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Information Concerning Funerals There are many questions and misunderstandings about funerals. Most people do not have much experience to guide them through the period after the death of a family member or friend. Even those that have may not understand all aspects of the funeral. The following may help to answer some of the many questions you may have about the necessary tasks and to identify resources available. There is much information and many resources to help you in funeral planning and also to help after a funeral. The Role of the Funeral Director Making any kind of funeral arrangements involves many choices and decisions. Funeral service professionals give you and your family the information you need to make the right choice at a difficult time. They understand that you need to consider all your options before making a final decision about such an important event. They fully explain these options, and take the time to answer your questions. They are there to help you in your time of need. Licensed and trained funeral directors help with both the practical arrangements and the emotional issues involved in planning a funeral. On the practical side, they remove the deceased from the place of death, obtain the required legal documents, and prepare the body for viewing, if desired. Once you and your family are satisfied with your decision regarding services, burial or cremation, your funeral director will arrange for the final disposition, provide facilities for the visitation and funeral service, and transport the deceased to the place of final disposition. When you have other considerations, such as how to make the service a more personal memorial to your loved one, your funeral director can offer valuable advice. The funeral director's most important role is helping you. When Death Occurs: Call the funeral home as soon as possible. We are a 24 hr./7 day week business. Our staff is on call and we will remove the remains from the place of death at the earliest possible time, when released to us by the hospital or physician. In some cases there may be a delay due to the hospital not releasing the remains promptly. Reasons for this may include: testing, an autopsy if agreed upon, tissue donation, medical examiner/coroner taking charge (accident, homicide), etc. By Law, every hospital death has a hold on the remains until released by Upstate New York State Transplant Services. Death Away From Home: When death occurs far from home, consult with your hometown funeral director to make arrangements for the services of an associate funeral director at the place of death. Don’t be steered by someone at a distant hospital to a funeral home because “the body has to be taken care of right away.” Your hometown funeral director is just a phone call away and can quickly take care of the situation at his end with considerable savings to you. He can arrange with a professional funeral shipping service, for the preparation of the body, required permits and arrangements for transporting the body (or cremated remains) back to the deceased’s home town. What Costs Are Involved? Costs for funerals generally fall into these three categories: 1. Professional Services - The Professional Services of a Funeral Director and Staff typically include: • Transportation services • Embalming and other preparation • Facilities for visitation • The Funeral Ceremony • Funeral Vehicles • Other services and associated items (pastoral services, music, etc.) 2. Merchandise - The merchandise purchased for a funeral, while varying considerably because of individual consumer preferences, will generally include such items as: Casket • Vault • Clothing • Monument • The funeral home is required by law to give you a general price list that contains each individual item and service offered. It must also contain information on embalming, cash advance sales, caskets and any required purchases. An itemization memorandum must also be made out and presented to the purchaser at the time of arrangements. 3. Cash Advance Items - These items are your charges for goods and services, such as: Death Notices, Certified Copies of the Death Certificate, Clergy, Organist, Hairdresser, clergy honoraria, etc. Funeral providers may not add a service fee to their cost. _______________________________________ Bereavement Air Flights: You may have family members attending the funeral from out of town. If family members are traveling by air, have them ask for a Bereavement Air Fare. The airlines give discounts for last minute flights made by families traveling to funeral services. They may require payment in full with a rebate with proof of attendance, or may offer a discount up front. We will supply the family members with proper documentation. Some airlines may offer up to 70% discount. Burial or Cremation: People often take great comfort in a traditional funeral service with the body present. If a burial is planned, a few decisions must be made on viewing the body, selecting a casket and choosing clothing for the deceased. If you choose cremation, it can take place after the funeral or a memorial service may be desired at a later date. See Cremation sheet. Graves: Burial arrangements are simplified if family burial sites have already been selected. If the grave(s) have not been selected prior to the time of death, decisions must be made quickly. Visit the burial site personally to judge its suitability. Determine what restrictions may apply regarding outside burial vaults, monuments and plantings. Many cemeteries will allow cremains to be buried in an existing grave, some do not. Most cemeteries include perpetual care of the grave site. Carefully consider the need for adjoining spaces for the eventual needs of the family. Adjoining graves will probably not be available in the future. In most cases, adjoining graves may be paid over a period of time. Only the grave that is to be immediately used needs full payment at this time. Graves usually have two charges, the plot itself and the grave opening at the time of use. Grave Monument: A monument or marker