TributeDirect Funeral Protection Plan

Transcription

1 Confused? Funeral Emergency? You are not alone. TributeDirect counselors will provide Help at Time of Need 24 hours a day (every day) in the event of a funeral emergency. Simply call (800) TributeDirect Funeral Protection Plan TM 7051 Portwest Dr., Suite 150 Houston, TX Information@Tributedirect.com Take Control of Saying Goodbye 5 Easy Steps To An Affordable Funeral

2 I want to thank Tribute Direct for the professionalism and on-time deliveryof my mother s headstone. It s great to know, that even in life-ending times, there are people who understand and care. Wallace Stan Jarrett You handled everything with efficiency and the price was in my budget. L.J. King You did a wonderful job and I would recommend Tribute Direct to anyone. Thank you again for your service and the opportunity to work with you! Sue Storms I really appreciate your attention to detail as it means very much to my family and me. James E. Jackson

3 Learn more about veteran s benefits from the federal government through the local VA office. Also, the government publishes up-to-date booklets containing information about veterans benefits, whether you served in peacetime or wartime. If an office is not located near you, write to the Veterans Administration Office, Washington, D.C , to request a copy of the publication, Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents. Veterans Administration Toll-free phone #: Web site: Why Plan: An Overview Peace of Mind for You and Your Family Generally, we purchase life insurance policies to protect the ones we love. But when we die, our grieving family and friends are faced with dozens of decisions about our funeral all of which must be made quickly and often under great emotional duress. What kind of funeral did he or she want? Which funeral provider should I use? What am I legally required to buy? What other arrangements should I plan? How much is it all going to cost? Pre-planning Make Your Own Choices Communicate your wishes. Make critical decisions and relieve your family during their time of grief. Control costs. Ensure that personal records are organized and easy for your survivors to locate. Determine how your funeral expenses will be paid for. Document your preferences and provide copies to family members, attorney or friends. Pre-Planning Explore More Options and Save Money The goal of TributeDirect is to ensure that you are aware of viable options from sources other than the funeral home. When a death occurs, grief and sadness may overtake sound judgment and leave family members and loved ones to face inflated prices, overcharges, and potentially unnecessary or undesired services for caskets and related funeral or cemetery products. Preplanning allows you to research pricing, determine what is necessary based on your personal choices, and explore how to avoid placing financial burdens on your loved ones at the worst time of their lives. The Process 5 Easy Steps to an Affordable Funeral TributeDirect has developed the following 5 Easy Steps to guide you through the end-of-life planning process. 1. Educate Yourself A. Knowledge is Power B. Debunking the Myths C. Know Your Options 32 1

4 2. Identify Goals 4 Basic Decisions 3. Personalize Your Plan A. Plan Your Funeral B. Select Products C. Life History 4. Estimate Costs 5. Review Financial Plan Added to your Plan, reassurance from TributeDirect Research shows that 55% of all adults aged 35 and older have no clue as to the first things to be done when a loved one has died. Another 25% have only a vague idea about whom to call. You and your loved ones can be assured that TributeDirect counselors will provide Help at Time of Need 24 hours a day (every day) in the event of a death. Make TributeDirect Your first Call (800) Please inform your family that you have completed a TributeDirect Funeral Protection Plan and where it is located. If you have completed an online version of the TributeDirect Funeral Protection Plan, print it and store it with your important records. Other resources exist to give you help and guidance: your minister, priest or religious advisor, hospice caregivers or hospital social workers. In managed care environments (hospice, hospital, nursing home, etc.) the process of obtaining a death certificate will likely be automatic. If you are outside of a managed care environment and a death occurs, you will first need to call the proper authorities, then call TributeDirect. If no qualified spouse survives, the payment can be made only to eligible children. An application for lump-sum death payments usually must be made within two years after the person s death. Applicants should not delay in applying even if all the required items have not been collected. The staff of the Social Security Administration Office will be able to offer information on alternative proof that can be used when applying. Contact your Social Security Administration Office for additional facts and information. Social Security Administration Toll-free phone #: Web site: VETERANS BENEFITS ($300 for burial / $300 for memorial/headstone) With proof of honorable discharge from any branch of the U.S. Armed Services (Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Reserves), federal benefits may include: $300 cash allowance toward a veteran s burial expenses will be paid only for: a. A deceased veteran who is entitled to receive a Veterans Administration pension, compensation, or b. When a death occurs while in a Veterans Administration hospital. The $300 cash allowance is paid only for a grave or burial costs when the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery or other cemetery under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government. $300 cash allowance toward the purchase of a memorial/headstone or marker for the veteran s grave. A burial flag to adorn the casket of an eligible veteran. Other survivor benefits for a veteran s spouse and dependent children may be available. Inquiries should be directed to your local Veteran s Administration Office for details. Claims for a burial allowance or burial benefits for a non-service connected death must be filed within two years of death. There is no time limit for filing a claim for burial benefits for a service-connected death. 2 31

