Table of Contents
Section A
1. The Purpose of a Funeral
2. Role of the Funeral Director
3. When Death Occurs
4. Public or Private Viewing
5. Choosing Between Traditional Funeral & Cremation
6. Visitation & Funeral
7. Embalming
8. Prices
9. Caskets
10. Vaults
11. Flowers
12. Livery Vehicle
13. Car List
14. Funeral Breakfast
15. Cash Advances
16. Cemetery Charges – Earth Burial vs. Mausoleum
17. Death Notices & Obituary
18. Death Certificate Social Security
19. Church
20. Hairdresser
21. Memorial Cards (Prayer Cards)
22. Grave Markers / Headstone Veterans Affairs
23. Death Away From Home
24. Bereavement Air Flights
25. Pre-Arrangements
26. Pre-Funded Funerals
27. Grief After Care
Section B
1. Will
2. Immediate Funds& Insurance
3. No Fault Insurance
4. Crime Compensation Board
5. Railroad Retirement
6. Safe Deposit Boxes
7. Tax Considerations
8. Joint Property
9. Vehicles
10. Notifying Creditors
11. Erie County Social Services
12. Power of Attorney
13. Social Security
14. Veterans Affairs
Appendix I
Social security
Appendix II
Veterans Affairs
Studies show that the average person will attend a funeral once every five years. They also show that the average person will make funeral arrangements twice in their lifetime. Given this information, we have put together this pamphlet that we hope will help you to better understand funerals and the resources that are available to you.
1. The Purpose of a Funeral: The purpose of a funeral is to honor the deceased in a special way and to acknowledge that a life has been lived. The funeral can provide closure for the bereaved and help them to begin the grief process. It serves as a central gathering place for family and friends to share emotional and physical support, and gives everyone a chance to say good-bye.
2. Role of the Funeral Director: As funeral directors, we are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is our job to take the family’s ideas and incorporate them into the arrangements, to make the services more meaningful to the family. As part of our services, we take care of the arrangements with the church or clergy, cemetery or crematory, as well as the newspaper notices and necessary paperwork. We transfer the remains to the funeral home, set-up for calling hours, and conduct the funeral.
3. When Death Occurs: Contact the funeral home as soon as possible, day or night. Remember that we are on call 24 hours a day. After your call, we can make the transfer from place of death to the funeral home and schedule a time to meet with the family to begin the arrangements.
4. Public or Private Viewing: A private viewing allows just the immediate family and your invited guests to view the deceased. A public viewing allows the family, friends and the community to pay tribute to the deceased, and to share their memories and to express their feelings to the family.
5. Choosing Between Traditional Funeral & Cremation: Although this is often misunderstood, the only true difference between these two is the final disposition of the body; will it be earth burial or cremation? In both cases, the body can be viewed and funeral services can be held in the church or at the funeral home. The difference is that with a traditional funeral, the family may choose to go to the cemetery for the final blessing, whereas the services would end at the church or funeral home in the case of cremation. The deceased would then be transported privately to the crematory. If you would like more information about cremation, pleas ask us for our pamphlet on cremation.
6. Visitation & Funeral: Visitation times and dates are determined by the family. Visitation allows the family and friends to pay their respects to the deceased prior to the funeral services. Usually, there is 1 or 2 days of visitation followed by the funeral the next morning or afternoon. The visitation and funeral may need to be delayed by a day or two due to a holiday, religious holy day, or relatives traveling from out of town. The cemeteries require 24 hours notice, and because cemeteries are closed from noon on Saturday until 9 A.M. Monday morning, this too may be a factor in setting the visitation and funeral times.
7. Embalming: Embalming is neither a State Law nor a Federal Law. However, if you choose an arrangement with an open casket viewing of the body, we require that the body must be embalmed. In some cases, cemeteries may require embalming for people choosing mausoleum entombment, and the transporting of the deceased across state lines may require embalming.
