Many people face a difficult problem at the loss of a loved one: finding the funds to pay for a memorial service and burial. The fact is that, for many who are living, funding their funeral is not a priority. And, while this leaves family and friends in a stressful position, it is true that God’s grace requires forgiveness. A funeral must be held!
Fortunately, there is plenty of assistance available to help families who have very limited funds by which to pay for a funeral, burial and even cremation. Families comparing these options can learn more in Cremation vs Burial: A Comparison of Each Memorial Service. In today’s developed world there is rarely an instance in which a dignified, even touching, funeral ceremony cannot be arranged in honor of a precious life in God’s great world. Just as it’s true that true starvation is unlikely (at least in the sense that it is experienced in many parts of Asia, Africa and South America), so too is the tradition of a glorious memorial ceremony typically available for even the penniless in the United States.
Here is a brief guide to getting the help one needs.
Burial Insurance
In today’s world of commercial television aimed at senior citizens, many men and women have answered ads for small-scale life insurance offered, specifically, as a means to pay for burial. For, say, $20 a month, many companies guarantee a senior citizen up to $10,000 in coverage that can pay for his or her final expenses. If the deceased for whom you are planning a funeral was a senior who lived alone, there is a good chance he or she may have signed up for such a plan without telling anyone. You would do well to search through his or her records to see if you can find a policy. Finding one will definitely be an answer to your prayers for help.
Unfortunately, short of finding a copy of the policy itself, there is no simple way to discover whether a person had purchased burial insurance. Experts on this matter simply recommend detective work. If a thorough search of a home and/or bank deposit box turns up no evidence of a policy, check with friends, other relatives, and professionals (lawyers, accountants, doctors) who worked with the deceased, to see if there is any recollection of a policy. If that search proves fruitless, it may be comforting to know that insurance policies, by law, typically do not have an expiration date. If you discover a policy, even decades after a death, reimbursement for funeral expenses will almost always be available. Further, most states today maintain an “unclaimed money” fund in which insurance companies (and others who hold money in trust accounts) are required to submit money that they have held for years but are not legally entitled to keep. Most states have easy-to-use websites set up in which anyone can type in a person’s legal name and address and see a list of any money that may be due to him or her. It is advisable to check this list in your state soon after your loved one’s death and then periodically thereafter. One important note: insurance companies are not typically required to submit money to these accounts until the insured’s 100th birthday. In some cases, especially when the insurance company learns of a death but has not been able to locate survivors, the money will be submitted earlier than that however.
Assistance with filing your loved one’s insurance claim can usually be found at your funeral home. That company does, of course, have a vested interest in helping you to get any money that may be due for your loved one.
Government Assistance
Most states, and even many counties and cities, have financial programs that pay some or all of the costs of a burial. These programs vary widely and, unfortunately, there is no reliable clearinghouse that lists all of them that may be available to your loved one. Experts say the best way to find out whether your loved one or his or her family can get government assistance for a burial is to contact any government agencies who had been providing help. The Veterans Administration, Social Security Disability, State Food Stamps, and Medicaid programs are all examples of agencies that might be able to offer help. It is important to note that rarely will these agencies give help unless it is applied for specifically. Survivors should not count on money coming to their loved one (or them) automatically.
Private Help
If insurance policies and government assistance are not forthcoming with funds to pay for a funeral and burial, families should not be bashful about seeking help from private sources. Many churches will find funds to properly pay tribute to their long time members whose families cannot afford a burial. Likewise with other groups the deceased may have been involved with: employers, trade unions, civic organizations, volunteer groups, etc. A family member struggling to pay for a relative’s final cost should never hesitate to seek help from the leaders of these groups for whom the deceased may have preformed many valuable hours of (uncompensated) service.
Still further help can usually be found from other relatives and friends. It is important to know that it is perfectly acceptable to set up donation jars in the lobby of a funeral home or church and at any reception or memorial service that may follow the traditional funeral ceremony. Most funeral attendees will be happy to spare a few dollars to help the deceased’s family recoup the costs of a service.
And, finally, experts today encourage families to make productive use of a quickly growing service called “Crowd Funding.” Many internet sites across the world are set up to collect electronic donations for charitable causes, and most of these sites can be found to have many clients seeking funds for a loved one’s final expenses. Just type “crowd funding” into a search engine to find a reputable company that can handle your requests from friends and relatives.