5 Furthermore, the funeral director is permitted to keep an administrative fee that can be in excess of 10%. Plus, there are substantial cash out penalties should you decide to cancel the trust. If payments are stopped, some states permit the trust to be locked and the principal and interest used to pay the administrative fees. WARNING: Be aware of a potential lack of portability between one funeral home to another. If you live in one state and decide to move to another, will your trust be portable? Furthermore, verify the ability to use the trust funds to purchase less expensive products from sources other than the funeral home that sold you the trust-based plan. Social Security Almost everyone is entitled to Social Security benefits. Even those who have not worked for several years qualify if they have been married to the same person for 20 years or more. There are many facts to learn about Social Security, and the place to find them is at your nearest Social Security Administration Office. Presently there are about 1,300 Social Security Administration offices located throughout the U.S. It is necessary to apply for Social Security benefits. This should be done as soon as possible in case of disability or death. To start Social Security benefits, certain items are needed: Insured worker s Social Security card (or a record of the number) Marriage license Proof of age for you and your children (birth certificates) Evidence showing the worker s recent earnings (last year s Form W-2 or a copy of last year s self employment tax return) Certified copy of death certificate Social Security pays a lump sum death benefit if the surviving spouse is living in the same household with the insured person at the time of death. Educate Yourself Step 1 A: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER The Funeral Rule You Have Rights The Federal Funeral Rule gives you the choice of purchasing end-of-life products directly from TributeDirect in the privacy of your home, allowing you to obtain discounts up to 40% to 70% off of traditional funeral home and cemetery pricing. By law, funerals are considered consumer products. Both federal and state laws protect your rights as a consumer. The following is an outline of your rights as provided for in The Funeral Rule, enacted by the Federal Trade Commission in You have the right to choose and purchase only the funeral goods and services desired. 2. The funeral provider must state this fact in writing on the General Price List. 3. If state or local law requires you to buy any particular item or service, the funeral provider must disclose it on the price list, with a reference to the specific law(s). 4. The funeral provider MAY NOT REFUSE OR CHARGE A FEE to handle a casket purchased elsewhere. 5. A funeral provider that offers cremations must make alternative containers available. 6. Funeral homes may not do any of the following: Embalm a body without permission Falsely state that embalming is required by law Charge a fee for unauthorized embalming 7. Funeral homes must provide the following information in writing: Embalming is not required by law, except in certain special cases. You have the right to choose a disposition of the final remains, including direct cremation or direct burial. 8. Any violation of your rights is punishable by a fine of $10, per occurrence. If you have questions about these rights, or desire a more complete explanation, please call toll free and speak with a TributeDirect counselor at (800)