8. Prices: In 1984, the Federal Trade Commission became active in the funeral industry and began requiring all funeral homes in the United States to itemize their funeral contracts and provide a general price list to anyone who should ask. The general price list shows the breakdown of all services and their corresponding charge, as well as the price range of caskets and vaults available. For each item of service offered there is a charge, but only the services selected will be charged for; there can not be any hidden charges or packaging (except direct cremation, direct burial, forwarding remains, and receiving remains from another funeral home).
9. Caskets: There are many caskets to choose from and they vary in many ways, such as style, component materials, color, and protective quality of the casket. Allow us to briefly explain some of these differences.
Full-open versus half-open: A full open casket is one in which the entire lid of the casket is open for viewing. A half-open casket allows viewing of the upper portion of the deceased only.
Component material: Typical construction materials are steel, copper, bronze, stainless steel, and various species of wood. Steel caskets vary by their gauge, or thickness, which is the number of sheets of metal placed on top of one another, necessary to measure on inch thick. This means that the higher the gauge, the thinner the composite metal. Common casket gauges are 16, 18, 19, and 20. Copper, bronze, and stainless caskets are measured in terms of ounce per square foot. The higher the ounce, the thicker the metal. Most common measurements are 48 and 32. Some typical species of wood that are used in casket construction are oak, cherry, pine, poplar, and hardwood veneers. Since more craftsmanship is necessary in the manufacture of a wood casket, they are typically more expensive than a comparable quality metal casket.
Color: Caskets come in many different colors for both the exterior and interior. The interior materials can be velvet, crepe, satin, or twill.
Protective Quality: A sealed (protective) casket is one that prevents the environmental elements from entering the casket. The most common sealing device is a rubber gasket that surrounds the lid of the casket; when the lid is closed, there is a locking mechanism which squeezes the rubber gasket between the lid and base of the casket, thereby sealing the contents. An unsealed casket does not have the rubber gasket. These unsealed caskets can range from low-end metals (20 gauge) to expensive wood caskets. Wood caskets are in their definition non-protective, because of the natural porosity of the wood.
10. Outer Interment Receptacles: Although most cemeteries require one, outer interment receptacles are not mandated by state or federal law. Cemeteries are not concerned with the protective value of the outer interment receptacle, only that it will maintain the integrity of the grave. The reason for this is that caskets are not designed to hold up the weight of the earth and would collapse, thereby leaving a sinkhole on the ground’s surface. There are two types of receptacles: grave liners and vaults. Grave liners are made of concrete, do not seal and have holes in them which allow the water to flow through freely. Vaults made of concrete are typically sealed with a tongue and groove connection between the base and lid that is filled with an epoxy resin. Most vaults are lined with a high impact plastic. BEWARE: By law, cemeteries are only allowed to sell grave liners, NOT vaults. If you purchase a grave liner from the cemetery, they will not refund your money if you should change your mind. (They will only give you a credit.) Funeral homes must refund all moneys received upon demand.
11. Flowers: We recommend that the family choose a florist that they are familiar with. When talking to the florist, tell them the color of the casket, the color of the dress or suit, and whether the casket is full open or half open. If you would like, we can give you suggestions on what type of arrangements to order, or we can help you to order the flowers.
12. Livery Vehicles: The hearse, limousine and flower car are all considered to be livery vehicles. We use the hearse to take the casketed remains from the funeral home to the church and then to the cemetery. A flower vehicle is used to take flowers from the funeral home to the church, cemetery or other locations that you want the flowers to go. A limousine is used when a family requests one.
13. Car List: The car list is a list of family vehicles that will be processing to the church and/or the cemetery. The first car is usually the spouse or eldest child. The remaining children would come next, followed by the other relatives. There is no special order for friends. Generally the car list is completed by the last night of calling hours, at which time a list of pallbearers is given to the funeral director.