does not have to be installed immediately after the funeral. This gives you time to select one at your convenience. Be sure to check with the cemetery for any restrictions on the size or style of the monument. If the deceased was a veteran, the government will supply a veteran’s marker at no charge. This takes a few months to obtain. The cemetery will charge a foundation/setting fee for this marker. If there is any existing monument on the grave, you will need the date of death inscribed. We can arrange to have the inscription completed by your monument company. Public or Private Service: Every life touches many beyond the immediate family. A public funeral allows the community, friends, associates and acquaintances to share sorrow and show respect for the deceased. There are times, however, when the immediate family may desire a private service. Calling Hours: Local customs usually may help you make a decision about a visitation period before the funeral. Having the body lie in state with family members present at a visitation can provide an opportunity for many to call and pay their respects. Funeral Dates: Most traditional funerals are 1 or 2 day of visitation with the funeral service the next morning. A funeral may be delayed a day or so to adjust for a holiday, holy day or family members traveling from out of town. Cemeteries cannot be contacted over the weekend (usually from Saturday Noon to Monday AM). Arrangements made during that time have to take into account that a grave cannot be opened until Tuesday as the cemeteries require at least 24 hour notice. Another factor involved is the delay in obtaining the doctor's signature to obtain a burial permit. Death Notice and Obituary: We will prepare the Death Notice and arrange for its insertion into the newspaper. This will inform people of the time and place of visitation and funeral services and your wishes about flowers or memorial contributions. This is not a legal document nor is there any law requiring a death notice. It is a classified advertisement and the Buffalo News currently charges the rate of $9.03 per line per day (8/1/2006). A photo may be added for $50. A symbol may be used - e.g. a veteran may have a flag symbol beneath his name in the death notice. This adds to the length of the notice. We estimate the charges for you at the time of arrangements, and then FAX the death notice to the news. The newspaper will confirm the notice and tell us the actual charges.
An Obituary is a news article in the newspaper and there is no charge. As of January 1, 2007, the Buffalo News will limit obituaries to people that they deem noteworthy and will limit others to a 2 line listing. The Buffalo News now wants all obituary information sent to them on their web site form. The paper and then they will decide on its suitability for publication. The Buffalo News has stated that the obituary is a news article and they will use any information they choose. Link To Buffalo News Obituary Form Condolence Notes - Family and friends may send messages of condolence to our web site and they will be forwarded to you. Death Certificate: A Medical Doctor has to agree to take responsibility and sign a death certificate before the deceased’s remains can be moved by the funeral director. It has to be signed by a physician and the funeral director, plus the statistical information must be entered before it can be filed to obtain a burial permit, which is required for burial or cremation. We will obtain certified copies of the death certificate for you from the registrar. Many times we are asked to obtain "Original Death Certificates." The “Original” is filed and “Certified Copies” are provided. The number of certified death certificates needed depend on your own circumstances. They are required for insurance policies, stocks, bonds, transfer of properties, wills, etc. Photo copies are not usually accepted. You need certified copies with the embossed seal. NY certified copies generally cost $10 from the registrar but some areas are more; other states vary in cost. Extra copies may be obtained by from the registrar of the town/city in which they died. The State Health Department requires the information on the death certificate, which we ask for. They use it for statistical purposes and it is confidential. You have to be a relative or interested party to obtain a copy of the death certificate. Your funeral director can obtain them for you for up to 6 months after death as stated in a recent ruling. After 6 months the family must obtain them themselves. Medical Examiner – In Erie County, the medical examined becomes involved in a death when there is no Physician to take responsibility, also, in accidents, homicides and deaths in public places. When an autopsy is deemed necessary and ordered by the medical examiner, the next of kin does not have any choice in that decision. After the autopsy is completed the remains are released to the funeral home for funeral services/disposition. The medical examiner will issue a death certificate, however, if there is to be further lab testing the medical examiner will issue an incomplete death certificate (Investigation Pending Death Certificate). This allows the funeral and burial to take place but it will not be acceptable to an insurance company for payment of claims as there will not be a cause of death listed. This will will delay filing for death benefit claims. The finished death certificate may take some months to be completed by the ME. The funeral home has no control over this situation. The decedent’s next of kin may also obtain from the medical examiner, a copy of the Medical Examiners Report and an Autopsy Report when they are completed. There are fees for these reports. Medical Examiner (behind Erie County Medical Center) 462 Grider St., Buffalo, NY 14215 (716) 898-3191 _______________________________________ More And More People Are Arranging Their Funerals In Advance. Even though it's not something people usually talk about, chances are you know people who have prearranged their funerals. That's because it's something that can benefit the whole family.
