Monthly Archives: July 2020

cremation services in North Versailles, PA

Creative Products for Cremation Services

There are tons of reasons why cremation services in North Versailles, PA are so popular, from ease of planning and environmental benefits. But one of the main reasons is that cremations allow for lots of unique and meaningful creativity, from one-of-a-kind memorial services to body disposition and everything in between.

This creativity helps make the services respectful for the deceased and meaningful for the living. There are a lot of cremation products on the market that help with this creativity. Some are used before the cremation takes place like Thumbies. A Thumbie is a custom jewelry or pendant piece that creates a lasting imprint of the deceased’s fingerprint, footprint or handprint. Special Thumbie artists use a cast or image of the actual print to create these lovely keepsakes. You can choose different finishes including silver or gold to make the piece even more unique.

Similar to Thumbies, remembrance jewelry holds part of the deceased inside, so you can carry it with you wherever you go. You can use a small lock of hair, cremated remains, or even soil from somewhere meaningful to be placed inside a locket, bracelet or other jewelry piece. You can also find cremation caskets. You do need a rigid container in which the body will be cremated. Crematoriums provide a basic container, but you can opt to purchase a more elaborate or special cremation casket to make the cremation more special.

You can also find products that allow for personalization after the cremation like:

  • cremation servicesFinal Resting Place: There are lots of creative and special ways to put a cremated loved one to rest. These include:
      • Scattering: Scatter your loved one’s remains freely outdoors. You may also hire a specialist to scatter them in the ocean or even in the sky.
      • Columbarium: You may house the deceased in an outdoor niche above ground designed to hold urns.
  • Memorial Stationary: Make the cremation service itself even more special with custom stationary featuring photos of the deceased, meaningful quotes, or a simple decoration. You can use this stationary for the guest book at the service, or to write thank you cards on later. You can also find memorial folders, registry books, bookmarks, prayer cards, acknowledgement cards and more.
  • Urns: You may choose to keep the deceased’s ashes in an urn. There are many different shapes, styles, colors and sizes of urns to choose from, so it’s not that hard to find one that suits your preferences and needs. Some urns are basic but dignified, while others are personalized with engravings, paintings and other decoration.

These are just a few of the many cremation products available that make it easy for you to plan a creative, respectful and personalized cremation and memorial for your lost loved one.

If you want more information on these and similar products, or have questions about North Versailles, PA cremation services, contact Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. You can visit us or give us a call to learn more.

Funeral homes in North Versailles, PA

How to Pay for Funeral Home Services

Funeral homes in North Versailles, PA and around the country can be very expensive, so it’s vital to make plans now for how you will pay for your funeral to make sure your loved ones aren’t suck with a massive tab when you’re not around.

Most people have contemplated their own passing, but most do not think about the more practical aspects of their death, like how to pay for it, and paying for a funeral isn’t as easy as leaving some money in a savings account, however. When someone dies, their bank freezes their accounts and assets for a month, or sometimes longer. This means that after you die, your family won’t have access to your savings accounts until long after the funeral is over.

Luckily, there are a few ways you can set money aside like insurance. Most life insurance policies will pay out a lump sum of money to a beneficiary when you die. This lump sum can go a long way towards paying for your funeral home expenses. These insurance payments are made almost directly after death so your loved ones can access the money right away. There are also special insurance policies for death related costs like burials, funerals, cremations and more.

Payable-on-death accounts, or PODs, allow you to set money aside specifically for funeral and other death-related expenses. Your beneficiaries simply have to present a death certificate to the bank in order to obtain the money. They will not have access to the money until after your death. If you served in the military you may be eligible for veteran’s benefits, including burial, funeral or cremation at no cost. The Veterans Administration will pay a burial allowance to your loved ones to cover related expenses. Check the VA website to see if you’re eligible.

cremation services in Penn Township, PA

Banks also offer loans specifically for funeral home payments. However, as these loans are personal and unsecure, they can get expensive. Interests range usually from 16 to 35 percent on these kinds of loans. Since the FCA recommends that you do not go into debt for a cremation, be sure to only take out a loan you can easily pay back.

If you don’t have money to set aside right now, and feel like you won’t later on either, you can plan for low-cost funeral options. From direct cremations and at-home funerals to green burials, or even donating your body to science, there are definitely low-cost options out there. If you do plan to donate your body to a medical school or other institution be sure to enroll in advance.

