Our Fall 2011 Series

We are hosting a series of events our center this fall - please take a moment to see what we have to offer and stop by! All events are open to the public and free!

Funeral Expenses: When Can a Veteran's Family Be Reimbursed?

When meeting with the family of a veteran, I am often asked if the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) will pay for funeral expenses.  In an earlier blog, I discussed the burial benefits for a veteran.  In this blog, I will briefly describe funeral benefits which may be available to veterans. 

To be eligible for VA reimbursement of funeral expenses, the veteran must meet at least one of the following conditions:

• the veteran died because of a service-related disability, or
• the veteran was receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of death,  Or
• the veteran was entitled to receive VA pension or compensation, but decided not to reduce his/her military retirement or disability pay, or
• the veteran died while hospitalized by VA, or while receiving care under VA contract at a non-VA facility,  OR
• the veteran died while traveling under proper authorization and at VA expense to or from a specified place for the purpose of examination, treatment, or care, OR
• the veteran had an original or reopened claim pending at the time of death and has been found entitled to compensation or pension from a date prior to the date or death,  OR
• the veteran died on or after October 9, 1996, while a patient at a VA-approved state nursing home.

If one of the above conditions is met, the VA will pay up to $2,000 toward funeral expenses for service-related deaths and up to $300 toward expenses for non service-related deaths. 

Eligible individuals can fill out a VA Form 21-530, Application for Burial Benefits, which may be downloaded at http://www.va.gov/vaforms/ .  Additional information can be secured via the VA toll-free phone line at 1-800-827-1000.

Kraft-Sussman Funeral Services is Southern Nevada’s only Veteran and Family Memorial Care provider.  Contact us with your veteran-related funeral and burial questions.  We help veterans and others with funeral planning, cremations and burials.  Contact us at (702) 485-6500, info@kraftsussman.com or via our website, www.kraftsussman.com.

Family is the Bottom Line at Independent Funeral Homes

 by Laura Sussman

I was just reading an article about workers striking at one of the publicly traded funeral home chains.  The article indicated the strike was because of “unfair labor practices.”  This hit a nerve for me.  A large corporate chain is the furthest thing from an independent funeral home in terms of the business culture and operation.

When we opened our funeral home in 2009, we made a conscious decision that we didn’t want to be the biggest funeral home in town, only the best.  We wanted to provide the best possible service to the families we work with.  We treat the people whom we care for as well as our staff as family.   We never worry about how a decision will affect our stockholders, but always think about how it will affect the families we work with. 

My partner began her career at a corporate chain funeral home.  While it is not widely known, it is a widely established practice that funeral arrangers and planners work for commission and bonuses.  At Kraft-Sussman Funeral Services, we believe this culture has a great potential to create  funeral professionals who may push families to spend more than they need to, or want to, for a funeral or memorial service.  We strongly believe that this practice is philosophically wrong.  When someone is in a position where they are supposed to be ‘helping’ someone who is bereaved, it compromises their ability to support that person when they have their commission to worry about.

Independent funeral homes put the family first.  We know that if we don’t provide the best possible support and service for the families we work with, we won’t make it as a business.  As a small fish in a big pond, with lots of sharks, we have to be better.  We make decisions about our operation locally, not from some corporate headquarters.   We do little things like make housecalls prior to or after a death takes place, personally call the next of kin as soon as we get a call about a death, or try to accommodate all of the wishes a family has, from the way a room is set up to the time or location of the service.  In addition, unlike most chain businesses, funeral home chains tend to be more expensive than family owned independent funeral homes. 

While independent funeral homes are often less known that the larger, corporate chains, with something as important and expensive as a funeral, it’s well worth the time to explore your options and consider working with a smaller, independent firm.  Your family will be glad you did.

Organize Your Files Now for Peace of Mind Later

Pulling together all of the necessary paperwork and documents at the time of a death can seem overwhelming or intimidating for a surviving spouse or loved one.  One thing we can all do to make this task less stressful is to organize all of your important documents when you are healthy. 

I encourage the families I work with to develop a notebook or special file that contains the following information (in no particular order, all equally important):

·         A copy of your most recent will

·         A copy of your funeral preplanning documents

·         Power of Attorney documents

·         A copy of the front page for each of your bank statements

·         A copy of the front page of each of your recurring bills

·         Birth Certificates of your family

·         Business ownership or partnership papers

·         A copy of the front page of each of your credit cards

·         Insurance Records (Policies and payment receipts)

·         Loan Documents (Those currently in force)

·         House and Property Records (land titles, deeds, assessment notice, and records of rental properties)

·         Marriage Certificates

·         Military Discharge Papers

·         Motor Vehicle Titles and Registration

·         Pension Records

·         Safety Deposit Boxes (locations and keys)

·         Savings Bonds

·         Social Security Numbers for family members

·         Stocks and Bonds (certificates, names of brokers)

·         Tax Records (old returns, current year)

·         Passwords to computer files, online accounts, including brokerage firms, utilities, banks and any other passwords you may have.