Pre-Planning Makes Sense If you were leaving in the morning for a two-week vacation, and you found a cancellation notice for your homeowner's insurance in the mail, most likely you would get a new policy in place before you left. Most people would, even though there is only a one in 80,000 chance they might lose their home to fire. Yet most of us have not given any serious consideration to making funeral plans -- when the chance of dying sometime in the future is one in one. We often plan for the possible. Planning for the inevitable simply makes sense. Pre-Planning does not have to be funded. All arrangements can be completed without trusting any money. The consumer is well protected under New York State Law. For example, a funeral home cannot legally accept and co-mingle any money from clients with their own funds. The accounts must be FDIC assured and in a NYS Bank. The Curtin Funeral Home, Inc. uses the NYS Funeral Director Association’s pre-funding program, The PRE Plan. The accounts are set up in your name, you are the owner of the account and all interest accrues to your account. Our funeral home does not receive any monetary benefit until the time of death. At that time, the funeral home submits a certified copy of the death certificate and the funds will be retrieved and any excess amount returned to the Estate or Social Services as determined by law. Medicaid Accounts must be set up as irrevocable and any excess money remaining after the funeral must be returned to the government. NOTE - A funeral home or its agent cannot be a beneficiary of a life insurance policy in NY. Funeral Insurance is not legal in New York State. Pre-Planning Spares Your Family Difficult Decisions The grieving process is difficult enough for a family without the added burden of a great number of difficult choices. When a death occurs, there are more than 50 important decisions that have to be made - such as arranging the service, selecting the casket and selecting pallbearers - and often just 24 hours to do it in. Planning your funeral in advance relieves them of this burden. Another advantage is knowing that your funeral reflects your expressed wishes, instead of someone else having to guess what you might have wanted. Discussing funeral plans with your family regarding their needs to mourn can be very informative. You may integrate their needs in the pre-planning. Pre-Planning Saves Your Family Money Today's funeral costs less than you might expect, but the costs do continue to rise. Although no one can stop increasing prices, funeral planning does let you lock in prices at today's level. We will gladly discuss and arrange any payment plan to suit your family's individual situation. Feel free to ask us any questions you may have or discuss any options that would be convenient for you. Medicaid Burial Trust This is where PreFunding is most important. It can seem like a daunting task when a family member has to enter a nursing home. One of the items not readily understood is the burial trust that may be established. New York State requires an Irrevocable Burial Trust. This may be set up prior to the County exhausting personal funds and this trust may cover all funeral related expenses (not funeral breakfasts or lunches). These funds are irrevocable but they may be transferred to any other funeral home. For Medicaid applicants, pre-funding allows for protection from high Nursing Home Costs. Unlike other investments (including traditional life insurance with cash value) the money you place into a proper pre-need funeral fund will not count as an asset if you enter a nursing home. The full cost of your funeral can be protected using a pre-funded Medicaid trust account. We will help you with all Medicaid required Pre-Paid Funeral Arrangements. We can easily set you up with a funeral fund that satisfies all requirements and that will receive a high interest rate to keep up with inflation. NOTE- New York State requires all contracts for Medicaid applicants or recipients have their funds placed in an Irrevocable Trust _______________________________________ Embalming: Embalming should be accomplished as soon as possible. Embalming may be necessary depending on the type of funeral selected. If the deceased has to be transported by common carrier, to be viewed in an open casket, or placed in a mausoleum, embalming is necessary. A direct cremation would not require embalming. There is no state or federal law requiring embalming. Desairologist-Hairdresser: We use a Desairologist on every female funeral to style the hair or wig and to finalize the clothing. A recent picture showing the deceased’s hairstyle and makeup is very desirable. Music: Our establishment is