In this section, we will provide information that may be very important to you and your family. We will include information on:
Assistance with Social Security, Veteran's Benefits, and Social Services Programs
There are several programs intended to help those with financial difficulties at the time of death. Contrary to popular belief, neither Social Security nor Medicaid provide any direct assistance with funeral costs. Social Security can provide survivor benefits to the spouse and/or children of a wage earner. The Veterans Administration may provide help for an honorably discharged veteran or his family. The local county Department of Social Services has varying benefits available to assist in the funeral costs for an indigent person. At the Hamp Funeral Home, we are both knowledgeable and experienced in helping families to receive all available benefits and assistance. Please call on us if you find that you need help in this area.
Facts About Social Security
Social Security survivors benefits help ease the financial burden that follows a worker's death. Almost all children under age 18 will get monthly benefits if a working parent dies. Other family members may be eligible for benefits, too.
Anyone who has worked and paid Social Security (FICA) taxes has been earning Social Security benefits for his or her family. The amount of work needed to pay survivors benefits depends on the worker's age at the time of death. It may be as little as 1 1/2 years for a young worker. No one needs more than 10 years.
Who can get survivors' benefits?
Here is a list of family members who usually can get benefits:
¨ Widows and widowers age 60 or older.
¨ Widows and widowers at any age if caring for the deceased's child(ren) who are under age 16 or disabled.
¨ Divorced wives and husbands age 60 or older, if married to the deceased 10 years or more.
¨ Widows, widowers, divorced wives, and divorced husbands age 50 or older, if they are disabled.
¨ Children up to age 18.
¨ Children age 18 – 19, if they attend elementary school or high school full time.
¨ Children over age 18, if they become disabled before age 22.
¨ The deceased worker's parents age 62 or older, if they were being supported by the worker.
A special one-time payment:
In addition to the monthly benefits for family members, a one-time payment of $255 can be paid to a spouse who was living with the worker at the time of death. If there is none, it can be paid to:
¨ A spouse who is eligible for benefits.
¨ A child or children eligible for benefits.
This payment cannot be made if there is no eligible spouse or child.
Assistance with Medicaid and SSI
When a family member is placed in a health care facility, financial assistance from Medicaid often becomes necessary. Preparation and planning for this necessity can be a very complicated and confusing process. Although Medicaid is a Federal program, in New York State, it is administered by the local county Department of Social Services. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is also a Federal program, but is administered by the Social Security Administration. Since the eligibility guidelines for SSI are more restrictive than Medicaid, qualification for SSI benefits automatically qualifies an individual for Medicaid assistance.
Although we are not lawyers and would never profess to offer legal advice, we are experienced in the practical realities of Medicaid and SSI requirements. We specialize in establishing Medicaid qualified burial trust fund accounts. Should you have any questions regarding Medicaid guidelines or planning, please feel free to call on us for help. We will assist you in establishing the necessary bank accounts, as well as the preparation for the Medicaid interview.
Information about Veteran's Benefits
Anyone who was a member of the military at the time of death, or honorably discharged from the military, is subject to a number of benefits, which should be investigated.
1.) Burial in a national cemetery.
2.) Burial flag and grave marker.
3.) Partial reimbursement of funeral expenses if the veteran dies in a VA facility or is receiving VA disability benefits.
4.) Pension benefits for a widow and/or minor children if there is extreme financial hardship.
5.) Assistance with funeral expenses for an indigent veteran, or for the spouse or minor child of an honorably discharged veteran.
Documentation required for benefits:
1.) Copy of death certificate.
2.) Veteran's discharge papers.
3.) Itemized funeral bill.
4.) Marriage certificate.
5.) Birth certificates of minor children.
Death Away From Home
In today's mobile society, it is no longer uncommon for death to occur far from one's home. In these circumstances, it is important to contact your local funeral home to care for all of the arrangements. Through our association with both national and international transportation organizations, we can arrange the prompt and dignified return of the deceased. Even if cremation is selected, we can handle all the arrangements from the comfort of your home or our office, and still coordinate the local newspapers or memorial services. Allowing us to care for all the arrangements eliminates costly duplication of services and insures that nothing will be overlooked.
About Memorialization Alternatives
Whether you choose traditional burial, mausoleum entombment or cremation, your wishes for permanent memorialization should be considered. A cemetery plot, mausoleum crypt, cremation niche, memorial or headstone are items which reflect your personal wishes and must be considered as essential components of your pre-planned funeral. When you make decisions concerning your choice of a cemetery plot and/or memorial monument or headstone, you need to consider several things. First, you must consider the total cost of these properties both today and in the future. Undoubtedly the price of these items will increase as time goes on, therefore purchasing ahead of time as part of your pre-planning will be a benefit to you and your family. It will further benefit your family by eliminating the burden of making decisions in haste. You will have already determined the number of plots you will need, since purchasing too few or too many plots may lead to financial problems.
Only you can determine your needs and preferences. A pre-planned funeral arrangement will allow you to be sure the cemetery you may choose will meet your religious needs; whether the burial vault, memorial monument and/or headstone meets the cemetery regulations; and what kind of flowers or remembrances can be placed at the memorialization site. Since you will have had the opportunity to thoroughly research these areas and make a wise and informed decision, your family will be spared from making hasty and often unwise decisions which can be emotionally and financially draining in the future.
Legal Aspects of Death
To ease the burden of property settlement and prevent family problems, it is advisable to have an updated will on file. Since a will states the way you would like to have your estate distributed, it is advisable to have it drafted by an attorney of your choice. After all, your will is the only truly unquestionable way that you can be sure that your wishes concerning the distribution of your property are carried out. To reflect the changes in your family relationships and financial status, you should revise and update your will periodically.
It is also important to understand that a power of attorney ceases to be effective at the time of death. Many people falsely believe that once they have appointed someone as their power of attorney, everything can be taken care of when they die. This is another important reason to have a valid, up to date will properly prepared.
In the event of your death, your family will need access to your important papers and your will. Do not put them in a safety deposit box. A safety deposit box may be legally sealed and your family may not be able to be open it until after your funeral. This could result in your wishes not being known or your funeral plans not being carried out according to your wishes. This could create unnecessary additional grief and difficulties for your survivors.
Be sure to tell your family or executor where your important papers can be found in the event of need. We have provided a list of important documents in this folder to help you with organizing this information, but it is useless if your family or executor does not know where to find it.
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