If you have had to plan a loved one’s funeral, you might already know just how expensive end-of-life expenses and final arrangements can be. In fact, according to World Population Review, the average funeral in California costs almost $12,000. You can spend substantially more, though.
You probably do not want to leave your loved ones scrambling to pay for your end-of-life celebration and final expenses. If you are looking for ways to fund your funeral, you might want to consider joining a funeral trust.
What is a funeral trust?
In simple terms, a funeral trust offers you a way to pay for your funeral while you are still alive. When you join the trust, you give money or assets to the funeral home to hold in trust for your benefit. After your death, the funeral home pays your final expenses using funds from the trust.
What do funeral trusts cover?
It is important for you to ask the funeral home about which expenses its funeral trust covers. Generally, though, funeral trusts pay for a variety of final expenses, including the following:
- Burial plots, vaults, caskets and urns
- Funeral venue and transportation
- Entertainment, clothing and flowers
Are all funeral trusts the same?
Because funeral homes administer their own trusts, you are likely to find vast differences in funeral trusts. Therefore, before investing in the trust, it is important to gauge whether the funeral home has a history of being responsible with the money of others.
Ultimately, because funeral trusts can affect tax liability and public benefits, it is equally important to fully understand the advantages and drawbacks of a funeral trust before joining one.