full licensed to play music. We have our own sound system or can play any CD or tapes that you provide. Limousine: A limousine is not normally provided. If desired, we can supply a limousine(s). Most people decide to drive their own cars instead of spending extra money for a limousine. Pallbearers usually drive their own car and ride with their own families. Flowers: Families should talk directly to their family florist. The flower situation varies daily and only the florist can tell you the best choices for the particular season and day. Tell the florist the color of the casket interior & exterior and whether it is a half-open or full open casket. Please ask that the flowers be delivered before 12:30 PM so that they may be arranged prior to the starting of visitation. Our web site has a list of local area florists. Clergy: The clergy will usually visit during the calling hours and discuss the church service details with the family. Some churches ask for more input than others. There may be one charge for the church service or separate charges for church and organist. On a Catholic funeral, the priest does not usually come to the funeral home on the day of the funeral. We have prayers at the funeral home and then proceed to church for the Mass of Christian Burial. Immediate Funds & Insurance: Since many expenses are incurred before the estate is settled, it can be important to obtain immediate funds for the funeral and family expenses. Most death benefits are not sent to survivors automatically, and must be applied for. Social Security makes a cash payment only to the surviving spouse (if they live together) or dependent children of qualified individuals. VA benefits can include a grave marker, flag for the casket as well as monetary payments under certain circumstances. At times, death benefits are also paid by some fraternal organizations, lodges, clubs, union welfare fund’s, retirement plans, fire companies, professional groups, etc. There also may be money due to the family under unusual circumstances; No Fault Insurance, Crime Compensation Board, Double Indemnity, Credit Card Insurance, Travel Agency Coverage, Auto Club Coverage, Common Carrier Insurance, etc. The filing of an insurance death claim should be an uncomplicated procedure. Contact the insurance company’s local office or agent who can handle the claim for you. The insurance company will need a certified copy of a completed Death Certificate to process the insurance policy. Take the insurance policy, the death certificate to the insurance company and sign the claim form. If there is not an office or agent in the area, call or write a letter to the company’s home office for a death claim application. The policy should not be surrendered to an agent without an authorized receipt, nor should it be sent to the company. The named beneficiary should receive the face amount of the value of the policy within a few weeks. If the deceased is named beneficiary on someone else’s insurance it should be changed. This will prevent future problems. No Fault Auto Insurance: If someone dies in a vehicular accident, he should be eligible for a $2,000 death benefit. Make a claim with the insurance company of the car the deceased was in, or if pedestrian, the insurance company of the striking car. For more information - (800) 342-3736 Crime Compensation Board: If the deceased was a innocent victim of a crime, he may be entitled to receive up to $6,000 in death benefits. For more information - Buffalo Office – New York State Crime Victims Compensation Board, 65 Court Street, Room 308, Buffalo, NY 14202 (716) 847-7992 or (800) 247-8035 Social Security: We immediately notify Social Security of the death with a special form (it saves a death certificate). This will stop further Social Security payments although the very next one may arrive depending on when Social Security is notified. A person must live until midnight of the last day of the month for the next check to be valid or it must be returned. There is no pro-rating of the check. If direct deposit, notify the bank and they will return it. Ultimately, Social Security will come for it. The spouse may be entitled to a monthly benefit if 60 years old or older, or under 60 caring for disabled or dependent children or disabled herself. See Social Security Sheet. Railroad Retirement: If the spouse is not eligible for monthly benefits (under 60 years old), then a death benefit from $200 to $1000 may be claimed. The amount depends on when the person covered by Railroad Retirement last worked and what contract he was under. If the spouse is eligible to start monthly benefits at the time of death, the monthly benefits start but the death benefit is not