14. Funeral Breakfast: You may wish to arrange for a funeral breakfast or luncheon. The restaurant will want to know about how many people to expect. We can place a notice next to the registry book asking visitors to indicate if they will be attending the funeral and the breakfast. An approximate number may then be given to the restaurant the night before the funeral. We can offer you suggestions as to restaurants that would offer funeral breakfasts.
15. Cash Advances: Cash advances are charges that the funeral home do not control. The following are cash advance items: cemetery and crematory charges, newspaper notices, certified copies of the death certificate, clergy honoraria, and beautician services.
16. Cemetery Charges: Earth Burial vs. Mausoleum:
Earth Burial is the placing of the casketed remains into a grave. Burial arrangements are simplified if the family burial sites have been selected before death occurs. If the grave(s) have not been selected at the time of death, decisions must be made quickly. It is recommended that the family visit the site personally to judge its suitability. When purchasing a grave, determine what restrictions may apply regarding outside burial vaults or monuments/markers. Most cemeteries include perpetual care of the gravesite in the cost of the grave. Be sure to consider the option of adjoining spaces for the eventual needs of the family. Adjoining graves will most likely not be available in the future. Only the grave that is to be immediately used needs to be paid for in full. Graves usually have two charges, one for the grave space and the other for the opening of the grave. If needed, adjoining graves may be paid for over time (usually one year). If you buy a grave ahead of time most cemeteries will let you pre-pay the grave but not the opening.
Mausoleum is the above-ground entombment of the casketed remains. Most cemeteries require that a sealable casket be used. Crypt prices are determined by the level of the crypt; if you choose a crypt that is high up, it will be less expensive. Having a crypt on the inside of the mausoleum will be more expensive than one that is outside. Some cemeteries say that mausoleum burials are less expensive than earth burials, but BEWARE they are not comparing it evenly. Don’t be afraid to ask questions at the cemetery.
17. Death Notice & Obituary: At the arrangements conference, we will put together the death notice for the newspaper. Once the family has given us the information and the notice is completed, we submit it to the selected newspapers. The purpose of the death notice is so that other family members and friends will have information about the funeral and the visitation plans. It also lets them know your wishes regarding flowers and/or memorials. The newspapers do charge for this notice. Typically, the charge is per line per day. Until we submit the notice to the papers, we can only estimate these charges for you. An obituary is a news story about the person’s life. The newspapers do not charge for this article, however, they will print the information that they feel is important and not necessarily what the family submits. A reporter may call you at home and interview you for this article. NOTE: The death notice is guaranteed to be placed in the paper because you are paying for it. The obituary is only used at the discretion of the paper, so there is no guarantee that it will be published.
18. Death Certificate: The death certificate is a legal document showing the cause of death and the vital statistical data pertaining to the deceased. A medical doctor must agree to sign the certificate before the deceased’s remains can be transferred to the funeral home. In the event that a doctor will not sign a certificate, the Medical Examiner’s Office is called in to investigate. The medical examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Sometimes the cause of death is not determined right away and further exams are necessary; this can take a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks before the cause of death is known. The medical examiner or coroner is called in for accidental deaths, homicides, suicides and unattended deaths. After the doctor or medical examiner/coroner has signed the certificate, it must be signed by the funeral director and the vital statistics must be entered so that it can be filed to obtain a burial permit. All cemeteries and crematories require a burial permit. A death certificate must be filed at the clerk’s office in the district where the death occurred. For example, if a person died in Buffalo, then the certificate must be filed in the clerk’s office in Buffalo City Hall. Each certified copy of the death certificate costs $10.00. You will need a certified copy for all legal documents that were recorded in the deceased’s name, such as stocks, bonds, property, cars, insurance (not the number of polices, but the number of companies) and the will. After the certificate is filed, the funeral home will receive a permit for the final disposition of the deceased’s remains, such as burial, entombment or cremation.
19. Church: Most clergy will come to the funeral home during visitation and sit down with the family in order to plan the funeral service. Together, you will select the readings and songs. You will also provide personal information about the deceased to the clergy so that they can make the service more personable. Most churches have a standard stipend ranging from $120.00 to $200.00. This charge usually includes the organist.
