Funeral Planning
What the Supreme Court Decision Legalizing Same Sex Marriage Means for Funeral Planning
The recent Supreme Court decision on the Obergefell v. Hodges case has legalized same sex marriage but what does the decision mean for end-of-life and funeral planning? Traditionally, legal authority over funeral planning goes first to an individual's living spouse, then next of kin (children), then parents, or if appointed ahead ...
Continue ReadingFacebook Introduces the Option of a Legacy Contact
Facebook is a place to share and connect with friends and family. For many of us, it’s also a place to remember and honor those we’ve lost. When a person passes away, their account can become a memorial of their life, friendships and experiences. Facebook has introduced a new feature that ...
Continue ReadingClosing Bank and Financial Accounts After Death
When a death occurs in the family, aside from the emotional turmoil, family members and living loved ones are also faced with the problem of legal issues, especially pertaining to open financial accounts. So how do you close a bank account or a credit card account of someone who has ...
Continue ReadingWhat Happens to Debt When Someone Dies?
Q. What happens with outstanding debt after the death of the borrower? Will spouse, children, parents, or next of kin be responsible for it? A. In short, if the deceased possesses debt after death, it is their estate that is responsible for the payment of creditors. Family and relatives are ...
Continue Reading'Every dollar you prepay to a funeral home has to be guaranteed' Ryder funeral home scandal prompts forum
Published in print: Thursday, October 16, 2014 By Chad Cain for the Daily Hampshire Gazette NORTHAMPTON — A visit to a funeral home early Wednesday to pay respects to a friend got Claudia E. Hodges thinking hard about what kind of funeral she wants after she dies — and how she ...
Continue ReadingCaleb Wilde talks "Embracing Death"
Funeral director Caleb Wilde spoke at a local TEDx event regarding the idea of death acceptance within our culture. Through a journey of small steps, our culture had shifted from a healthy acceptance of death to denial of it. The sixth generation funeral director explored options to help us return ...
Continue ReadingGeneral Price List (GPL) Definitions
Funeral Home General Price List Glossary (A-Z) A General Price List (GPL) is a list of all the products and services that a funeral home offers for sale. It is comprised of an itemized lists of those products and services and may include "packages" of services and a Casket, Urn, ...
Continue ReadingObituaries and Death Notices Explained
Within the puzzling series of events and course of action that follow a loved one’s death, there is often a formal announcement of the death - the placing of an obituary or death notice in a newspaper and/or online. The announcement of death is never something someone wants to hear, ...
Continue ReadingWhat Are Cash Advance Items in Funerals?
A cash advance in funeral planning is money you pay in advance to the funeral home to cover charges of certain items or services obtained from third party vendors. The funeral home may make these purchases on your behalf, and then pay the vendors with the money you have given ...
Continue ReadingWhat Do Funeral Directors Do?
What are funeral directors? Funeral directors have existed throughout history. Also referred to as morticians and undertakers, in history these men and women were actually viewed as unclean in their dealings in the business of the dead, and were even ostracized. Since ancient time, the act of burying the dead is ...
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