Monthly Archives: April 2021

What to Know About Veteran Funerary Benefits

Most people know that veterans are entitled to funerary benefits when they pass, but most people do not know the specifics. Who is entitled to the benefits? What do the benefits comprise? If that is something that you are wondering and you want to be able to offer your loved one the kind of quality services they earned and deserve, there are some things you will want to know. Here are the tips that directors of funeral homes in South Bend, IN want you to be aware of.

The very first thing that you need to do, before tackling anything else, is to make certain that your loved one is eligible. A veteran who received a general discharge from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard can receive funerary benefits. If your loved one served in the National Guard and died on duty, then they, too, are entitled. If the person received a dishonorable discharge, this usually means they are no longer eligible, but there are exceptions, so reach out to the VA to find out for certain. The spouses and small children of veterans can receive these benefits, and many times, the parents, as well. The most important thing is to speak with the VA and confirm that your loved one is eligible.

Once you do that, you can learn about the options that are available. A veteran can receive burial in a national cemetery at no cost to you. This will include the opening and closing of the grave, the grave marker or stone, perpetual care, a certificate, and a number of other things. You can choose to also have this done at a state cemetery. What you have to remember is that you cannot reserve space in advance, so you may not be able to have your loved one buried in a particular cemetery. Be sure to ask about this if you have questions.

The VA will not cover the cost of the funeral or memorial service. That is up to you. This includes the purchase of a casket, the flowers, the transportation to the location of the burial, or the actual service. Do keep in mind that many times you can get reimbursement from the VA. If in doubt, reach out to the VA to learn more.

When making funerary arrangements for a loved one who served their country, you want to keep all of these things in mind. You want to reach out to the VA to confirm that the person is eligible and that you are sure about what services they are entitled to. If you want to know more about this or if you want to start making plans for your loved one, you can reach out to a South Bend, IN funeral home like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. Our team of experts is ready to help you with all of your arrangements. Stop by our location today to learn more.

How to Plan a Virtual Service

A virtual service can allow you to honor your loved one even in these difficult times. By ensuring that you know as much as possible about this kind of service, you will be able to know if it is the best option for your needs. If you are thinking about having this kind of service but you are not sure where to begin, there are some things to remember. Here are the tips that providers of cremation services in Rolling Prairies, IN want you to keep in mind when beginning to plan the virtual services.

You want to choose a provider to help you. It can seem like a good idea to try to do it yourself, but there can be logistical difficulties that you do not want to deal with when managing the grief of a loss. Look for a provider of funerary services who can offer these services and who has experience. You want a company that has lots of experience and that can ensure you get the quality services you need.

Choose a platform for the service that is popular. This will make it easier for people to join the service. As soon as you know the date, time, and platform you will be using, let your loved ones know so that they can start preparing. You want to keep in mind that you will likely have people in different time zones, so it can be a good idea to schedule the service for a time when it is convenient for the largest group of people.

A few days before the service, you may want to have a test service to ensure that no one has any difficulties accessing the service. There may be people who have less experience with this kind of technology, so you want to give them a chance to ask questions and to work out any issues that they may be experiencing. This is not something that you want to leave until the last minute. Many times, you can even have someone from the funerary services provider you have hired helping you with this. They have more experience arranging these services, so they will be able to clarify any issues that may arise.

When getting ready to plan a virtual service for a loved one, keeping these things in mind can make a huge difference. You do not want to have to worry about people not being able to access the service or not being sure of what to do, so offer to answer any questions the guests may have. You also want to ensure that you have a provider helping you who has experience with virtual services. Take the time to learn more about all of this by reaching out to a Rolling Prairie, IN cremation service provider like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. We can answer any questions you may have about virtual services. Give us a call or stop by our location today.

Dos and Do Nots of Buying a Casket

If you are choosing to give a loved one a traditional burial, it can make a difference to know about the different choices that you have to make. One of these choices is the purchase of the casket. People do not always know what to look for when making this choice, so you want to take some time to consider the options. To help you, directors of funeral homes in Rolling Prairie, IN has some dos and do nots of this process that they want you to keep in mind.

Do put a budget together. It is never a good idea to start making arrangements without first looking at the average costs of the options and seeing what fits your budget best. Do a bit of research and then compare the average rates of the options you want with those that providers offer. This will allow you to find the right company to help you with the purchase of a casket.

Do not forget to ask about size. Lots of times people do not even think about the size of a casket that their loved one might need and this can be an issue. If the person was taller than average or weighed more than two hundred pounds, they will need a casket that is a bit larger. There are lots of sizes to choose from, including caskets made for children and infants. You can also choose to have the casket made to size. If you are not sure about which size to purchase, you need to ask the provider for help.

Do take time to think about the material the casket is made of. You can choose wooden options, with walnut, cherry, and mahogany being the most expensive, and pine, poplar, and willow being the most affordable. There are also metal options to consider. You can decide on copper, bronze, stainless steel, or regular steel. The option you choose will have an impact on the cost, so you do want to ask about this. There are also biodegradable caskets that you can choose if the person was worried about the environment, but remember to always ask the cemetery if they allow that option. Not all of them do.

These dos and do nots can make it easier for you to find the kind of casket that you want for your loved one. It can be crucial that you take the time to ask about the prices that you can expect and that you also ask about the size that you will need for your loved one. Take the time to also think about the kind of material that the casket can be made of. All of these things are crucial. To learn more, you can reach out to a Rolling Prairie, IN funeral home provider like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. We have years of experience and we are here to help you find exactly the kind of options you want. Give us a call now.

How to Choose a Final Outfit

As you start making funerary arrangements for a loved one who has passed away, you want to be certain that you consider their final outfit. Unless they told you what they wanted, it may fall on you to make this decision. To do this, you want to remember a few things that can make a difference. Here are the ones that providers of cremation services in Michigan City, IN want you to know.

You want to choose an outfit that will not be out of place in the kind of service that you are having for your loved one. If you are having a celebration of life, for example, you may not want to choose an outfit that is dark and somber. Keeping in mind the service will give you a good idea of the tone that the outfit should have. This will allow you to narrow your choices down.

You also want to think about the preferences in style that your loved one had. If they did not like to wear formal clothes, for example, it can feel wrong to choose a formal outfit as their last one. You want to remember, also, to think about the color preferences they may have had and styles they may have enjoyed wearing. If you are not sure about these, you can ask people in your family for help and for suggestions.

Sometimes, people want to have certain items included in the casket, either for burial or for cremation. If you want to do this, you need to tell the provider as soon as you can so that they can arrange this. Also, keep in mind that you can request the item to be present for the service but then removed before the burial or cremation. If that is what you want, you will need to let the funeral home director know well in advance.

You need to consider what to include if you are having the person cremated. Not everything can be cremated. Metals usually cannot be broken down, so you will want to avoid jewelry, glasses, and even metal buckles. There are also some types of leather that cannot be included during cremation. If you are not sure about what to choose, ask the provider of these services for help.

Deciding on the final outfit for a loved one who has died is not going to be a simple thing to do. You want to think about their preferences and what they would have liked to wear and you also need to keep in mind the kind of service that you are having. If you are choosing cremation, be certain you know what kind of options are allowed. To learn more about choosing a final outfit for a loved one, reach out to a Michigan City, IN cremation service provider like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. We are here to help you with all of the decisions you need to make for your loved one. Give us a call right now.