20. Hairdresser: A hairdresser is called in on all women to insure the proper look, even if the deceased wore a wig. We ask that you provide us with a recent picture to help the hairdresser in seeing how the deceased liked her hair styled.
21. Memorial Cards (Prayer Cards): Memorial cards are cards that are selected by the family to have available during the visitation and service. The family also selects the prayer or verse that is printed on the cards. The card gives the deceased’s name, date of birth, date of death, and the final resting place.
22. Grave Markers / Headstones: A maker or headstone is the method of identifying the occupant of a particular grave. They give information such as name, date of birth and date of death. A grave marker is a flat marker and a headstone is an upright marker. A marker or a headstone does not have to be placed on the grave right away, and markers and headstones can only be placed weather permitting (late spring, summer and early fall). If the deceased was a veteran and there is no marker or headstone on the grave, the Government will provide you with either a flat granite or flat bronze marker; typically, it is the family’s responsibility to pay for the installation and foundation for the marker (usually between $60.00 and $250.00). If a family has a grave with a marker or headstone already placed on the grave, then all you will need is the inscription completed. We can help you to order any type of monument or marker, and we are able to have your marker inscription completed.
23. Death Away From Home: When death occurs far from home, consult with your hometown funeral director to make arrangements for the professional services of an associate funeral director at the place of death. Don’t be steered by someone at a distant hospital to a funeral home because “ the body has to be taken care of right away”. Your hometown funeral director is just a phone call away and can take care of the situation quickly, efficiently and with considerable savings to you. He can arrange with a professional funeral shipping service for the preparation of the body, required permits and arrangements for transporting the body (or cremated remains) back to the deceased’s hometown. The shipping service is usually 60%
- 75% less expensive than hiring a funeral director where the death occurred.
24. Bereavement Air Flights: With many families being spread across the country, there is a good possibility that some family members will be traveling here from out of town for the funeral services. If they are coming by air, you should have them ask the airline for a Bereavement Airfare. Many airlines will give a discount for flights booked by families traveling to a funeral service. There are two ways that the airlines may verify this arrangement. First, the family member may have to pay the full airfare up front, with the airline reimbursing the traveler when they have proof that you have attended the funeral; this proof can be provided by the funeral home. The second way is that the airline may give you the discount up front, with telephone verification from the funeral home. The discount will vary depending on the particular airline and availability of flights.
25. Pre-Arrangements: Pre-planning your funeral is an act of love, caring and consideration for your family members and friends. It alleviates painful decisions at a difficult time and also ensures that your surviving family knows your wishes and beliefs regarding your final arrangements. When you pre-plan your funeral, you may select the type of services that you want, as well as the casket and burial vault. We can also help you to make arrangements for the cemetery. We will record the vital statistics information that will be necessary at the time of death, and also prepare the information for the notice for the newspaper. You can call our office to make an appointment with Tom O’Connell or John Murphy and they will help you to set up your pre-planned funeral arrangement. It is important to note that prearranging your funeral does not guarantee the price; the funeral costs at the time of death may be higher due to inflation and rising costs.
26. Pre-Paid Funerals: You may pay for your funeral in advance by setting up a trust fund account, with us, in a bank. Our trust funds are set up as a Certificate of Deposit account at M&T Bank. The funds acquire interest, which helps to offset the costs of inflation. Since interest rates and the rate of inflation are usually quite similar, a pre-funded funeral arrangement made now will usually be adequately funded at the time of need through the principal and accumulated interest in the trust fund account. By New York State Law the money that is placed into a trust fund account belongs to you until the services have been performed by the funeral home; if at any time you wish to close your trust fund account you may do so, and the principal and all interest will be returned to you. You need to declare the interest on your tax return as income. If there is a surplus of money in the account at the time of the funeral, the surplus funds will be refunded to the family. It is important to note that these regulations do not apply when the beneficiary of the trust fund account is on Medicaid. In that situation, the funds become irrevocable, which means that any surplus funds must be returned to the county which provided benefits to the beneficiary. As a funeral director we may not charge you any type of service charge affiliated with pre-arranging or pre-funding your funeral.
