on your door,
or an avalanche of sales calls and literature. Decisions such as final arrangements
are not easy to contemplate, and the barrage of sales spin is designed to
steer the client to the most profitable prearranged plan. With ADP, we offer
simplicity: information on and a vehicle to properly set aside final funding.
We will not show up on you door or call you. We provide the information and
leave the decision to you. If you wish additional information or to make arrangements,
you call us.
Final arrangements are just that: final. None of us can foresee when they
will be needed, but it is a fact that they will be. Creating a record of your
desires and providing funds for them is a thoughtful way to make the time
of grief more meaningful and less taxing on your loved ones. Prepayment to
a funeral provider, while offering the benefit of locking in an arrangement
at today's price, also offers the opposite negatives of losing control of
the funding, potential change of ownership or management at the funeral home,
and loss of value if you unexpectedly relocate to a different area and wish
to transfer your arrangements. What we recommend is a Final Arrangements insurance
policy that is available to your survivors at the time of death. It is an
insurance vehicle and does allow for annual growth to offset inflation. You
decide the amount you are setting aside for arrangements. It is that simple.
You are not locked in to a particular plan at a particular establishment-
the flexibility to choose from the providers available at time of death is
a benefit that should not be overlooked.
Advanced Directive Planners~ answering your questions......
Why
a Final Arrangement Policy?
Control
Spending:
You decide the amount to spend. A Final Arrangements policy provides fluid
funds to cover the necessary arrangements while designating thespecific amount
available. It also assures that the funds will be immediately available, not
tied into a long term investment or ‘borrowed’ (spent) before they are needed.
Your thoughtfulness ensures the availability of funds to loved ones and protects
them from emotional overspending
Protect
Funds:
A Guaranteed Issue Policy is written in your name and under your control
while living. As owner of the policy it is controlled by you. No third party
is involved in the contract, nor is the contract tied in any way to a particular
provider. Your freedom of choice is not limited to a company that my be under
a different ownership at the time of your family’s need. When needed, the
funds are available to the provider of your family’s choice. If necessary,
they can be designated as irrevocable for Medicaid considerations. This designation
still offers the fluid portability of choice of funeral providers, yet removes
the policy from consideration of your personal assets. For additional information
regarding Medicaid planning or the advisability of creating your policy as
irrevocable, please consult an Estate Attorney.
Portability:
Advanced Directive Planners uses a mutual insurance
company founded in the early 1900's with the express purpose of providing funds for “final
expenses.” Ability to pay claims will not be affected by
catastrophic losses incurred by property, casualty, health or automotive coverage
losses. The policy will be paid to a provider in any state without the need
to cancel or reassign the policy in the event of an unexpected move due to
health or family reasons.
Provide
Necessary Cash:
Funerals and their associated expenses are generally paid by the next of
kin directly. Funeral expenses may be reimbursed by the estate, but estates-
especially large ones- take time to disburse funds. Immediate payment to the
funeral provider can be a relief to loved ones making the final decisions.
The relief of having funeral funds immediately available helps the survivors
and make decisions based on the service without the distraction of financial
anxiety. The funds set aside are immediately payable to any funeral provider. In the
unlikely event a provider is not used, (September 11th - type disaster) the
funds go directly to your estate or to an alternate beneficiary of your choice.
Who’s
Funeral is It ?
It is yours-but it is for them. In essence, funerals are for the living.
Preparing for them is wise. Planning them to far ahead or in too much detail
may not be. Today funerals are often customized to reflect the life of the
deceased- some Funeral Directors even refer to themselves as “Event Planners”.
The options available today may not be the best options available in the future.
While making your wishes known, it is thoughtful to allow for the needs of
those who are saying goodbye. Your written record of thoughts- music preferences,
poetry, flowers, personal preferences of all kinds may be recorded and left
to guide the choices of your loved ones.
Why
Advanced Directive Planners?
Advanced Directive Planners have been making final arrangements for more
than ten years. Over that time, funeral establishments have been bought, sold,
dissolved and merged. The industry as a whole fills a unique need in a difficult
time of life. There are many dedicated professionals that work hard and are
deserving of praise for taking care of families during the worst time of their
life. As in any industry, there are a few that give the entire industry a
bad reputation.
In Florida, there are stringent laws and regulations regarding the sale of
prearranged funerals. That is of course good. What has evolved is an industry
of sales representatives selling a product to a consumer. The professional
sales representatives are usually not licensed funeral director. Inturn they
are usually are not trained in the practical application of their field, and
are not able to "direct" at the time of need. They are often quota
driven products of a sales department. While a sales representative may be
who you deal with to purchase a car, it may not be the person you want to
entrust your final arrangements to.
As in all industries, funerals and funeral traditions are evolving. With
Advanced Directive Planners you can create a written record of your wishes
and thoughts that can be incorporated with the arrangement that best serves
the need of helping your family grieve. The financial limit protects from
emotional overspending yet allows flexibility of the arrangement, with funeral
professional that best meets the needs of your family at the necessary time.
No worries about the financial solvency of a particular company, or whether
your funds are safe. They are. A funeral plan is a smart decision to make.
Incorporating your wishes with the needs of your family is the best plan.
Whether you prefer a full service funeral, direct burial, viewing only and
cremation, direct cremation, cremation and memorial service, or any other
variation of traditional funerals, a family armed with your preferences ahead
of time will be more able to make decisions at that difficult time. Planning
a funeral can be stressful under any circumstances. When all parties involved
have information available and the forethought of funeral funds, it will make
a difficult time just a bit simpler.
Items
to consider :
Traditional funeral: “Wake” or “viewing”
when the deceased is embalmed and a viewing and receiving of friends/family.
Often held at the funeral home or the church of the deceased, usually prior
to the formal funeral.
“Funeral” typically at the funeral home
or church, the deceased may be embalmed and the casket open, or unembalmed
with a closed casket. In conjunction with a wake or the day after the wake.
The deceased is often interred at a local cemetery or shipped to an out of
state receiving funeral home for burial arrangements.
"Direct burial": No formal
funeral service or embalming. There may be a graveside service at the time
of interment. Out of state shipping: Deceased is embalmed and shipped to another
state for burial (involves services of two funeral providers, shipping and
receiving). A traditional funeral may be performed locally prior to shipping
and or at the receiving funeral home.
Viewing and cremation: The “wake” and
then the cremation ceremony is performed, with the cremated remains returned
to the family or inurned in a cemetery niche or columbarium.
Direct Cremation: No formal funeral
services with the deceased present. Most commonly, the family arranges a memorial
service utilizing pictures and mementos. The cremated remains may be scattered,
inurned, or separated for disbursal among family.
Value based marketing
ask@funeral.cc
Selecting a Funeral Home or Cremation Society is an important decision.
www.cemetery.cc
