This resource section contains a range of articles aimed at helping you with every aspect of planning a funeral, cremation service, or a Life Celebration.
The FTC Funeral Rule is the federal law protecting your rights when arranging a funeral or cremation. Learn what it requires, the 10 specific consumer protections it gives you, what it doesn’t cover, and how to file a complaint if a funeral home violates it.
Learn about setting up a cremation plan or funeral prepaid contract to protect funds for funeral expenses and offset a personal asset. Understand medicaid spend down and state specific variations you should know about
Losing a loved one is one of the most vulnerable moments in a person’s life. In the fog of grief, making financial decisions feels almost impossible, yet it is precisely when we are asked to make significant purchases. Unfortunately, while the majority of funeral professionals are compassionate and ethical, the death care industry is not … Read more
In an era where end-of-life planning is becoming more proactive and personalized, pre-paid cremation has emerged as a practical option for many individuals. With cremation rates surpassing 61% in the U.S. as of 2025, driven by its affordability and simplicity compared to traditional burials, planning ahead can provide peace of mind. This cremation trend, along … Read more
We all travel. Not just for vacation but on a regular basis to visit family, for our work, to attend events, for sports, sightseeing, or to RV or snowbird for winter. Do you have travel protection that would cover all costs to bring you home if something should happen on a trip away from home? … Read more
As families navigate the emotional and logistical challenges of losing a loved one, they often turn to trusted professionals—like hospice staff—for guidance on end-of-life arrangements. Hospice workers, with their deep experience in caregiving and bereavement, are a natural source of advice during these difficult moments. Yet, a troubling trend has emerged: some hospice staff are … Read more
This is becoming an increasing dilemma today, with funeral trust funds not consistently delivering and the economy in such a dire state that many feel the effects. Today, more families are finding themselves dealing with something near a crisis when a family member dies without a funeral plan or any money to pay for a … Read more
The first thing to remember is that a befitting and dignified funeral does not have to cost you a fortune. How much you pay for funeral services is not a reflection of how much you care about someone. The most important aspect of conducting a funeral service is to enable family and friends to be … Read more
How can you be prepared for the unexpected if you travel? We don’t like to think of our mortality, but it is fair to say that traveling can increase the risk of something ‘unthinkable’ happening while we are away from home. Have you considered just what would happen and how much it would cost if … Read more
Losing a loved one is a difficult experience and one that no one wants to go through. However, honoring that individual and their legacy through a eulogy can bring some measure of comfort during a trying time. Writing a eulogy can seem like a daunting task, but with this step-by-step guide, you can create a … Read more
These days with the term “memorial service” more common, we are often asked just what the difference is between a funeral and a memorial service. A funeral service and a memorial service both serve the same purpose – they are the ritual through which we formerly say goodbye to our departed loved one. Both can … Read more
Funeral services can be expensive. The National Funeral Directors Association estimates the average funeral cost today at $7,848, and for those who simply have no cash resources, paying for funeral expenses can put them into crisis. Traditionally funeral homes would ask for “cash advances” when negotiating a funeral contract with a customer. Cash advances had … Read more
We often get asked the question “What does the average funeral cost?” Of course, quoting an average price can be difficult as funeral prices do vary significantly, depending upon both an area and a funeral provider. Like many other commodities in our society, the average cost of a funeral has increased steadily over the last … Read more
Everyone knows they are going to die sooner or later. While we all hope it is “later”, we should put our affairs in order for the benefit of our loved ones. Great comfort can be achieved by knowing that advance planning for the inevitable will have eased the trauma of your passing for your family. … Read more
Most of us do not like to think about the need to create a will, it is often something we defer in our younger years, feeling it is not really necessary. However, if someone dies without a will, things can get very complicated for remaining family. It certainly helps if you have taken the time … Read more
It is no easy task to effectively plan and prepare for a funeral, especially if you are in a heightened emotional state following a bereavement. If the death was unexpected, then you are thrust into planning the funeral with very little time, and although it makes the task no easier if you were dealing with … Read more
Planning a funeral service can be a daunting task. There are a number of preparations to co-ordinate, important documentation to be located and completed, decisions to be made – and all this often in a short timescale. To help you we have listed below 5 top tips to help you plan a dignified, yet affordable, … Read more
Funerals can be unnecessarily expensive, in fact so much so, that a funeral is usually the 3rd or 4th largest single purchase you will make in your life behind a house, a wedding, and a car. Now would you go and purchase a house, or a car, without any research or planning? No, of course … Read more
The following funeral planning guide is designed to highlight many of the immediate decisions that need to be made when planning a simple, affordable funeral service. Did the deceased make any provisions for what they would like to happen when they die? This could include a funeral plan with a local funeral home, whereby they … Read more
The funeral industry has traditionally been slow to adapt to change. There are still funeral homes without a website. To those of us whose livelihood is based online, and better still spend the greater part of our working day ‘plugged in’, the notion of life without the Internet just seems…well unimaginable today. Although many funeral … Read more
So you’ve been named an executor of an estate, but what does that really mean? An executor is the person in charge of someone’s affairs after they die. This can include tasks such as making sure the deceased’s will is followed, cleaning out and selling a home, closing accounts and keeping the peace among beneficiaries, … Read more
When I first heard about the notion of crowdfunding it seemed quite a fantastical idea. The original premise of crowdfunding was hatched within the incubator of entrepreneurship and raising capital for small business ventures. Its extension into the fund-raising arena for other causes was, I guess, a natural evolution. We are all familiar with the … Read more
Understanding the ritual of a Jewish funeral How is the body prepared for a Jewish funeral? The Jewish Funeral Service Jewish Customs and Rituals that follow the burial Shiva – the immediate period of mourning after the death has occurred Shloshim – the following period of mourning Yahrzeit – the anniversary of the death Can … Read more
There are many life assurance companies in the U.S. who offer Burial Insurance. Here we have outlined some basic information about what burial insurance is, and why it can be an essential element of planning ahead. What is Burial Insurance? Burial insurance, also referred to as Funeral Insurance or Final Expense Insurance, is a … Read more
