After the loss of a loved one, navigating the planning of a memorial service and funeral can be a heavy weight on one’s shoulders. For many, they are unsure of where to start, let alone what questions they should be asking or what questions are appropriate. Bartholomew Funeral Home in Valparaiso wants to change that by ensuring everyone planning a funeral has the knowledge and comfort in the funeral planning process.
Here are five of the most frequently asked questions that a funeral director gets.
When a death occurs, who do I call? Will someone come right away?
When a loved one passes, you may not know who to call to pick up the deceased and transport them. That is where a funeral director comes in. Anytime, day or night, you can call a funeral director to come and transport the deceased to the funeral home. While some may prefer to take some time with family and friends to say goodbye, those who wish for someone to come right away can request immediate service.
From there, the funeral director will notify the proper authorities and begin arrangements to prepare a death certificate, work with federal entities like the Social Security Administration, and write an obituary with the information provided to them by the family.
If I choose to cremate, is the funeral service different from a traditional casket burial?
Choosing to cremate does not mean the funeral service that follows will be different from a traditional burial. Those who choose to cremate can still hold a funeral service at a cemetery, where the urn can be buried, placed in an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium, or interred in a special urn garden that many cemeteries provide for cremated remains. There is also the option to scatter the remains, though that must be done in accordance with state laws and regulations. In Indiana, ashes can be scattered in a designated scattering place or memorial garden, on private land with the consent of the landowner, or in an uninhabited public land or waterway.
Is embalming required by state law?
While embalming—a process that preserves the body and lengthens the time between death and the final disposition—may be necessary if you choose to do a public viewing, embalming is not required by law according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Why are funerals so expensive?
When dealing with a loss, sudden or expected, the last thing that people want on their mind is how they are going to pay for it. While funeral costs have increased in the past decades, funerals are relatively low-cost compared to other major life events like a wedding.
However, much of the cost that goes into a funeral is because of the labor and the extended services for funerals. The funeral business is a 24-hour, very labor-intensive business. According to the Bartholomew Funeral Home website, it requires “not only merchandise, like caskets, but the services of a funeral director in making arrangements; filing appropriate forms; dealing with doctors, ministers, florists, newspapers; and other things.”
Funeral homes must also utilize extended facilities for a funeral, like viewing rooms, chapels, car services, and more.
What do I need to know about income tax when I lose a spouse?
From the funeral arrangements to the cost to the grief, having to think about such things as income tax just adds stress to a spouse and their loved ones. However, it’s a very important aspect that must be addressed, and it is one of the most common questions funeral directors get.
As soon as possible, meet with a family lawyer or tax advisor to review your particular tax and estate circumstances, bringing all the necessary paperwork and questions that are on your mind—no matter how small you think they are. You can also contact the IRS’s toll-free number, 800-829-1040, to ask specific tax questions and get help with the logistics after a loved one’s death.
For more frequently asked questions, visit Bartholomew Funeral Home’s website at https://www.bartholomewnewhard.com/frequent-questions.
