Caveat Emptor

It’s often been said that cemetery property is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. There’s no question that you couldn’t give grave sites to some people. The focus of this blog is to explain some of the differences between a privately operated cemetery and a National Cemetery.

Veterans Funeral Care is a program offered by Northern Indiana Funeral Care which is based in Fort Wayne. One of the major tenants of Veterans Funeral Care is the commitment to actively promote, even encourage, the use of National Cemeteries for qualified veterans. It’s our belief that burial in a national cemetery (or a state veterans’ cemetery) is a privilege, indeed an honor, for those who served our country as a member of the armed forces. I have found the mistaken idea among veterans that this option is for the indigent or veterans who otherwise have little means. This could not be further from the truth.

Marion National Cemetery

Marion National Cemetery is impeccably maintained and the staff rivals any commercial cemetery in the country. Their approach to serving veterans provides a remarkable experience and the grounds of the cemetery are quite beautiful. It has various features that have been erected through the years and provides veterans an appropriate place to be laid to rest. The most important thing to understand, however, is that national cemeteries are maintained for perpetuity as national shrines. All of this is provided at no charge to veterans and their dependents. I’ve personally never been to a commercial cemetery that I thought was any better than a national cemetery. At any rate, veterans on every spectrum of the economic ladder are learning more and more about the benefits, whether choosing cremation or a traditional funeral, of utilizing a national cemetery.

By contrast, many cemeteries are operated by huge, out of state corporate conglomerates. This is true in Fort Wayne where these same companies also operate funeral homes in the same market. The reason that the funeral director won’t tell a veteran about national cemetery benefits is because they want to sell grave spaces, opening and closing (O and C), burial vaults, and markers or monuments. In some cases funeral directors are paid a bonus based on sales to families who are making at need arrangements. In other cases, they just assume that you wouldn’t want to be buried in a national cemetery because it’s not located in Allen County. It also creates more work having to coordinate military honors and travel to Grant County for burial. These funeral homes have no motivation to make sure veterans understand the VA benefits related to funeral, cremation, or burial expenses.

Finally, the cost of burial in a private cemetery is substantial. For a husband and wife, burial sites typically cost between $1,000 to $2,000 with opening and closing costs running between $600 and $1,000. Burial containers or vaults cost between $800 and $2,000 and you can spend whatever you want on a memorial, marker, or monument but with a cheap, flat granite marker plus tax and installation you’ll spend at least $800. If you just take the average of these items you’re at $8,800 and that’s before you ever get to the funeral home! Even if you find a low cost casket and add that to the typical funeral home services charge you’re looking at $20,000 to $25,000 in total cemetery and funeral expenses! Compare this to a national cemetery where THERE IS NO COST AT ALL. THAT’S AN $8,000 to $12,000 BENEFIT FOR A HUSBAND AND WIFE at the cemetery alone! Add to that the fact that our funeral plans typically save veterans 40% or more means thousands more in savings.

I’m continually surprised at the number of veterans in Northeast Indiana who have no idea this benefit is available to them. Our mission is to make sure that ALL veterans in the following counties know and understand this valuable benefit: Adams, Allen, Dekalb, Huntington, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley.. I encourage veterans who already have burial spaces to let fellow veterans know about this benefit. We’re finding that the consumer is seeking a more simple and straightforward approach to funeral and cremation services. Our desire is to be a leader in providing inexpensive services, all provided with the utmost of respect and concern. We encourage families to get all the facts when they are considering planning ahead for these needs. You’ll find our Veterans Funeral Plans on our website which give a complete description of what we offer. Feel free to request a brochure, email vfccounselor@yahoo.com, or even call 877-382-2756 with questions you may have. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope it was informative.

Semper Fidelis

In his earlier life, Bryan Jenisch dedicated himself to serving his country as a Marine; he now serves fellow veterans and their families at one of life’s most difficult times. Veterans Funeral Care has given him a platform to help veterans plan ahead when making cemetery, funeral, or cremation arrangements. He recently commented that after delivering the cremated remains of a fallen Marine to a family that it was “not my duty to do so, but my honor, for you should always find a Marine taking care of his own in all capacities.” The following is the Marines prayer which beautifully expresses this sentiment:

Almighty Father, whose command is over all and whose love never fails, make me aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will. Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty in purpose and deed and helping me to live so that I can face my fellow Marines, my loved ones, and Thee without shame or fear. Protect my family.

