by Rebecca M. Imholz, Licensed Funeral Director and Insurance Agent
A funeral home serves your family during one of life’s most difficult moments – the death of your loved one. The funeral home provides personal service and attention to detail overseeing the final arrangements and offers grief support following the service. For Veterans, the funeral home gathers the information needed to provide military honors and attain the burial benefits your Veteran deserves. A funeral home can also work with you to pre-plan your funeral arrangements providing a unique gift to your loved ones.
A Funeral Home Takes Care of the Details
Having a funeral home oversee the final arrangements enables you to focus on remembering your loved one. The Funeral Home oversees the visitation and directs the funeral or memorial service. If you choose cremation, you can have the deceased body present for the service prior to cremation. Following the service, it’s important for you to take advantage of a funeral home’s grief support program to help you incorporate this loss into your new life.
A Funeral Home helps You Honor and Remember Your Veteran
Funeral homes are proud to serve our Veterans, and, if desired, ensure military honors are rendered for those that our eligible. Funeral homes work with the Veteran’s family to plan and gather the documentation needed for the burial benefits the Veteran deserves:
- Military Honors—Presentation of American Flag and Playing of Taps
- Grave in a National Cemetery; Opening/Closing of Grave and Grave Liner*
- Headstone or Marker*
- Reimbursement of Burial Expenses; Up to $2,000 if death service-connected. Up to $722 if death occurs in a VA Facility, VA-Contracted Nursing Home or state Veterans Nursing Home. Up to $300 if death non-service connected and Veteran entitled to receive pension or compensation or would have been entitled if they were not receiving military retirement pay.
- Burial Plot Allowance: Up to $722 if Veteran not interred in National Cemetery; was discharged from active duty because of disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty; was entitled to receive pension or compensation or would have been entitled if not receiving military retirement pay; or died in a VA Facility.
*These VA Benefits may also be available to the Veteran’s spouse. For more information visit cem.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000.
A Funeral Home Can Help You Pre-Plan Leaving Your Family a Unique Gift
While you may consider pre-planning your final arrangements a part of responsible estate planning, it provides a unique gift to your family, assuring your family that the service you’ve planned reflects your wishes. If you pre-fund it, you can protect your life insurance and other assets for uses other than funeral expenses and can hold funeral costs at today’s level. Here are some commonly asked questions:
- Who is the family member best qualified to do the preplanning? You. This is a wonderful opportunity to give your loved ones an invaluable gift and can ease that important first step in the grieving process.
- Does pre-planning require immediate funding? No. The most important step is to start the planning process. If you decide to pre-fund, a variety of payment options are available.
- Is pre-planning appropriate for someone with no immediate family nearby? Yes – it may be most appropriate for those with no close relatives or those whose immediate families live far away.
- What if I move? It moves with you. If you move out of state or choose another funeral home, your pre-planned funeral can transfer with you.
- How long does pre-planning take? That’s up to you. It can be as easy as starting a file in your name and working with the funeral home to develop a time frame that is most comfortable (and practical) for you.
A Funeral Home Serves You
Few choices impact your journey through the loss of your loved one more than that initial choice: choosing the funeral home. At James A. McAlister Funerals and Cremation we do everything possible to help you and your family through a time of bereavement and loss. Your peace of mind is our greatest concern. We’re committed to be Always There with personalized service, attention to detail and free grief support services available to you whether or not we’ve served you. You can reach us at 843-766-1365 or visit our website at Charleston-Funerals.com.
For Veterans, the Funeral Home plans and gathers the information needed to provide military honors and attain the burial benefits your Veteran deserves. Working with a Funeral Home to pre-plan is a gift to your loved ones, freeing them from making important decisions at a difficult time while giving you peace of mind. If pre-funded, payment options are available, your plan holds funeral costs at today’s level, protects your financial assets, and can be transferred if you move.