6 You Can Purchase Funeral Products From Sources Other than a Funeral Home. A funeral home can be an intimidating place to visit, even more so when you have to conduct business. It is no longer necessary to put yourself in that kind of stressful position. You can make most of your funeral decisions and purchases in the privacy of your home. Using the information contained in this guide, the TributeDirect Web site ( the TributeDirect Funeral Protection Plan Web site ( com), and the telephone, you can take control of this end-of-life process. General Price Lists Upon Request It s the Law. All providers of funeral and cemetery merchandise and services are required to publish a General Price List and they must show it to you. Hidden costs in a funeral are not only wrong, but they are illegal. Cremation or Burial Full Memorial Services Are Possible. If you choose cremation instead of burial, TributeDirect can help you find cremation services in your local area. Most Funeral Homes Can Handle Cremations. Many people are not aware that most funeral homes can arrange for either burial or cremations. TributeDirect can refer funeral homes to you if you are in need of one. Neptune Society and National Cremation Society Are Direct Providers of Cremation Services For those who choose the simplest possible cremation services, these two companies provide an alternative to traditional funeral homes. Both companies are large and serve in most states. They provide simple services, which can include the scattering of ashes at sea and other alternatives. A TributeDirect advisor can provide you more information about the Neptune Society, the National Cremation Society, or other cremation options if you choose. TributeDirect Help at Time of Need At time of need, most families find that they are rushed to a variety of places to purchase what they need for the funeral and burial. TributeDirect allows you to make your purchases directly over the phone and on-line for caskets, monuments, urns, and flowers at significant savings. Over the last ten years, funeral prices have risen faster than the Consumer Price Index and faster than Insurance Death Benefits Assignment This payment option is a very common way of handling the costs at time of death. In the standard procedure, the beneficiary of an insurance policy takes the policy to a funeral director. After verifying that the policy is in effect, the funeral director provides the beneficiary with forms to complete including a section authorizing the insurance company to assign a portion of the proceeds to the funeral director. HELPFUL HINT: Assign only an amount equal to the good-faith estimate provided by the funeral home. Instruct your family to adhere to the plan, and avoid the pressure to be up-sold. Be aware that while funeral homes are regulated by Federal Law and are required to provide a detailed list of charges, cemeteries are not. Funeral directors may only list a lump sum for cemetery services leaving it for others to clarify the specific costs. RECOMMENDATION: Handle the cemetery arrangements yourself, preferably in advance of visiting the funeral home, and purchase only the minimum outer container ( vault ) required, if any. Pre-Payment Plans It is rare that a pre-paid funeral includes all of the costs to be incurred. Also, pre-paid funeral plans usually DO NOT COVER CEMETERY EXPENSES. Pre-payment plans can be beneficial, but understanding the available options and selecting the right one can reduce stress and conserve financial resources for your family at time of need. HELPFUL HINT: Pre-planning a funeral does not protect you from a practice commonly referred to as up-selling. While it is accepted that funeral homes are in business to make a profit, one should be on guard against unscrupulous, commission-based funeral home employess who add unnecessary and costly products and services to pre-planned arrangements. Trust Based Payments are made and deposited into an interest bearing trust account. The funds in the account are then used to defray the cost of funeral products and services at time of need. One should only enter into a trust-based arrangement after knowing ALL of the specifics of the plan. HELPFUL HINT: Some states only require 60% of the funds that are paid into the plan actually be put on deposit in the interest bearing account. 4 29