27. Grief Aftercare: We at the Ray O’Connell Funeral Home were the first in the area to design a program for grief after care. Grief aftercare is our way of letting our families and the community know that we do care, and that they are not alone. Our services do not end the morning of the funeral; they continue weeks, months, and years afterwards. For the 13 months after a death you will receive a newsletter which talks about different types of grief and how to deal with your emotions. We will also provide monthly support group meetings which are held right at the funeral home. Our funeral home will have educational seminars on different aspects of grief throughout the year, such as “Grief and Getting Through the Holidays” and “Good Grief Doesn’t Mean Forgetting”. All of these services are provided with no cost to our families. The programs are set up by our staff psychologist, Dr. Julia Culligan, Ph.D.. During the arrangement conference, we will give you a folder with dates and times for our support group meetings, as well as our educational seminars. We will also give you a handout, on what to expect after a loss, to read at your convenience.
Another program that we have available is a tribute video. We will assemble your photographs and set them to video along with music. We have found that this is one of the most powerful tools that we have to help you through your grief. When a person dies, especially after a long illness, the family has a very difficult time not thinking about the negative memories. At the funeral home, we hope that with our care we can provide a more pleasant memory picture of the deceased for the visitation. But, we felt that we could go a step further with the use of the video. The combination of a meaningful song with photos from the person’s life can have a powerful effect on the subconscious of the grieving person. The video tends to soften the negative memories and reinforce the positive ones.
The third program that we offer is the Remembrance Book. We have black diaries that are available to our families so that family and friends may write down any special moments or events that they shared with the deceased. This allows people an opportunity to express their love to the survivors. You may be surprised at the number of things that you did not know. Some families use the stories as part of the funeral ceremony, reading several of them as part of the eulogy.
Also, as a part of our grief aftercare, we offer a memorial board to all of our families; families may bring in pictures to place on the memorial board. The pictures help the survivors to talk about the person’s life, which is an important start to the grieving process. As family and friends look through the photos, they will laugh and they will cry, and this is the best grief tool that a family can have.
We really do want to make your grief as manageable as possible. All of these services are provided at no additional cost. You may choose all, some, or none of them, depending on your comfort level.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR SETTLING AN ESTATE
When settling an estate you are going to need to locate some important documents. These documents are: will, insurance policies, deeds, bank statements, stock certificates, marriage and birth certificates, military discharge papers, Social Security card, vehicle titles, trust documents, and annuity and IRA contracts. Below we will discuss these in detail.
Will: This is the legal declaration of a person’s intentions, which he or she wishes to be performed after his or her death. The first step in the settlement of the estate is establishing the validity of the will. Unless the will is drafted, executed and witnessed in full conformity with all technical aspects of state law, it will not be admitted to probate. When the will is declared to be valid, the executor will be appointed to oversee the transfer of assets. If there is no will, the Surrogate Court Judge will appoint someone to distribute the estate according to NYS law, however the law does not always coincide with the decedent’s wishes. If someone dies without a will and the estate is worth less than $20,000.00, you may apply for a Voluntary Administrator of the Estate at Surrogate Court. The attorneys that work for the court handle the procedure at no cost to you. You should consult an attorney for other possible vehicles used for estate distribution; living trusts, credit shelter trusts and life estates are the most common options. Many people include their funeral wishes in their will; but this is not a good place to put your funeral arrangements because your will is usually read well after the funeral takes place. The best course of action is to pre-arrange the funeral and confirm those arrangements in the will.
