Tag Archives: funeral homes

Burial, Funeral Planning

It’s Not Our Loved One in the Casket!

A family went to a Florida funeral home only to find the person in the casket was not their loved one.  To make matters worse, the funeral home staff had dressed the stranger in the clothes the family had selected for their relative.  OOPS!   Within a short period of time the situation was corrected by the funeral home staff. Hopefully, the funeral home provided new clothing including undergarments at no charge to replace the clothing the family had provided.  A lawsuit in the works?

Have questions about funerals or funeral planning? Email Mike at mikeboyd@askthefuneralexpert.com.

Burial, Cremation, Funeral Planning

Court Rules Remains Can’t Be Divided

A recent Fourth District Court of Appeals ruling in Florida said that a deceased’s ashes are not “property” and cannot be divided between his feuding parents.

The young man was tragically killed in an automobile accident, and his parents, who are divorced, have been fighting over his ashes, disagreeing on where they should be buried.  Fortunately the court recognized that these are, in fact, the remains of a human being, not the family silverware.

The three-judge panel then issued an ultimatum: find a way to dispose of the remains in 30 days or the court would appoint somebody to do it instead. The case will now likely go back to the lower trial court.

Have questions about funeral planning for either humans or pets?  Email Mike at mikeboyd@askthefuneralexpert.com.

 

 

 

Burial, Cremation, Funeral Planning, Organ Donation

Rising from the Dead

Recently a man believed to be dead in a body bag at a Mississippi funeral home shocked the funeral director when he began kicking to get out!  A coroner had pronounced the man dead at his home, but the alert funeral director saw that the man was, in fact, alive and he was rushed to the hospital.

Have questions about funeral planning? Email me at mikeboyd@askthefuneralexpert.com.

Burial, Funeral Planning, Organ Donation, Uncategorized

Fake Funeral Notice Can Be Deadly – For Your Computer

The FTC has put out a warning that scammers are sending bogus emails that appear to be from a legitimate funeral home, but that actually can install malware on your computer.

Read all about it at FTC.gov:

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/fake-funeral-notice-can-be-deadly-your-computer

Funeral Planning

Pre-Financing a Funeral

Pre-financing (prepaid) funerals require a great deal of investigation and understanding prior to making that type of financial commitment. With the amount of money required for this type of investment, it should be considered as part of your financial portfolio.

There are many things to understand before signing up for this type funeral plan, and please use a great deal of CAUTION!   For example:

What parts of the funeral plan are “price-protected”, or guaranteed to remain at the current contracted price? Items that are not price-protected against inflation may require more money invested into the funeral plan at the time of death, which could be months or years later, as it is a pre-financed plan.

Which items are classified as cash advances which are not price protected (guaranteed)? An example would be the cost of the death notice in a newspaper.

If you move to another area or change your mind and want to cancel the prepaid funeral or final disposition plan, find out how much money will be returned to you if you cancel the plan prior to death, and whether you will earn interest on it. This should be clearly defined in the pre-financed contract, along with how long it will take for you to receive the money back.

What happens to your money if the funeral home, cemetery or mausoleum facility is sold, goes out of business or bankrupt? Investing your money into these type businesses is not like putting money into a savings account at a bank. If the bank fails, your money is generally protected. It may not be so here! The prepaid agreement should clearly define this area so you know how your money is protected.

I will discuss Totten Trusts and how a bank account controlled by the consumer can help pay for funeral arrangements in a future blog.

Consider your options and contact me with questions, or to share your experiences in this area. I’m here to help!     Email mikeboyd@askthefuneralexpert.com.

Funeral Planning

Funeral Etiquette

I recently read a column about proper dress and items visitors bring to a funeral. Years ago, funeral visitation was more formal and proper. But times have changed and more liberal policies apply. Funerals to some are now a celebration of life and happy times remembered. Funeral providers are helping by having equipment available to project DVD’s about the deceased and more.

Look at roadside displays being used to mark the place of death. There are flowers, stuffed animals, and other objects attached to these respectful displays. Being more liberal and open minded about the subject of death helps everyone get through the sad time. Yes, there are situations when tradition is proper, but allowing a more liberal display is beneficial to the family, relatives and friends of the deceased.

Have questions about funerals or funeral planning?  Email them to Mike at mikeboyd@askthefuneralexpert.com or click on the “Ask a Question” tab.

funeral planning, organ donation

“Presumed Consent” for Organ Donation

New York State assemblyman Richard Brodsky is introducing a bill  which seeks to apply a “presumed consent” standard for organ donations in New York State, his purpose being to increase the number of organs available for transplant.

In the bill, families of the deceased would no longer be able to override their loved ones’ decisions to donate organs upon death.  And eventually, hospitals would be able to assume the deceased consented to have his or her organs harvested, unless the person had previously refused in writing.

Is this a good idea, or could it lead to ethical concerns?  Please feel free to post your concerns and comments regarding this important proposal.