7 Review Financial Plan Step 5 HOW TO PAY? Create a Financial Plan Funerals are expensive and payment is almost always due in advance of performing any death-care related services and delivering related products. With planning, you can take steps to ease the financial burden on your loved ones. Not only are you able to determine the products and services you desire, but by estimating their costs you can take the necessary steps to ensure the financial resources are available for payment when the time comes. TributeDirect recommends that you: Complete a funeral plan and calculate a realistic cost estimate. Contact an insurance agent independent of a funeral home or cemetery who can provide objective financial counsel. In most cases you should be able to obtain a policy that meets your financial objectives with premiums based upon age and health. These products are often sold under such names as, Final Expense Insurance or Senior Life Insurance. An independent insurance policy, along with an independent funeral plan, helps you: Choose only the products and services you want. Select the cemetery location you want. Control the money and information prior to contacting a funeral home or cemetery, which will protect your loved ones from being oversold or upsold products and services outside of your intended plan. Payment Options The following options are available at time of need to pay for end-of-life products and services: Cash, Check or Credit Card Insurance Death Benefits Assignments Pre-Payment Plans Government Assistance Cash, Check, or Credit Card This payment option is the simplest form of payment if sufficient financial resources are available. the cost to manufacture funeral products. In many parts of the United States, the average funeral can cost more than $10,000. TributeDirect can help you and your family through the end-of-life process and save perhaps thousands of dollars. Funeral Myths I have only a short period of time to make all the plans for the funeral. You have as much time as you need. In fact, making hasty decisions regarding a funeral can often have disappointing and costly results. If you have just lost a loved one, it s advisable to take the time to look at the whole picture and then divide that into individual tasks: Select a funeral home and then carefully read their General Price List and other cost schedules. Choose the services you need and determine those you don t. Insist that the schedule fit your and your family s needs since you are paying for the funeral home s services. Only a funeral home can perform funerals. In every state in the United States, you can be your own funeral director. Only five states require that a funeral director be involved in the funeral process: Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska, and New York. Home funerals may take a lot more effort, but the option is available. Religious facilities such as churches and synagogues are another option as to where to conduct end of life services. Check with the agency in your state that regulates funerals. Funeral homes have total control over the price of the funeral. This is not true. The funeral home is required to give you a copy of its General Price List that reflects its services and corresponding prices. You are not required to use every service offered. Services can be declined by the family. Only the Basic Fee is required. Helpful Funeral Advice When visiting the funeral home to make arrangements, ask a trustworthy friend or relative to accompany you someone who can ask questions and help clarify the various services and fees offered. 28 5

8 Casket Myths The more expensive the casket, the better the preservative qualities. There is no scientific evidence to support this claim. All bodies will decompose over time. In order to get an attractive looking casket, it must be expensive. TributeDirect started in business to provide beautifully-crafted caskets that would not be a financial burden on families and loved ones. Our least expensive caskets are very attractive, tasteful and easily compare in appearance with more expensive funeral home models. Because we sell directly to you, we can deliver great quality for a lower price. A gasketed casket will preserve the body much longer than a non-gasketed casket. The gasket does help to seal the casket, but the seal lasts only a month or two. Gaskets cost very little to create and install, yet may add thousands of dollars to a casket price a funeral home charges. Cremation Myths Cremation is only for people who can t afford a real funeral. In reality, cremation is simply another way to resolve the issues surrounding the final disposition of an individual s remains. Some religions prefer it, others prohibit it. Cremation as an alternative to traditional burial is growing in popularity within the United States. I need to buy an expensive casket for the cremation of my loved one. There are no state or national laws requiring a special casket for cremation. Usually, it depends on the policy of the crematory. Cremation caskets can cost as little as $150 for a cardboard container. Cremation means I can t have a real memorial service. In fact, you can have all the services one finds in a traditional funeral. You can arrange to have the service in your church, synagogue, place of worship, or at a funeral home. You can have the body present before cremation or an urn containing the cremated ashes present at the memorial. Memorial Gathering Transportation Fees Body transfer from home/hospital Hearse for funeral Limousine(s) Family Pallbearers Other Motor Escort (police) Professional Services Death Certificate Embalming Other preparation services Clergy (honorarium) Music Gratuities Obituary/Paid Death Notice Printed Materials Acknowledgement Cards Memorial Programs Flowers Other Total Funeral/Memorial Costs Burial/Final Disposition Costs Cremation Costs Scattering Service Cemetery plot, crypt, or columbarium niche Grave opening and closing fees Memorial or marker Foundation (if applicable) Installation Perpetual care fees Vault or grave liner Other Total Burial/Final Disposition Costs Total Estimated Costs 6 27