Immediate Funds & Insurance: Since many expenses are incurred before the estate is settled, it can be important to obtain immediate funds for the funeral and family expenses. Most death benefits must be applied for because they are not sent to survivors automatically. Possible sources of funds are: Social Security, Veteran’s Administration, County Social Services, No Fault Insurance, Crime Compensation Board, Double Indemnity, Credit Card Insurance, Mortgage Insurance, Travel Agency Coverage, Auto Club Coverage, Common Carrier Insurance, Traditional Life Insurance, fraternal organizations, lodges, unions, retirement plans, fire companies, professional groups, etc.
The filing of an insurance death claim should be an uncomplicated procedure. Contact the insurance company’s local office or agent to handle the claim for you. The insurance company will need a certified copy of the death certificate to process the claim. If there is not a local office or agent in the area, then write a letter to the company’s home office and insert a certified copy of the death certificate. The policy should not be surrendered to an agent without an authorized receipt, nor should it be sent to the company. The named beneficiary should receive payment within a few weeks. If the beneficiary is deceased, then the insurance money becomes part of the estate and must go through probate. This can create a delay of several months before the benefits become available. As a side note, it is unnecessary for your attorney to handle the insurance claims; insurance passes directly to the named beneficiary without having to go through probate.
No Fault Insurance: If someone dies in a vehicular accident, that person should be eligible for a $2,000.00 death benefit. Make a claim with the insurance company that covered the car that the deceased was in, or if a pedestrian, the company of the striking car. For more information call 800-342-3736.
Crime Compensation Board: If the death was a result of a crime, the family may be entitled to receive a $6,000.00 death benefit. Claims are very slow to process and may take up to a year for reimbursement. For more information contact the Buffalo Office of the Crime Victims Board, 77 West Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, or call 716-847-7992.
Railroad Retirement: If the spouse is not eligible for monthly benefits (under 60 years of age), then a death benefit from $200.00 to $1,000.00 may be claimed. The amount depends on when the person covered by Railroad Retirement last worked, and what contract he was under. If the spouse is eligible to start monthly benefits at the time of death, then there is no death benefit. For more information contact the Buffalo Railroad Retirement Board in the Federal Building, 111 West Huron Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, or call 716-846-4141.
Safe Deposit Boxes: A safe deposit box is generally sealed when the renter of the box dies. In order to open the box you need to make an application for a tax waiver. You need to call and ask for an application, fill it out and return it with a certified copy of the death certificate. When you receive the waiver, you have 60 days from the date on the waiver to get into the safe deposit box. The phone number to call is 800-462-8100. The application must be made by the executor of the estate.
Tax Considerations: Federal estate tax applies to property owned by the deceased at the time of death. Individual states also impose estate taxes. Estate tax laws and regulations are complex, and detailed information on requirements can be best given by your attorney, accountant or financial planner. Most people ignore the consequences of estate taxes, but with a little investigation and preplanning, you could save your family a significant amount of money and work. It is also important to ask about Medicaid, because there are some tools available which will protect your estate and heirs.
Joint Property: The rules for transfer of jointly owned property vary, but your attorney can provide assistance. When a house or land is owned jointly, it often can be passed to the survivor without probate action. Joint bank accounts revert to the survivor. When stock or bonds are owned jointly with a right of survivorship, the beneficiary can arrange for transfer of title by presenting the required documents to the company’s stock transfer agent. Annuities that have a beneficiary work similarly to insurance policies, and also avoid probate. It is best to consult your attorney with any questions.
Vehicles: Vehicles may be driven, as long as they are insured and registered, until such time as the ownership of the vehicle is transferred or the registration expires. The spouse or executor may transfer the vehicle. Items needed: certified death certificate, title, registration, new insurance cards, old license plates and forms provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV has many locations; check the local listings for the one closest to you.
Notifying Creditors: Creditors should be notified promptly of the death of a loved one. If there is to be a delay in meeting debts or installment payments, you may be able to file extensions. Many creditors are sympathetic to these situations and are very willing to grant such requests. If credit insurance or mortgage insurance policies were in force, those bills may be paid due to a death. The lending institutions involved can advise you about filing these claims.
