PreArrangement Subpage

www.OGMHognj.com
PreArrangement Philosophy

Ocean Grove Memorial Home
118 Main Avenue, Ocean Grove, New Jersey 07756

Thomas J. Saragusa, Manager
N. J. License No. 4036

VOICE 732-775-0434 - - OGMHognj@aol.com

PREARRANGING A FUNERAL

What is prearrangement or preplanning?
Today, for a variety of reasons, many people choose to make funeral arrangements prior to the time of need for themselves or for a relative. These arrangement plans are commonly referred to as “preneed" or “prefunded" if they are paid or partially paid, or if no payment is made through the funeral home, they are simply known as "prearrangements" and through these pre-death arrangements, people are able to record their decisions in advance of the time of actual need...what type of funeral they will have, their own vital statistics, a suggestion as to the type of ceremony they would like and to prepay the funeral expenses and by recording that information, to eliminate some of the stress for their family at the time of their death.

Preplanning costs nothing but your time...the funeral home makes no charge to either discuss your concerns nor to record and keep your information on file with the hundreds of other preplans that have been placed on file with us. Preplanning lets you know about benefits that may be available to your family at the time of death such as Veterans Administration, Social Security, fraternal, or civic benefits and about current funeral costs. including: the funeral director’s professional services, funeral home staff and facility charges, transportation, casket, vault, other funeral merchandise and cash advances to such recipients as clergy and church costs, pallbearers, newspaper charges, written proofs of death, limousine rental and other charges such as by the cemetery or crematory.

In New Jersey, only licensed funeral directors through registered funeral homes may legally offer make prearrangements and offer prepaid funeral plans.

Taking the time to discuss and record one's own wishes means survivors won't have to make important and perhaps uninformed decisions at a time of extreme stress...and that the funeral can more closely reflect the planner's wishes and desires. When a death occurs, the many arrangements that must be made immediately can be overwhelming for those then responsible. With these concerns, it is not surprising that, more and more people are choosing to prearrange their own funeral.

The First Step
Even before you meet with the funeral director you should discuss your concerns with your family. Offer your thoughts and then listen carefully to theirs. Give their ideas special attention since your funeral will most directly affect them...it's essential to include their concerns and suggestions in your plans.

Next you should gather all the information that you know or think the funeral director will need to know and record...especially vital statistic information and information that will be released to newspapers at the time of your death, along with such things as your Social Security Number and cemetery information.

Phone the funeral home to make an appointment.
When you meet with a funeral director at the Ocean Grove Memorial Home, you do not obligate yourself in any manner...even if you prepay those arrangements, because all revocable arrangements are just that...revocable, and, of course, changable...at any time. Until the preplanned details are finally authorized at the actual time of need, they are only ink on paper...information on record for future use.

When you meet with a funeral director to discuss the kind of funeral you would like. If possible, bring a family member or trusted friend with you. Be prepared to discuss the specific details of the services and merchandise you want, including the type of ceremony, visiting hours, casket and place and method of final disposition...have him record all your vital statistic information.

We encourage you to ASK QUESTIONS and remember that, in New Jersey, cremations must be handled by a licensed funeral director and only licensed funeral directors may make funeral arrangements and all burials...cemetery personel can discuss your concerns about your burial space and entombment in a mausoleum and even the process of cremation but they are not qualified nor licensed to discuss funeral arrangements.

The "General Price List"
At the beginning of our discussion of your funeral arrangements, we will provide you with our printed General Price List (GPL) and after the details of your prearrangement have been decided, we'll give you a written estimated Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected (SFGSS) listing your choices and the current charges for them. The consumer protection regulations of the Federal Trade Commission require funeral directors to give a GPL under the following circumstances:

Whenever a consumer visits a funeral home and asks about prices, conditions or terms for funeral services.

In all face-to-face prearrangement situations.

During face-to-face at-need arrangements when no pre-arrangement exists or when a consumer wishes to modify funeral goods or services arranged under a pre-need contract or when a survivor must pay an additional sum at need because prices have increased since the time the prearrangement was completed.

Other Price Lists
The General Price List provided by the Ocean Grove Memorial Home includes our:

Casket Price List which lists all eleven caskets that we display in our selection room at the funeral home

Outer Burial Enclosure Price List which lists all the concrete burial enclosures that we can provide

Urn Price List which lists the cremation urns that we sell including the burial urns and keepsake urns

Prepayment
While not a requirement, many prearranged funerals are also prepaid or at least partially prepaid (which protects survivors from the need to secure funds from their own resources at the time of need).

Consumer protection laws regarding prefunding a funeral vary from state to state. In New Jersey, prepaid funerals can be prefunded in only three modes:

through a qualified trust fund

by the assignment of existing life insurance policies on the life of the intended funeral recipient

or

with a funeral insurance policy (or annuity) newly issued on the life of the intended funeral recipient, and specifically intended for funeral payment purposes.

The New Jersey Legislature enacted the Preneed Act of 1993 to strengthen existing laws which protect consumers who pay for their funeral in advance by regulating preneed funeral agreements between funeral directors and consumers. The law requires funeral directors to give consumers:

A Statement of Funeral Goods and Services, which describes in detail the exact goods and
services the consumer is purchasing, e.g., what type of casket will be used for the burial.

A Prepaid Agreement which states the terms and conditions of the agreement including the amount of money paid and where the money will be deposited. The consumer’s preneed funds must be placed in an interest-bearing trust account which must be in the consumer’s name. Consumers may also use the proceeds from an existing life insurance policy to pay for their funerals in advance.

Consumers should ask the funeral director to fully explain all the options available to them regarding the establishment of a prepaid funeral agreement. Keep the following in mind:

The Statement of Funeral Goods and Services and Prepaid Agreement must be presented (in complete form) and signed. Consumers should not accept any documents that have not been completely filled in and signed in their presence.

The money entrusted with the funeral director must be deposited in an interest-bearing trust account within 30 days of the signing of the agreement. It may not be deposited in the funeral home’s operating account.

The preneed funeral arrangements may be moved to any funeral establishment at any time by the consumer or the person who controls the final arrangements.

Regardless of the options selected, the money paid to the funeral director for preneed funerals belongs to the consumer (until funeral services have been rendered) and must be made available to the consumer upon request at any time. The funeral director may require that the consumer’s request be made in writing.

By law, preneed funeral may be funded only by funeral trusts or (funeral) insurance policies.

Maintain contact with your funeral director after the Agreement Conference.
Whether or not you prepay your funeral arrangements, you should maintain occasional contact with your funeral home. If you (or the person who will be in charge of your funeral) move your residence, you should notify him, preferably in writing. If other important circumstances or conditions change, again, you should notify him so he can keep your records up to date. If you have prepaid any amount toward your funeral, let the funeral director’s annual contact with you be a reminder to notify him of any changes that you think he should know about.

In addition to the funeral director, others should know that you have made funeral arrangements, especially those close to you...those who might make different arrangements if they don’t know about the ones you have made. You should especially notify the people who live with you or have daily contact with you...including relatives, neighbors and especially the administration of any long term care facility.

For a discussion of PrePayment and PreFunding, please see our Prearrangement Subpage on that topic...you may click on that link, below.

Links to SECONDARY PAGES in this Master PreArrangement Partition:

PrePayment - SSI/Medicaid - Trust Funds - Sure Trust - Organ Donation - FAQuestions

Back to the PreArrangements MASTER Page - Site Table of Contents