9 Estimate Costs Step 4 Available Funds Estimate Pre-paid Product/Service Sources Pre-paid Funeral Account/Trust Pre-paid Vault/Grave Liner Pre-paid Burial Plot Pre-paid Cremation Death Benefit Sources Life Insurance Benefits Social Security Benefits Veteran s Benefits Union Benefits Workers Compensation Auto-club Insurance Employee Benefit Fraternal Organization Benefit Other death benefit funds Total Pre-Paid & Death Benefit Sources Other Financial Sources Checking Account Trust Account Savings Account Other Funds Total Financial Sources Total Estimated Funds Available Funeral & Final Disposition Cost Estimate Funeral Costs Casket Urn Facility Visitation Funeral 26 Memorial/Marker & Cemetery Myths Any size, color or type of monument or memorial can be installed into any cemetery. Most cemeteries have regulations regarding the size, color and type of monument, marker, or memorial they will allow. There can even be variations within specific sections of a cemetery. Professional, experienced memorialists like those at TributeDirect are skilled at helping families create what they desire within the rules and regulations of the chosen cemetery. Memorials and markers must be purchased at the cemetery. You can purchase a marker or monument from any third party you choose, so long as it meets the size, color, and material requirements of the cemetery. Cemeteries and funeral homes work closely together. Actually, in most cases, cemeteries and funeral homes are completely separate entities. You can buy the cemetery plot and grave marker at the funeral home. Typically, funeral homes do not sell cemetery products and cemeteries do not sell funeral products. You have to purchase your memorial, marker, or monument at the time of the funeral. Actually, waiting for a period of time until after the funeral to purchase a final memorial is preferable for many families. Cement vaults protect the body from decomposing. Actually, vaults are primarily required by cemeteries to protect the grounds during maintenance. To have identical markers, you must purchase the second one from where your purchased the first one. Most memorial dealers order their stones from the same quarries or bronze from the same foundries. With few exceptions, an experienced memorialist with TributeDirect can replicate most any design. 7

10 You have to buy your memorial from the funeral home or the cemetery. In fact, you can buy your memorial from anywhere you choose. Cemeteries have long accepted monuments from independent providers like TributeDirect. Most cemeteries are simply brokers for other memorial providers. They do not design or create memorials, but use third party, independent dealers like TributeDirect. Words of Wisdom: All granite and all marble are the same. Granite and marble both have different grades of quality. Inferior materials might be chipped or have a dirty appearance. It s difficult for me to place a monument in a city or state where I don t live. By ordering from a national company like TributeDirect that delivers and installs in all 50 states, you can obtain a beautifully-crafted memorial at significant savings over local vendor pricing. You can select and purchase your monument for delivery anywhere, all in the privacy of your own home. You need to only order from a place where you can see actual stones. Most memorial dealers order their stones from the same few quarries and their bronze from the same few foundries in the U.S. Things I Am Proud Of: B: KNOW YOUR OPTIONS Types of Funerals Not everyone wants the same type of funeral. Funeral practices are influenced by religious and cultural traditions, costs and personal preferences. These factors help determine whether the funeral will be elaborate or simple, public or private, religious or secular, and where it will be held. They also influence whether the body will be present at the funeral, if there will be a viewing or visitation, and if so, whether the casket will be open or closed and whether the remains will be buried or cremated. Burial with No Gravesite Service This is the least expensive burial option. It requires no embalming since there will be no viewing and the least expensive caskets and vaults may be used. While it is very efficient and affordable, it doesn t allow for other rituals offered in a more traditional funeral and burial. 8 25

11 Living Trust Dated Grantors Trustees Successor Trustees Location Who Has Access Information listed in this section will provide family and friends helpful insight into your life as well as information that may be useful in creating a eulogy for any planned services and obituaries. Favorite Things / Words of Wisdom / Things I m Proud Of Please list/describe your favorite activities, interests in life: Burial with Gravesite Service This provides the family an opportunity to gather for a memorial, but without the expense of a funeral home or church service. It eliminates the need for embalming since there will be no viewing. Family and friends can simply gather at the graveside and have services led by a minister or funeral director. Readings, music and eulogies are all options available in a graveside service. Burial with Traditional Funeral Service This service typically is held within a funeral home or place of worship, and it may include a viewing over one or more days, and possibly a church service or a graveside service. This choice is typically the most expensive option for families. However, funeral costs can be reduced substantially when families purchase a casket and flowers from a direct-to-consumer resource such as TributeDirect. About Cremations Cremation is an irreversible process that prepares the body for final disposition by reducing it to ashes. Cremation has a long history and is increasingly chosen as an affordable yet respectful way to handle remains. It is an option that allows the family flexibility as to date, time and place for service. Cremation also permits the family to choose some unique ways to handle the ashes, or cremains, of the loved one. The process of cremation is economical since a casket is not required unless there is a to be a viewing. Today, many people choose cremation due to its simplicity, the beauty of the urns, and the simple, efficient way a body returns to nature versus decomposition over several years. Places I ve Lived: Types of Cremation Cremation with Memorial Services and Scattering This choice provides a family the opportunity to gather for a memorial but without the expense of a funeral home or church service. The family gathers at the graveside, columbarium, or at a location chosen for a scattering and holds a service led by a minister or funeral director. Readings, music and eulogies are all available options with a graveside or scattering service. Typically, only the cremation casket expense will be incurred and many funeral homes and cremation societies have very inexpensive, direct cremation packages. 24 9

