The average traditional funeral costs $8,500, according to AARP. While the simplest solution may be to just set aside the necessary funds in your will, chances are that your loved ones will not receive that money until many months after you are gone, leaving them with a large bill to foot in the meantime. During this period of grief, the last thing that you want your loved ones to be concerned about is arguing over who pays what and who owes who. Depending on how your family deals with grief, there may be a great amount of contention over this ordeal. There is a better way. In fact, AARP discusses eight options, outlined below.
Life Insurance
Life insurance will generally pay for your funeral, and life insurance proceeds do not have to pass through the lengthy process of probate. However, if you are advanced in age, many life insurance companies will not accept you as a client.
Taking Out a Loan or Prepaying a Funeral Home
You can take out a loan to pay for your funeral in advance, or have the cash ready for your loved ones to use, but this option is expensive due to high interest rates. Additionally, prepaying a funeral home in advance even if you have plenty of money is not a great choice because you may end up wanting to change your mind before you die, or you might die out of state. However, prepaying could be a good option to spend down your funds if you are attempting to qualify for Medicaid nursing home care.
No Frills Necessary
Whether you do not have the money, do not want to spend it on an expensive funeral, or want to give your body to a learning cause, you have many options. Forty percent of Americans now choose cremation over burial, according to Huffington Post. A typical cremation costs between $600 and $3,000—though it is generally easy to find services right around $1,000 or under. Or, if you want to donate your body as a cadaver for medical school, you need to make advance arrangements.
Other ways to pay for a funeral or for part of a funeral include the following:
- Payable-on-Death (POD) Account;
- Savings Account;
- Veterans Benefits; and
- Social Security.
Call Maryland Probate Attorney Tara K. Frame
Thinking about their own death or the death of a loved one is the last thing most people want to do but it is inevitable. Contact a probate lawyer to help you through this trying period. To speak with a Pasadena probate attorney today, contact Frame & Frame at 410-255-0373.
Resources:
huffingtonpost.com/jim-t-miller/how-to-find-affordable-cremation-services_b_4132905.html
aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2017/funeral-payment-options-fd.html