Erie County Social Services: If the deceased has no assets or life insurance, and lived in Erie County, then you may apply to Erie County Social Services for burial benefits. Presently those benefits are $900.00. If you have any assets, they are deducted from the $900.00 allowance. For instance, if there is a surviving spouse eligible for the $255.00 from Social Security, it is deducted for a total Social Service benefit of $645.00. If you have assets totaling more than $900.00, there is no benefit. If the deceased was an indigent veteran, Social Services will turn the case over to Erie County Veteran’s Services. The death benefit is still $900.00. For more information or for an application, call 716-858-8634.
Power of Attorney: A power of attorney ceases to be in affect at the time of death in all cases. Particularly, if you have a bank power of attorney, you may no longer sign checks after the death. If the bank account was a joint account, then you still have access to the funds.
Social Security: We immediately notify Social Security of the death with a special form. This will stop future checks, although depending on the date of death, the next one may still be sent due to processing time. A person must live for the entire previous month in order to be eligible for the check that will come on the 3rd of the next month. If they should die before the end of the month, the next check must be returned; there is no prorating of the check. If the check is direct deposited, leave the account open and the funds will automatically be withdrawn from the account. The form that we send also informs Social Security of a surviving spouse or minor children. Social Security should contact you to set up benefits, but in order to move things along more quickly, you may call the 800 number or visit their local office. See Appendix I for more information.
Veterans Affairs: See Appendix II.
Appendix I
A MESSAGE FROM SOCIAL SECURITY
Your funeral director is helping the Social Security office by giving you this information about Social Security benefits. If the deceased was receiving benefits, you need to contact us to report the death. If you think you may eligible for survivor’s benefits, you should contact us to apply.
HOW SOCIAL SECURITY HELPS FAMILIES
Social Security survivor’s benefits help ease the financial burden that follows a worker’s death. Almost all children under age 18 will get monthly benefits if a working parent dies. Other family members may also be eligible for benefits, too.
Anyone who has worked and paid Social Security (FICA) taxes has been earning Social Security benefits for his or her family. The amount of work needed to pay survivor’s benefits depends on the worker’s age at the time of death. It may by as little as 1-1/2 years for a young worker. No one needs more than 10 years.
WHO CAN GET SURVIVORS BENEFITS?
Here is a list of family members who usually can get benefits:
· Widows and widowers age 60 or older.
· Widows and widowers at any age if caring for the deceased’s child(ren) who are under age 16 or disabled.
· Divorced wives and husbands age 60 or older, if married to the deceased 10 years or more.
· Widows, widowers, divorced wives and divorced husbands age 50 or older, if they are disabled.
· Children up to age 18.
· Children age 18 - 19, if they attend elementary school or high school full time.
· Children over age 18, if they became disabled before age 22.
The deceased worker’s parents age 62 or older, if they were being supported by the worker.
A SPECIAL ONE-TIME PAYMENT
In addition to the monthly benefits for family members, a one-time payment of
$255.00 can be paid to a spouse who was living with the worker at the time of death.
If there is none, it can be paid to:
· A spouse who is eligible for benefits.
· A child or children eligible for benefits.
This payment cannot be made if there is no eligible spouse or child.
HOW TO APPLY FOR BENEFITS
You can apply for benefits by telephone or by going to any Social Security office. You may need some documents shown on the list below. But don’t delay your application because you don’t have all the information. If you don’t have a document you need, Social Security can help you get it.
INFORMATION NEEDED
· Your Social Security number and the deceased worker’s Social Security number.
· A Death Certificate.
· Proof of the deceased worker’s earnings for last year (W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns).
· Your birth certificate.
· A marriage certificate, if you are applying for benefits as a widow, widower, divorced wife or divorced husband.
· A divorce decree, if you are applying for benefits as a divorced wife or husband.