Give me the will to do the work of a Marine and to accept my share of responsibilities with vigor and enthusiasm. Grant me the courage to be proficient in my daily performance. Keep me loyal and faithful to my superiors and to the duties my Country and the Marine Corps have entrusted to me. Help me to wear my uniform with dignity, and let it remind me daily of the traditions which I must uphold.

If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith; if I am tempted, make me strong to resist; if I should miss the mark, give me courage to try again.

Guide me with the light of truth and grant me wisdom by which I may understand the answer to my prayer.

SEMPER FI

If you’re considering utilizing the services of Veterans Funeral Care, please don’t be mistaken and think we offer cheap or discount services. Our funeral directors are as dedicated and capable as any at other Fort Wayne funeral homes. By keeping overhead low, we provide an exceptional experience, all without compromising service.  Northern Indiana Funeral Care is a leader in providing inexpensive funeral and cremation options.  We are also a provider of Veterans Funeral Care which is exclusively endorsed by The American Legion, Department of Indiana.

Marine Corps Emblem

The Marines’ Hymn states that Marines “fight our country’s battles in air, on land and sea…” The Marine Corps emblem contains a spread eagle, a globe showing the Western Hemisphere, and a fouled anchor, depicting battle in air, on land and sea. This design is rooted in early Marine history. The fouled anchor and eagle trace back to ornaments of the early Continental Marines, and the globe traces back to a symbol of the British Royal Marines.

Originally a crested eagle, which is found around the world, was used in the emblem. The eagle and globe signify service all over the world. The first official Marine Corps emblem was approved in 1868. It also included a small ribbon held in the eagle’s beak with the Marine motto “Semper Fidelis.” This ribbon is omitted from uniform ornaments depicting the emblem.

In 1954, President Eisenhower approved the design for the official seal of the United States Marine Corps. The seal depicted the original emblem but with an American Bald Eagle instead of the crested eagle. A year later the emblem contained in the Marine Corps seal became the official Marine Corps emblem, replacing the very similar 1868 version. The American Bald Eagle is specific to North America, adding a more patriotic meaning to the emblem. This emblem is the one currently shown the Marine Corps Flag.

Northern Indiana Funeral Care offers military-themed caskets available in all branches of service.  Call us at 877-382-2756 or email vfccounselor@yahoo.com for more information.

Reference: http://www.united-states-flag.com/marine-corps-flag.html

Low Cost, Uncompromised Funeral and Cremation Service

Northern Indiana Funeral Care offers this blog as a way to educate and inform the consumer about issues related to the care of the dead, of which most people know very little about. Today I’m going to deal with the most basic service we provide – direct cremation (or what we prefer to call simple cremation).

Simply put, when we die our body becomes property and someone is going to have a legal obligation for the proper disposition of our remains. Keep in mind, you’ve either accepted that responsibility yourself, or someone in your family will have to accept it for you. The most simple and efficient way to dispose of human remains is by the use of cremation. If you look on our General Price List you’ll see that the 1st itemized price is The Services of Funeral Director and Staff. This is the only non-declinable item when purchasing funeral or cremation services and one of the things you’re paying for with a direct cremation.

The second service you’re paying for is the removal from place of death, whether the home, hospital, assisted living facility, or some other location, to the funeral home. Also, the crematory requires you to be placed in some sort of outer container, commonly referred to as an alternative container, in order to move you around in a dignified manner. A casket is not required as this material is generally made of cardboard or fiberboard. You are not required to buy an urn so cremated remains are returned to the family in a temporary urn unless one is purchased through the funeral home. Finally, you have the cremation fee itself. In general terms, this is what’s involved to provide cremation services with no ceremony. Our cost for this service is $1395. Most funeral homes in the greater Fort Wayne area charge more than double for the exact same service.