Save your loved ones some stress after your death and make arrangements to pay for your funeral now. If you want to learn more about North Versailles, PA funeral homes and how to pay for their services, Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. can help. Pay us a visit or give us a call today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss.

cremation service in Monroeville, PA

Ease the Cost of Cremation Services

A simple cremation service in Monroeville, PA can be very expensive, and that’s not including any extra money for a service or memorial. While cremations are still more affordable than other kinds of services, they’re not cheap. With the cost of cremation getting so high, it’s no wonder that people are looking for help to pay for them, such as these four ideas.

You can start with preplanning. Check the deceased’s papers and information to see if they made any plans to help pay for their cremation, as these plans can go a long way toward covering the cost. They might have put in place things such as prepaying programs, funeral insurance, life insurance, or payable-on-death bank accounts.

You can also ask for help when needed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your community, neighborhood, friends or other family. You’d be surprised how quickly people will chip in when it comes to fundraising. Social media is a great tool to make your need known and get more people involved. Don’t be afraid to share any fund raising or write posts about your need. Get creative with fund raising like:

  • Car washes or bake sales
  • Church groups or donations
  • Memorial funds at the deceased’s workplace or bank
  • Crowd funding websites like GoFundMe.com or GiveForward.com

The government can also provide assistance. Local, state and even federal government programs can help pay for funerals and cremations. Check with your local social service, county treasurer, or public fiduciary to see if any systems are in place. These programs have varying requirements, especially since local government budgets are tight, and they are making such programs more difficult to qualify for. Be sure to double check that you are eligible. The Social Security Administration can also provide assistance. Call to report a death and you may be eligible for a lump sum of $225 or other survivor benefits. Other federal programs that can help include Medicare, Medicaid, The Bureau of Indian Affairs, The Railroad Retirement Board, and The Veteran’s Administration.

funeral services

If you still can’t get enough funding, there are tons of low-cost funeral and cremation options you can choose from, including a memorial service at home or a community center, pot-luck food for the service, service at a church or other religious establishment, body donation to a medical school or other organization (Science Care is the world’s largest body donor program), direct cremation and burial on family land or a family plot.

There is no shame in asking for help paying for a cremation or other death-related service. Use any of these ideas to get you started. You can also reach out to Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. for more assistance or ideas. We offer a range of Monroeville, PA cremation services and are happy to do whatever we can to help you through your time of loss. Give us a call today to learn more about how to help ease the cost of a cremation, or about what we can do for you.

funeral home in Monroeville, PA

From a Death to the Funeral Home

Every death is hard to deal with, and this difficulty includes both the loss itself and the stressful preparation that needs to take place between the death and a funeral home in Monroeville, PA. Learn more about this process so you can be better prepared when faced with a loss.

There are eight main steps that everyone must follow after a death. The first step is to report the death to the proper authorities. If the death is at a hospital, nursing home, or hospice, the officials there will know what to do and will make the report for you. If you are at home, or have no other options, call 911. Next, you must prepare to work with a funeral director. You will need the assistance of a funeral director to complete the death certificate, transport and store the body. Take note if the deceased made pre-arrangements for his or her funeral or cremation and be prepared to relay these wishes to the director.

The next step is to choose type of service. There are several service options you need to be prepared to choose from:

  • Funerals, in which the service is held before the body is cremated or buried and the body is present
  • Memorials, in which the service is help after the body is buried or cremated and therefore not present

Once you choose a service you need to make cemetery arrangements and service arrangements. If you choose to inter the remains after the funeral or cremation, you will need to make cemetery arrangements. Decide where the burial will take place, and if necessary, purchase a plot. If you’re unsure where to start, your funeral director or cremation assistant will most likely be affiliated with a cemetery and can help you find a plot. You could also check with your church, synagogue or other place of worship for further guidance. Feel free to get creative when making memorial or funeral service arrangements to make the service personal and meaningful. Flowers, music, pre or post service events and other special touches help make the service personal for you and the deceased.

Finally, you will need to make arrangements for the body to be transported from the place of death to the funeral home, and also to the cemetery if you choose burial, as well as inform the family and write a death notice. Personally inform all close family, friends and loved ones of the death, ideally over the phone or in person. If you’re nervous, take the time to write a script to help you make key points. Don’t forget to write and release a death notice to notify the rest of the friends, coworkers, associates etc.

Penn Township, PA funeral home

You can make a list of what you need to accomplish before the service to help you stay organized and not forget anything important. This list could include your attire, personal items or collecting photos. Looking for more guidance? Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is a Monroeville, PA funeral home. We can help you with all these steps and more.