Planning ahead gives you the opportunity to prepare for future events of importance to you and those you love. It also makes sense to plan for that which is inevitable.

The process of making plans for your own funeral - or that of a loved one - well in advance of need, is called Preplanning. It includes writing out and setting up a permanent record of your wishes. The written expression of your thinking as to the type of service, burial location and other details are very important, along with your written record of vital statistics. Many people also choose to pay for their funeral in advance. To Prefund is an option that more people are choosing because it allows you to consider cost-effective options at a time when you are better prepared to make sound, fiscally responsible decisions.

In addition, the 1982 Amendment to the Social Security Act implemented a program whereby SSI/Medicaid eligible persons can set aside funds for their funeral and burial before their resources are exhausted by medical bills or their income declines to such a level that they need the cash assistance provided by the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.

Federal and State law permit, through the use of qualified trust funds, the prepayment of funeral arrangements in a manner such that, when you apply for these programs, the funds set aside will be excluded as resources, which might otherwise delay eligibility.

We encourage people at any age to become acquainted with the costs and all the decisions that need to be made when a loved one encounters the inevitable. Having to discuss arrangements at the time of need is probably one of the hardest financial decisions that we will face in our lifetime. We would be glad to meet with you to discuss how best to carry out your wishes.

For more information about prefunding and preplanning, give us a call at (540) 726-2442.