Northern Indiana Funeral Care provides funeral and cremation services with the objective of keeping the cost low, without compromising our standards. Recognizing that you can buy an urn anywhere, we are happy to offer a complete selection of urns at low prices. I’m always quick to point out that we don’t offer discount services and merchandise and no experience with us will have the feeling of being cheap. Whether you want our most basic service (cremation with no services), or a traditional funeral followed by cremation, we guarantee your satisfaction. I’m often asked how we can do this at such inexpensive prices and the answer is quite simple. Our funeral directors have invested their entire lives taking care of families in the Fort Wayne area and all of Northern Indiana. Funeral service for them is a calling and they view their work as a ministry. Northern Indiana Funeral Care loves promoting The Church Funeral Plan because we believe churches, as a primary option to conduct a service, is the ideal setting for this event in someone’s life. There are many fine Fort Wayne funeral homes, and we’re not claiming to be better than anyone else, but there aren’t many options for families that need prices that are affordable and fit within their budget. Please contact us to learn more about our program and the benefits of planning ahead by calling (877) 382-2756 or email vfccounselor@yahoo.com. As always, there is no cost or obligation to learn about the options available to you.

Funeral Planning Declaration

Beginning July 1, 2009, an Indiana resident may execute a Funeral Planning Declaration (“FPD”). If validly executed, an FPD will operate to control an individual’s funeral plans and services, and even the ultimate disposition of his/her remains. A valid FPD will control . . . even against the competing wishes of a surviving spouse, children, parents, etc., . . . and even against a conflicting power of attorney or conflicting provisions in a Will.

Through the use of an FPD, an Indiana resident can acquire the right to control his/her
funeral and burial. The FPD is the final and controlling document, but is limited in scope to only the specific elements of a funeral or disposition set forth therein. Prior law as set forth in the Funeral Directors Practice Act (ID 25-15-2), the Indiana Cemetery Act (IC 23-14-33), the Preneed Act (IC 30-2-13), and the Indiana Cremation Act (IC 23-14-31) no longer controls.

Conditions to Creating a Valid FPD
In order to be effective, and valid, an FPD must meet the following conditions:
♦ Be made by a person of sound mind who is at least 18 years of age (the “declarant”);
♦ Be voluntary;
♦ Be in writing;
♦ Name an individual to serve as the declarant’s “designee” (the person who is to carry
out the declarant’s instructions);
♦ Be signed by the declarant or another person who acts at the declarant’s request and in
the declarant’s presence;
♦ Be dated; and
♦ Be witnessed by at least two (2) competent witnesses who are at least 18 years of age.
Note: Some persons are not permitted to serve as witnesses; they are:
♦ Any person who signs an FPD on behalf of a declarant;
♦ A parent, spouse or child of the declarant; and
♦ An individual who is entitled to any part of the declarant’s estate (whether testate
or intestate and even if a Will is declared invalid).

Who May Not be a Designee?
The following persons and/or entities may not serve as a designee:
♦ A provider of funeral services;
♦ Any person/entity given responsibility for disposition of remains; and
♦ Any person associated with any entity responsible for providing funeral services or the
making of disposition of remains.

But, an individual related to a declarant by birth, marriage or adoption may still be a
designee notwithstanding the stated prohibitions.

Must the Provider of Services Honor it and Act Pursuant to a Designee’s Declaration?
Yes, but only if the provider of services/merchandise (funeral home, cemetery, or other
person providing a services or merchandise or other property specified in the declaration)
receives consideration for the service, merchandise or other property.  As a matter of practical reality, an FPD should be coupled with a fully funded preneed contract.

What is or May be Covered by the FPD?
The FPD may be used by a declarant to specify his/her specific wishes/instructions
concerning any of the following:
♦ Disposition of remains after death (i.e., burial, cremation, etc.);
♦ The identity of the person/entity responsible for directing the disposition of remains;
♦ The identity of the entity who is to provide funeral services;
♦ A description of any ceremonial arrangements to be performed after death;
♦ A statement of the merchandise that the declarant prefers for the disposition of remains
and any ceremonial arrangements;
♦ The identity of the person who is to direct ceremonial arrangements to be performed
after death; and
♦ The declarant’s preference concerning a grave memorial.

What Happens if the FPD is Incomplete and Covers Only the Funeral Service but Does Not Mention or Direct Any Specific Disposition of Remains?
An individual need not make a complete or fully descriptive FPD. It is possible to specify
funeral arrangements only and not mention any aspect of disposition of remains, and vice versa.  However, when this is done the law states that when no decision is made the designee is given the discretion to make the decision. But in a situation where a designee is “unable or unwilling to serve,” the following constitutes the order of priority for those matters (right to control disposition, or to make funeral arrangements, or to make other ceremonial arrangements):
♦ An individual granted the authority in a health care power of attorney executed by a
decedent under Indiana Code 30-5-5-16;
♦ The decedent’s surviving spouse;
♦ A surviving adult child of the decedent;
♦ A surviving parent of the decedent;
♦ An individual of the next degree of kinship under Indiana Code 29-1-2-1 to inherit the
estate of the decedent.