12 The service can also be separate from the actual cremation of the body in order to allow the family greater flexibility in scheduling the service. Cremation with Funeral Service This option includes traditional services, including viewing, eulogies, and flowers, in a funeral home that would normally accompany a burial yet still possesses many of the economies of a cremation. This choice provides the family with perhaps the most complete opportunity for grieving and closure, and may cover one or more days. About Columbarium A columbarium is a structure comprised of niches designed to entomb urns containing cremated ashes and are often found in permanent structures in churchyards or within churches themselves. Each niche in the columbarium is inscribed with the person s name and dates of birth and death. Portable columbariums can also be purchased and set up on family residential property. High School Name Degree/Majors Year of Graduation (Note: Additional education information may be listed on a blank sheet of paper.) Organ Donor Information Upon my death, I want to donate my organs as indicated: No Donation Any needed organ or body parts Only those organs or parts listed here: Last Will & Testament Dated Executor Location Who Has Access Power of Attorney for health care (living will) Dated Agents Location Who Has Access 10 23

13 Identify Goals Step 2 Family Spouse s Name Father s Name Mother s Name Child s Name Child s Name Child s Name Sibling Name Sibling Name Sibling Name (Note: Additional relatives may be listed on a blank sheet of paper.) Veteran Information Employed in Military Service? Yes No Branch Dates of Service / / to / / Awards/Special Honors, etc. Educational Information Graduate School Name Degree/Major Year of Graduation College/University Name 3 BASIC DECISIONS Goal Identification Process There are numerous decisions involved when a death occurs. To begin the end-of-life planning process, you must first identify some of the basic goals upon which all other decisions are based: Burial or Cremation Final Resting Place Service(s) Desired Decision #1: Burial or Cremation The first and most defining choice to be made is between burial in a casket or cremation. This decision is a personal one, and it provides a foundation for all remaining decisions: (select one) Burial Cremation Decision #2: Final Resting Place In-Ground Burial (most cemetery locations will require a vault for caskets or urns) Casket Burial Urn Burial Desired Location: Already Owned Entombment Mausoleum (casket) Columbarium Niche (urn) Desired Location: Already Owned Cremains Individual(s) to keep cremains: Scattering Before Service During Service After Service Degree/Major Year of Graduation 22 11

14 Desired Location(s): Other (ex. Space launch, diamond rendering, etc.) Decision #3: Service(s) Desired Visitation or Wake Family Only (Private) Public None A service ahead of other services for friends to visit and support the deceased s family. Initial stage of the grieving process. Less formal and less structured than other services. Typically held the evening before the day of the Funeral Service. Desired Location: Funeral Home House of Worship Other Funeral Service Family Only (Private) Public None Tribute service where casketed body is present. Family and friends permitted a ceremonial opportunity to say goodbye and celebrate the life of deceased. Viewing Options: Open Casket Closed Casket Open Casket Pre-Service Only Desired Location: Funeral Home House of Worship Graveside Other Memorial Service Family Only (Private) Public None Tribute service where body is not present. An urn containing ashes or pictures and memorabilia may be present. Circumstances may warrant holding both a Memorial and a Funeral Service. (ex. Private Family Funeral Service followed by a more public Memorial Service). Desired Location: Funeral Home House of Worship Other PERSONALIZE YOUR PLAN: LIFE HISTORY Personal Information Your family will need certain information to complete death certificates and other required documents. Record your information here. Name (first /middle /last) Address City State Zip Code Phone Birth Date / / Driver s License # State Social Security Birth City: Birth County Key People to Notify of Your Death Name Phone Name Phone Name Phone Name Phone 12 21