paid. The Buffalo Railroad Retirement Board is located in the Federal Building, 111 West Huron Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 (Phone 716-551-4141) Choosing a Casket: The selection of a casket is a very important element in planning a funeral. As a consumer, you are entitled to the information you need to make a fully informed choice. The purpose of a casket is to protect your loved one from water, air and other outside elements. The design and style of the casket can also serve as a personal memorial to the deceased. Caskets are available in various styles, with numerous design features that cover a wide price spectrum. Of the many casket styles, there are primarily two types: metal and wood. Metal caskets offer beauty, strength and protection. They may be Sealed (airtight and watertight) or Unsealed. Hardwood caskets reflect the choice of families who appreciate and cherish the qualities of natural wood. We have a selection of caskets that range in price from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Caskets vary in price according to the materials (Steel, Copper, Bronze, Stainless, Various Woods, Plastic, Cardboard, etc.) from which they are made, by their thickness, the quality of their workmanship, and the grade of the interior fabric. Caskets are constructed as either full open or half-open. They both cost the same and it is strictly personal preference as to what you should choose. The Buffalo area is one of the few places in the country that use full open caskets. Most of the country uses half-open caskets. A half-open type casket cannot be used as a full open casket. The funeral director will explain the products and features available and will assist you with your casket selection. Vaults: Most cemeteries require an outside burial container for the casket. A vault is designed to encase the casket, to seal, and to provide long-term casket protection against a wide range of soil and moisture conditions. Burial vaults are usually constructed of heavy reinforced concrete. They are engineered to carry the weight of the earth of the grave (which can be as much as 10 tons) and a reasonable amount of external weight from machinery commonly used in the cemetery. The cemetery requires a vault (which is sealed) or an unsealed rough box to prevent the ground from caving in and the constant settling of the grave. If you visit old cemeteries you will see very uneven ground in the sections that preceded the use of vaults. Mausoleum: A mausoleum is a building for above ground burial. Crypt prices differ according to its location; how high it is (higher, less expensive) and inside or on the outside (less expensive) of the building. Most cemeteries require a sealed metal casket with the deceased embalmed for mausoleum placement. Safe Deposit Boxes: A safe deposit box is generally sealed when the renter of the box dies. It may be opened, however, in the presence of a tax official. Your bank or attorney can provide information. Car List: A car list is needed for the funeral procession to the church. This list should be completed by 8 PM on the last night of the funeral so we can make final arrangements. The first car usually carries the spouse or eldest child. Subsequent cars hold the next in line. The deceased person’s family comes first with the spouse's family next. There is no order for friends so the car list should only include family members. We also need a list of who will act as pallbearers (usually 6 people). Police Escort: We request a police escort for every funeral cortege. We schedule the police upon making the funeral arrangements and also check with them on the morning of the funeral as a reminder. We do not always get an escort depending on the availability of the police and what is happening at that moment in the community. The police will try to provide one if at all possible. Pallbearers: Pallbearers usually ride with their own families in their own vehicles. The funeral procession moves as a group. There is time for the pallbearers to perform their duties of carrying the casket and also to be with their families. Funeral Breakfasts: You may wish to arrange for a funeral breakfast or luncheon. The restaurant will want to know how many people to expect. We can place a notice in the register book asking visitors to indicate if they are going to attend the breakfast. An approximate number may then be given to the restaurant the night before the funeral. We have lists of area restaurants that cater to funeral breakfasts. Will: The first step in the settlement of the estate is establishing the validity of the decedent’s will. Once the original will is located, it is submitted to the proper court for a