Can You be Liable if You Rely on an FPD that Ultimately Turns Out to be Defective?
No. One who acts in good faith reliance on an FPD is immune from liability to the same
extent as if the person had dealt directly with the declarant had he/she been alive and competent. In the absence of actual knowledge to the contrary, you may presume that:
♦ A declaration has been validly executed;
♦ The declarant was competent at the time the declaration was executed.
The directions set forth in a declaration are binding just as if the declarant were alive and
competent.

You can download a Funeral Declaration Form here.  Northern Indiana Funeral Care encourages you to call us at 1-877-382-2756 if you have any questions about completing this form or to talk to us about advance funeral planning in general.

The materials available at this web site are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.

Choosing a Funeral Home

When you make a comparison of Fort Wayne funeral homes you’ll find that most of them deeply care, indeed are passionate, about serving families that trust them to care for their dead. The difference will be found in how these funeral businesses are structured and modeled. When attempting to educate yourself about funeral and cremation options, the best place to begin is understanding how funeral homes operate and their unique approach to providing services. My purpose is to educate and inform the consumer but also to promote the idea of a simple, straightforward approach to funeral service. Northern Indiana Funeral Care is the leader in providing low cost funeral and cremations services in the Northeast part of Indiana and specifically Greater Ft. Wayne so the focus of this article will be to promote the benefit of the value proposition.

Some funeral homes are owned by corporate entities where decisions about pricing and how to operate that were once made by a local family are now made in far-away places. One such entity that has a large footprint in the Fort Wayne area is Service Corporation International (SCI) which is based in Houston, Texas. It’s the largest death-care provider in the world and has been publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange for years. You would recognize these funeral homes by the brand “Dignity Memorial”. They are characterized by high prices due to the fact that they must produce big profits for their shareholders. It’s not hard to figure out who generates those profits- the families they serve! All of us in the funeral business have to make money or we couldn’t keep our doors open but when large corporations have to support a bloated management structure, lavish facilities, and keep shareholders happy they have no choice but to charge high prices for the services they provide!

Another kind of funeral or cremation provider you’ll find is the locally-owned firm that has facilities in different areas of Fort Wayne and likes to tout the fact that they “give back to the community”. I’m not exactly sure what that means or as a consumer why I would care but again, the cost to maintain this type of business model leaves no choice to the owner but to charge high prices for funerals and cremations. If these funeral homes are large enough, service can be lacking because of the absence of personal attention. Some firms like this will begin to have the feel of a “funeral mill” because of a lack of motivation by employees. Oftentimes this will lead to poor embalming work and preparation (such as makeup) and the deceased doesn’t look near as good as if the owner of the funeral home did the work himself/herself.

Another type of funeral or cremation provider is one that provides options that are low cost but yet provide excellent services. This kind of business keeps overhead low and has different financial goals than large corporations. It doesn’t concern itself with have locations all over northern Indiana or spending millions on new cremation facilities. It’s dedicated to providing unmatched service at a price anyone can afford. Some people might think it’s a cheap option but I don’t believe cheap is the right word. I believe a better description can be found in the past. This type of approach takes funeral service full circle by centering services at the church the way it used to be years ago (and what many families still do today). Cremation memorial services can be held at gazebos in a park, country clubs or other service organizations like the Moose lodge, Elks, etc. Veterans who are interested in maximizing their benefits have the option of having their funeral at the VA hospital chapel, the chapel at Marion National Cemetery, American Legion, VFW, or Am Vets posts or the church. In other words, by having your service someplace other than a lavish funeral facility you just pay for the services of the funeral director, not the overhead and bloated nature of many businesses that rest on laurels and are living in the past.

The bottom line is that most folks are looking for an inexpensive, low cost option when it comes to taking care of this most difficult problem. Northern Indiana Funeral Care of Fort Wayne is dedicated to providing just this kind of option. Without compromising service you can save thousands on funeral and cremation services. You’ll work with local funeral directors who have spent their lives serving families in Northeast Indiana. For Veterans we offer Veterans Funeral Care which is exclusively endorsed by The American Legion, Department of Indiana. Please feel free to request more information about our services by clicking the “Request a Brochure” button on the home page of our website www.northernindianafuneralcare.com or by calling 1-877-382-2756.

