Q. My parents have recently moved from Virginia to Florida. My folks have always been excellent planners and made their funeral pre-arrangements locally in Virginia quite a number of years ago and paid for them. Now that they’ve moved, will the arrangements still be good in Florida or will they be returned to Virginia when they pass?
Lynda W., Clarkston
A. Rest assured, your parents? funeral pre-arrangements are good anywhere in the country. Funeral pre-arrangements are funded in one of two ways, either through a trust agreement or a burial insurance policy. In each case, the advance plans and the money for them follows your parents wherever they go.
If they have grave spaces in Virginia, they can be sent back to the funeral home they made their advance plans through. If they choose to be buried in Florida, a local funeral director of their choice can handle the arrangements and draw from the insurance policy or trust to collect for services and merchandise rendered.
By funding their arrangements several years ago, your folks are not only excellent planners, they are very economically savvy as well. By freezing the price many years ago, they have saved thousands! Funeral service DOUBLES, approximately, every 10 years!! Good question, Lynda, this column is about education and you’ve just helped me get the word out, thanks!
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Q. Six years ago my brother passed away and was buried here in an area cemetery. His wife is now quite ill and would like to be buried in Great Lakes National Cemetery when she passes, (she was an Army nurse). The National cemetery wasn’t open yet when my brother died. Can she be buried there and can we have him moved to be with her?
Gene R., Ortonville
A. Yes, your sister-in-law can be buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery as long as she has an honorable discharge from the Army. And yes, your brother can be moved there either prior to her passing or after. There will be additional costs involved. A funeral director must supervise the exhumation of your brother’s casket / vault and accompany it to Great Lakes, then witness the re-burial. The local cemetery will charge for opening and closing his grave again. Great Lakes National Cemetery is a beautiful cemetery in Holly, and I encourage all of my readers to visit it and find out just what a treasure we have right in our own backyard, it is a mini-Arlington. What a tremendous honor to our servicemen and women who have made such significant sacrifices for our freedoms, God Bless you!
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Q. Can a person just pre-plan what they’d like to have without paying? After my husband’s death my income is about half what it was. I am just not in a position to write a big check right now, even though I’d like to get everything taken care of so my kids won’t have this burden when I pass.
Betty K., Clarkston
A. I’m so sorry for your loss, Betty. Yes, you can make advance plans without pre-paying. That is called a ‘pre-arrangement.? During that process, you make your service and merchandise selections and I put together a confidential file for you here at the funeral home with all of your vital and historical information included as well. It doesn’t cost a red penny for this.
In fact, we wish everyone would put this kind of information on file. What a difference it makes in the lives of survivors! What many folks don’t know is that they don’t have to write one big check to take care of the pre-funding of their arrangements. We have plans that can be paid over 3, 5, or 10 years and future funeral home costs are guaranteed (and paid for) at today’s prices ~ a great hedge against inflation! And for payment plans, you need only your first premium to start your policy, a very small amount! Betty, don’t delay another day, there is no reason to!
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Send questions to Connie Glynn, director of family services, C/O Wint Funeral Home, 5929 S. Main St., Clarkston, MI 48346, 248-625-5231 or e-mail to wintfuneralhome@aol.com to the attention of Connie Glynn.