Pre-Arrangements

We all know that planning ahead makes sense. That’s why we offer all families the option of funeral prearrangement planning. Today, prearranging funeral services is as common in people’s life plans as retirement and estate planning. A recent nationwide consumer survey conducted by the Wirthlin Group found that 80% of Americans “believe funeral prearrangement is a good idea.”

Help take the burden off your loved ones by making your end-of-life
decisions in advance, in a calm and thoughtful atmosphere.

There are many benefits and sound reasons for prearranging funeral services. They include, but are not limited to:

• Relieves surviving family members of the highly emotional burden associated with funeral arrangement decisions by reducing family stress, anxiety and confusion at an already emotional time.

• Family is free from risk, bickering, uncertainty, unnecessary worry, grief and bereavement.

• Significantly reduces the time needed to finalize arrangements and allows a less stressful environment in which one can make important decisions.

• Allows you to express your own unique wishes so your family will not have to guess what you would have wanted.

• Helps you make informed, thoughtful decisions and not just react.

• Most of the details must be handled within hours of death. Some decisions must be made within minutes. These choices could have a major impact on your family both emotionally and financially. There are over 125 decisions that must be made within hours after a person’s death.

• Allows you to make these important decisions together…not alone.

• Removes any possible conflict and/or misunderstandings about your wishes among immediate family members or “blended” family members at an emotional time.

• Reduces the chance your family will “emotionally overspend” on final arrangements.

• Provides the guidance of an experienced funeral preplanning professional to help you understand all your choices and options.

• When you preplan, you determine how much you can afford to spend on your funeral. Making these important decisions in a calm setting leaves no financial surprises for your family.

• Allows surviving family members the time to concentrate on the memories of you rather than the details surrounding death.

• Financial strain is eliminated. Prepaying funeral expenses relieves surviving family members of the burden associated with funeral final expenses.

• Funeral pre-paid funds can be made Medicaid/SSI exempt. Your prearrangement funds are 100% protected prior to nursing home exposure.

• Safe guards your savings and life insurance assets for your family.

• Pre-paying your funeral expenses today protects you against the effects of inflation and transfers the risk of inflation of funeral costs to the funeral home. Once paid for, your funeral will not cost you more in the future, regardless of what prices are at that time.

• Prepaying your funeral expenses protects your assets from confiscation due to long-term care expenses.

• Make a convenient single payment towards your funeral costs or easy to afford monthly payment plans with an automatic checking account withdrawal for individuals who do not want the burden of writing out monthly checks. Paying for funeral expenses in easy to afford installments makes good sense.

• Consumer relocation. Your funeral prearrangement plan is fully transferable to any funeral home in the United States or Canada, should you relocate.

• Gives you true “Peace of Mind” just knowing it is all taken care of and not left for others to deal with. 

Our staff of trained and certified Funeral Directors are pre-planning specialists. They desire to make the pre-planning process as easy and hassle free for you as they possibly can. They can provide the insight, experience and professional counseling you deserve, free of charge or obligation. By meeting with one of our staff you can receive qualified answers to individual questions such as:

• What vital papers are needed to collect death benefits due me?

• When a death occurs, who should be contacted first?

• Will I choose burial or cremation?

• Where will the funeral service be? In a church, in our home, or someplace else?

• Who will officiate? What readings, verses or poems will be read?

• Will there be music? What are my favorite musical selections?

• Is there going to be a reception after the service? If so, where? Who will cater?

• What casket will I choose? Metal or Wood?

• Do I need a burial vault?

• If I choose cremation, will my cremated remains be scattered or buried? Where?

• If I move, does my funeral plan and protection move with me? If so, how?

• Does the funeral home offer convenient, affordable payment plans?

• How does funeral prearrangement affect Social Security or Medicaid?

• I’m a veteran. Does the VA pay me any burial benefits? If so, how much?

• How much does Social Security provide me for funeral expenses?

The choice is yours, as personal as you wish, made with us in total confidence - without undue pressure. Think carefully about what will be best for you and your family, and fully discuss why you desire certain arrangements and accompanying merchandise. By doing so today, you are assured peace of mind for you and your loved ones before the time of need.

Most people think that prearranging your funeral means pre-paying. That option is yours, however there are many advantages that you will want to know about pre-payment that can save your family substantial money in the future.

At Cotner Funeral Home, our pre-funded funeral prearrangement plans are registered with the proper state and federal agencies charged with overseeing your advance funeral funds. Our plans fully qualify for SSI and/or Medicaid recipients.

Our funeral prearrangement services include:

• Dedicated and full time Funeral Directors who can arrange private consultations with no cost or obligation at our funeral home or in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

• Written and detailed recording of your family information.

• Written and detailed recording of your unique wishes and desires.

• Assistance in selecting “just the right” services and merchandise to meet your individual needs.

• Complete review of all our flexible and affordable funding options including low monthly, semi-annual, annual or single payment options.

• Complimentary Personal Arrangement Guide.

• As many copies of your plan as you desire to give to family members, a personal estate planner, executor of your estate or attorney.

• Complimentary tour of our funeral home.

• Meet our staff and see for yourself how our professional caring attitude makes Cotner Funeral Home the better choice.

We encourage you to browse the rest of our website for more information on our funeral home, or any other area you may be interested in. If you desire further information about funeral prearrangement planning or are ready to make some of the decisions now, simply fill out and submit the form below and we’ll get back to you. Thank you for visiting us online!