After putting this information together, be sure to let your family or other designated person, know where the documents are located.  In the case of an emergency, they will have immediate access to the pertinent information needed to be able to handle whatever arrangements are required.

It may take a little time to gather all this information now, but your family and loved ones will be grateful you did. It is also a good opportunity to make sure all your information is, in fact, correct. You will be surprised how often there is the wrong name or birthday or even marital status on official documents. Spending the time now will save a lot of time and possible legal costs later.

Preparing for a funeral, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, is not something that you should be scared of. Learning about what options are available and getting affairs in order will go a long way to put you and your family’s mind at ease when the time comes. They will already have enough to worry about, knowing that everything they need is in one place and ready will relieve stress and allow them to grieve and heal with peace of mind.

Funeral Planning: What to Know Before You Go

Part 2 of 2

Now that you’ve taken the time to consider what you want for you or your loved one’s funeral, it’s time to start meeting with funeral homes. When visiting funeral homes, take note of everything –from the décor to the service you receive. If you don’t feel comfortable there, it’s likely your family won’t either.

Some questions we suggest asking funeral directors are:

• What are you prices for (specific)? Can I see a copy of your general price list? (Funeral homes are required by law to have one and provide it upon request. You will also learn what is required and what is optional.)
• What makes you different from the other funeral homes in our community?
• What type of personal services do you provide?
• Do you charge extra to meet me at my home, hospice room or other location?
• Will the person I meet with be working on commission?
• In general, how much time do you spend with a family when making arrangements?
• How many people will I be working with throughout this process?
• What cemeteries do you work with?
• Will my loved one be kept at your facility or another location?
• What options will I have to see my loved one after his/her death?
• Will you accommodate any special requests I have related to preparation or disposition of the deceased?
• How long will it take to get the death certificates? Do the cremation? Have the burial?
• What are your options for Veterans?

The most important thing to remember is that you have options. You also have the right to receive information, so do not hesitate to ask the funeral director for more details on any request.

Funeral Planning: What to Know Before You Go

Part 1 of 2

Funeral planning is never an easy subject to think or talk about. We’d like to help take some of the funeral planning fear out of the equation to provide you with information you need to make the right decision for you and your family. This series will cover the steps you should take when planning a funeral.

One of the first things you need to do is chose a funeral home. Too often, a funeral home is chosen out of necessity or convenience due to lack of time, not for the services they provide. Remember, you always have options, and meeting with different funeral homes can help you decide which one will suit your needs best.  Pre-planning will give you the time you need to make the decision, rather than forcing your family to make it in a stressful time.

Before you meet with a funeral home, take some time to think about the following:

• The type of services you or your loved one desires
• Would you like a funeral or a memorial service?
• Where will the service take place (funeral home, house of worship, grave, home or other)?
• Will you be arranging a burial, cremation or shipping to another location?
• Do you want the deceased to be embalmed?
• How will the deceased be dressed?

You can never be too prepared, and your options are unlimited. Reflect on what is important to you and discuss it with your family.

In Part 2 of this series, we will go over what questions to ask the funeral home you are considering.

Planning Your Funeral Won’t Make It Happen Sooner

By Laura Sussman

Death is one of those topics people often shy away from. I could be having a wonderful conversation with someone I’ve just met. However, when they find out I’m a funeral director, the conversation often ends abruptly.

I staff a booth at numerous heath fairs around the Las Vegas community to help educate the participants about consumer rights and making informed funeral choices. Inevitably, there are many people who walk to the other side of the aisle, trying to avoid any possible contact with our booth. I can only assume they feel speaking to me, or getting some of my literature, will speed up the time of their death.

Many people are uncomfortable speaking about death, let alone speaking about plans for when they will pass away. I know some people may find this heretical, but I could pretty much guarantee that talking or thinking about, or even planning for, your death will not have any effect on when it will actually happen. Conversely, I believe that if you take some time to think about and plan your final arrangements, you may be relieved and a bit less stressed, which may enhance your future.

Making arrangements while you are still healthy is beneficial for a number of reasons. First of all, you get to decide what you want. You can do this alone or with a funeral director. You can do this with broad brushstrokes or in great detail. Any thoughts you can put down on paper and/or share with your loved ones will allow them to know what your wishes are for the future.

Planning ahead also allows you to alleviate the burden on your family when it comes time to organize your funeral. It is very stressful to lose a loved one. To have to decide what type of arrangements should be made is even worse. This stress is multiplied if there are members of the family who don’t agree. Creating a plan that describes the type of service you desire and indicates the type of casket or urn, clothing, cemetery, clergy and other variables will be a great relief to those you love.

While you don’t need to, many people chose to prepay for their funeral arrangements. If you do, be sure your prepaid plan guarantees the costs for the future and is fully transferable to another funeral home.

Once you’ve made your plan, don’t forget to share it with your loved ones. All too often, I get calls from family members who thought their loved one had a plan, even a prepaid plan, but have no idea what or where it is. Like any important family document, be sure to discuss it and share it with your family so they are able to follow through on your wishes. Your family will thank you for your thoughtfulness.