· Children’s birth certificates and Social Security numbers.
· Your checking or savings account information, if you want direct deposit of you benefits. You will need to submit original documents or copies certified by the issuing office. You can mail or bring them to the office. Social Security will make photocopies and return your documents.
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI)
If you are 65 or older, disabled, or blind, ask the Social Security representative about Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks for people with limited income and resources. If you receive SSI, you may also qualify for Medicaid, food stamps and other Social Services.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information, write or visit any Social Security office, or phone the toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. You can speak to a representative weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
REMINDER
If the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits, any checks which arrive after the death will need to be returned to the Social Security office. If Social Security checks were being directly deposited into a bank account, the bank needs to be notified of the death, also.
Appendix II
VETERANS AFFAIRS
As we mentioned before, a Veteran is entitled to the following: A flag that has flown over the capital and in some cases a grave marker and monetary compensation. We will explain each to you, along with the requirements for each benefit.
Application for Flag: The following persons discharged or released from military duty under conditions other than dishonorable are eligible:
1. Veterans of a war, Mexican Border Service, or service after 1/31/1955. Discharged or released from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable.
2. Discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces under conditions other than dishonorable after serving at least one enlistment, or discharged for disability incurred in the line of duty.
3. Died while on active duty after 5/27/1941 and a flag was not furnished by the service department at the time.
4. Separated from Philippine military forces, under conditions other than dishonorable, after serving the United States in such forces under President’s order of July 26,1941 and died on or after 4/25/1961.
Required Evidence: The following is needed to receive a flag.
1. Completed VA from 2008 “Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes.” (We will fill it out for you.)
2. Discharge papers of “Notice of Separation for Active Duty.” (DD-2 14)
3. A copy of the Death Certificate or signed statement that the certificate has been filed.
When a funeral Director is unable to obtain the separation or discharge documents, they should contact the Regional Office at 716-846-5191 or 800-817-1000. Identifying information such as full name, date of birth, service serial number, branch of service, date of entry into the service, date of discharge, and social security number will be helpful in attempting to verify the veteran’s service. County Clerks could also be contacted, since many veterans had their discharge papers recorded at the time of separation from active duty.
Reimbursement of burial expenses:
Basic Burial Allowance: If the veteran was receiving either a disability or VA pension check, or if they die in a Veterans facility, he/she is eligible for benefits for funeral expenses of $300.00. The VA will also pay a burial plot allowance, not to exceed $300.00 for those same cases.
Transportation costs: The cost of transporting the body to the funeral home and to the place of disposition may also be paid in addition to the above allowances, if the veteran died at a VA facility.
Burial in a National Cemetery: All veterans are entitled to be buried in a National Cemetery. If you elect to do so, the government covers the cost of the grave, grave marker, opening of the grave, and provides the outer internment receptacle.
Headstone/Grave Markers: Any deceased veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable is eligible for a veteran’s marker. Service after 9/7/1980 must be a minimum of 24 months. Active duty for training purposes only in the National Guard or Reserves DOES NOT meet the eligibility requirements unless the death occurs during or as a result of such training. The grave marker is available in either bronze or granite. NOTE: All costs to install the grave marker must be paid from the funds of the applicant.
Peace of Mind Comes With Planning Ahead
Preplanning is a thoughtful choice for those you love. As a funeral director, I see that the decisions that accompany funeral planning can often be difficult ones. Preplanning is an easy step that will alleviate the burden of funeral planning for those left behind.
We hope that the material enclosed has been carefully considered. Preplanning takes little time today, but can help your family in the future.
Our priority has always been to serve you as we would wish to be served. We feel that offering the thoughtful choice of preplanning is just one more way in which we can help. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions concerning preplanning. We can be reached at 716-823-0124, or you can write to us at Ray O’Connell Funeral Home, 2286 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14220.
Sincerely,
John A. Murphy
And the staff of
Ray O’Connell Funeral Home
