Funeral planning can save money

By Jeff Monreal, Funeral Director

With people putting their financial documents in order this month for tax purposes, now is a good time to also consider the financial aspects of your final wishes. As the cost of a funeral has risen over the years, so has the prevalence of controlling that cost with an action plan.

The biggest advantage of pre-planning is that you lock into today’s prices. Since we don’t really know what future costs will be, think of pre-planning as a protection against inflation.

Funeral cost varies depending on whether you opt for burial or cremation. I can walk you through every step of the planning process, so you feel comfortable in those decisions.

As a fifth-generation funeral director, I’ve worked with thousands of services since 2006. A rising trend I’ve noticed, both here in Cleveland and nationally, is people opting for cremation over burial. In fact, it’s projected that this year the cremation rate will reach over 75%.

Cremation comes with a lower cost than burial—an average of $2,000-$5,000 vs. $3,000-$12,000 for burials. There are a lot of variables that go into these figures, such as casket or urn selection.

A prepaid funeral arrangement contract is made with either me, a funeral insurance company, or within a life insurance policy. Your pre-selected arrangements will pay for the funeral with these allocated funds upon death, which alleviates the burden from your family. Taking care of the financial side of your final wishes is a smart way to gain peace of mind for you and your loved ones today, and when the time comes.

Jeff Monreal Funeral Home is located in Painesville at 1000 Mentor Avenue. The charming red brick building’s spacious lot offers convenient parking. His services are also offered at locations in Willoughby (38001 Euclid Avenue) and Mentor (6330 Center Street). Call 440-527-6294 or visit JeffMonrealFuneralHome.com for more information.