15 TributeDirect provides end-of-life products direct to consumers helping families achieve significant savings over traditional funeral home and cemetery pricing. It is important to note, however, any pre-planning selections made today from TributeDirect (or any other product supplier ) are only representative of what is available today and may not be available in the future. TributeDirect s full selection of Caskets, Markers, and Urns, along with up-to-date pricing is available online at: or call for a catalogue. To complete your plan by selecting your choice of casket, marker, or urn and flowers, call Tribute Direct at or visit Graveside Service Family Only (Private) Public None Family and friends are given an opportunity to continue to honor the deceased s life. Gathering or Reception Family Only (Private) Public None Family and friends are given an opportunity to continue to honor the deceased s life. Typically held immediately after the formal Funeral/Memorial Service and food and drinks are often provided. Casual and relaxed environment. Desired Location: Funeral Home House of Worship Family Home Other 20 13

16 Notes: Notes: 14 19

17 Personalize Your Plan Step 3 Readings Favorite passages, poems, readings, personal writings. Enter the desired item and whom will read it at the service. 1. Reading One: Reader Info: 2. Reading One: Reader Info: 3. Reading One: Reader Info: Flowers & Decorations Photographs, military honors, artifacts, or hobbies may be displayed at Viewings, Funeral, or Memorial Services. Items are typically displayed near (not-in) the casket or near the guest sign-in book. Flowers: Mementos: Artifacts: Equipment: Other: Food & Refreshments Favorite foods and drink to serve at visitation, services, & gatherings. Food Refreshments A. PLAN YOUR FUNERAL Getting Started The next few pages will allow you to personalize your plan. The items within this guide reflect the most common choices in the United States. Please insert any additional information you wish. REMINDER: Please keep this guide secured with your other important records so that it can be referred to at time of need. For additional help, advice, and significant discounts on products, keep TributeDirect s contact information somewhere prominent. TributeDirect counselors are available to provide Help at Time of Need 24 hours a day (every day) in the event of a funeral emergency. Make TributeDirect Your First Call When A Death Occurs: (800) Please be advised that this document is an informational tool and planning guide only and it is not an insurance product. The Tribute Direct Funeral Protection Plan does not cover actual product expenses, including caskets, urns, markers or monuments. Make Specific Choices 1. Visitation or Wake 2. Funeral Service 3. Memorial Service 4. Graveside Service 5. Gathering or Reception Funeral Home/Director A professional funeral director can be very helpful even though there is no legal requirement to hire one. It is important to select a Funeral Home and a Funeral Director capable of meeting all of your needs: cultural, spiritual, informational, and financial. Funeral Home Name Funeral Home Location Funeral Home Director 18 15

18 Officiant (religious figure to preside over service) The religious leader of a church, temple, synagogue or mosque who presides over the funeral service at their place of worship. Services held in alternative locations also need to have someone selected who can preside over the services. Name Contact Information Clothing The clothing you decide upon may reflect your personal style, favorite color, or favorite activity. Viewing Burial/Cremation Jewelry A wedding ring, class ring, earrings, or other jewelry may adorn the body as desired. Items can be removed prior to burial or cremation if desired. Viewing Burial/Cremation Music Music can play an integral part of any Visitation, Funeral Service, Memorial Service, or Gathering. It can evoke feeling and passion unable to be conveyed by words alone. Music can provide comfort and solace during times of great stress. Song/Artist/Album: When to Play: Song/Artist/Album: When to Play: Song/Artist/Album: When to Play: Song/Artist/Album: When to Play: 16 Pallbearers 1. Name: 2. Name: 3. Name: 4. Name: 5. Name: 6. Name: Alternates 7. Name: 8. Name: 9. Name: Speaker(s) It is common to designate a speaker with the honor of delivering the eulogy. 1. Name: (Eulogist) 2. Name: 3. Name: 17