decision on its validity. Unless the will is drafted, executed and witnessed in full conformity with all technical aspects of the state law, it will not be admitted to probate. If the will is declared to be valid, the executor named in it will be appointed to oversee the transfer of assets. Power of Attorney: “Power of Attorney” ceases at death. Notifying Creditors: Creditors should be notified promptly of the death of your loved one. If there is to be a delay in meeting debts or installment payments, you may be able to file for extensions. Many creditors are sympathetic to these situations and are very willing to grant such a request. If credit insurance or mortgage insurance policies were in force, purchases made on credit (automobiles, furniture, credit cards, etc.) or the home mortgage may be paid off by the insurance. The lending institutions involved can advise you about filing these claims. Be sure to cancel the deceased's Credit Cards. Important Documents: Important papers that may be needed to settle the estate must be located: will, insurance policies, deeds, bank books, stock certificates, marriage and birth certificates, military discharge papers, Social Security card, tax forms and birth certificates of minor children. Tax Considerations: Federal estate tax applies to property owned by the decedent at the time of death. Individual states also impose either an inheritance tax (levied against the heirs) or a state estate tax (similar to the federal estate tax). Estate tax laws and regulations are complex and your attorney or tax advisor can best give detailed information on requirements. There is no tax on the Funeral Bill. Joint Property: The rules for transfer of jointly owned property vary and your attorney can provide assistance. When a house or land is owned jointly, it often can be passed to the survivor without probate action. Joint bank accounts revert to the survivor. Stocks or bonds owned jointly with the right of survivorship, the beneficiary can arrange for transfer of title by presenting the required documents to the company’s stock transfer agent. However, some forms of joint or community ownership do require probate. Vehicles: These may be driven as long as they are currently insured and registered until such time as the vehicle is transferred or the registration expires. The spouse or executor may transfer the vehicle. Items needed: Death Certificate, Title, Registration, Insurance Card in you name, Old License Plates, & Forms provide by Department of Motor Vehicles. Food: New York State Law prohibits the consumption of food or beverages in a funeral establishment. Smoking: Erie County Law prohibits the smoking in a funeral establishment including entranceways. Children: It is generally accepted that children should be allowed to visit the funeral home if they express a desire to attend. If the children do not want to view the deceased, they should not be forced. Preferably, they should come for a short time in the afternoon or before other guests arrive. Children (of all ages) that attend the wake usually become bored and unruly after a short time. If attending, they must be under the direct supervision of a responsible adult and kept under control. Our Web site: http://curtinfuneralhome.com _______________________________________
VETERANS
BENEFITS 1. Burial Flag 2. Burial Allowance: a. Non-service Connected Death - $450 toward funeral expense, if veteran was in receipt of compensation or pension or receiving military retirement in lieu of VA Benefits. NO TRANSPORTATION. b. If death occurred while a patient at a V. A. Medical Facility, entitled to $450 as noted above plus cost of transportation. c. Service-Connected Death - Up to $1500 toward funeral or interment expenses. 3. Grave Marker - No cost for government marker or shipping of the marker but a fee is charged by the cemetery for placement of the marker & foundation. 4. Death Pension (non-service connected death) Surviving spouse (age 60 or +) - Income from any source of less than $397/month. Death Indemnity Compensation (service connected death) For widows and /or eligible dependents. (VA Form 21-534) Note- All war, active-duty, or VA service connected disability widows should call the VA’s toll-free number at (800) 827-1000 to inquire about Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits as long as they are again single, following a remarriage. 5. Government Insurance proceeds if the insurance was in force on the date of the insurer’s death. 6. Real Property Tax Exemption for certain homeowners. (Amounts are subject to change every October 1st) Veterans Administration 1-800-827-1000 1/04/07 |
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