The #1 Myth About Funeral Directors

People often assume funeral directors are more comfortable with the idea of death and mortality because we see it all the time. Actually, you never get used to it. We take every family’s loss personally.

We often seen people struggle with the many decisions involved in planning a loved one’s funeral and memorial at the time of death. In our experience, it is the worst possible time to make important decisions you’ll think about for years to come.

The people at Northern Indiana Funeral Care make it easier by providing advance funeral planning programs that work just for you.

• You can plan a totally personalized memorial event that reflects your life and involves your loved ones.
• You can provide funding for your advance funeral plan that grows to help offset inflation over time.
• Prearranging your funeral helps reduce or eliminate family conflict at the time of your death, because many, if not all of the decisions are made, including the cost.

In all of our years serving families, we have never heard anyone say, “I wish the funeral wasn’t prearranged and paid for.” In fact, surviving spouses, relatives or friends often return to funeral homes to make their own funded advance funeral plans.

Why not learn more about how Northern Indiana Funeral Care is uniquely qualified to help you prearrange your funeral event? You can request a brochure here or call us directly at 1-877-382-2756.

Overwhelming Decisions!

There are only 5 reasons people buy anything – pride, profit, fear, love, and need. For those that plan ahead (commonly referred to as advance planning, preplanning or prearranging) for cemetery, funeral, and/or cremation needs all 5 motives are at play making it a purchase that you not only should do, but indeed have to do at some point in time.

At least in the state of Indiana, when a death occurs you have to acquire the services of a funeral director (or in the old days a mortician) who will lead you through the labyrinth of choices and decisions to be made including whether you want your loved one to be cremated or to have a traditional funeral. All kinds of decisions flow from there such as what type of cemetery property you desire. Traditional burials require several choices – mausoleum entombment, ground burial (grave space), or lawn crypt.

If cremation you can have ground burial, niche in a columbarium (glass, marble, or bronze front), or scattering. Some families choose to keep cremated remains at home which we always recommend against because at some point in the future, someone else will become responsible for the disposition of the remains. Most cemeteries require that skeletal or cremated remains be placed in some type of outer burial container (if protective in nature they are referred to as a vault). You also have to decide what type of service will take place at the cemetery.

Finally, the choice of a memorial is important because it’s the tangible proof that you walked on this earth. Headstones in memorial parks are flush to the ground and come in various shapes and styles but you’ll typically see granite only or bronze on granite. Cemeteries allow upright monuments which offer people more choices in personalization and style. Just completing cemetery arrangements can be emotionally exhausting and that’s before you have stepped foot in the funeral home!

If no planning has been completed in advance, families have to provide all of the information needed to procure the death certificate and also provide information for the obituary in the newspaper. Many people are surprised to learn that an obituary in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette and other newspapers in Northern Indiana can cost hundreds of dollars. If the deceased was a veteran the family should provide a copy of his/her discharge papers to the funeral director. We encourage families to consider utilizing the Veterans Funeral Care program which is exclusively provided by Northern Indiana Funeral Care of Fort Wayne.

This program has been endorsed by The American Legion, Department of Indiana, since 2006 and thousands of veterans have utilized this program. Veterans Funeral Care is committed to making sure veterans understand the benefits provided by the VA and also files all necessary documentation on your behalf. They also actively encourage and promote the use of Marion National Cemetery.

One of the big decisions to be made at the funeral home is the type of casket if a traditional burial is chosen. Families can spend $800 to $5000 on a casket and depending on the type of service desired the cost can vary by thousands of dollars. At a typical funeral home in Fort Wayne total funeral costs using a mid-price casket will cost $7000 to $10,000. Many people are looking for low cost or inexpensive funerals and are turning to companies like Northern Indiana Funeral Care for alternatives with the same funeral costing 30-40% less.

If cremation is chosen, the kind of urn selected will impact the overall prices of any services you would choose. If a ceremony is to be performed and a funeral director is present the price would naturally be more. These are the big decisions but there are many smaller decisions that must be made as well.

The preceding information is provided by Northern Indiana Funeral Care of Fort Wayne which specializes in provided inexpensive, not cheap, funeral and cremation products and services to families in all of Northern Indiana. Please call or request a brochure if you would like more information on our program.