Burial Policy

Burial Policy is a policy that helps cover the costs associated with burial. It is a kind of insurance called pre-need, because you are making financial arrangements for something that has not yet occurred. With the costs of funerals and burials becoming higher and higher, people are finding that burial insurance policies help protect their loved ones from shouldering the burden of funeral related expenses.

Burial policy insurance can be very general and simply provide an amount of money to help cover burial costs. Plans may be more specific and include monies earmarked for specific funereal services such as funeral vehicles, cremation services, or a particular casket or urn.




Like a relatively straightforward purchase. But a spate of funeral insurance scams across the country involving thousands of policyholders shows that you must do as much homework when buying burial insurance as any other type of insurance, perhaps even more so. In fact, there has been so much controversy in the industry, particularly accusations that elderly people are being duped into paying more in premiums than they will ever receive in benefits, that states such as Florida have sought to ban the policies outright.

Funerals were often funded with trusts, sums set aside in the approximate amount of the funeral. Trusts aren't complex to arrange, but they do carry tax liabilities and are a tricky issue if the purchaser moves out of state. So instead, some consumers set up "final life expense" insurance policies with small coverage limits to cover this cost. Find more burial policy information.

Financial Safety Net

Life Insurance: Your Financial Safety Net
By Parker Wins

The people who need life insurance do not have it. More than half who have it are not covered enough. Life insurance in America seems to be going beyond the reach of the working class.




You are setting goals, implementing plans and monitoring your finances. A retirement plan, a house and other investments may be a part of your goals. Insurance is a part of a sound financial plan. Insurance always covers the unexpected part. Have you ever searched for life insurance quotes or finding out information from life insurance companies to insure your life?

The question you need to ask yourself is; who are the persons depending on my income? Your spouse, children, aged parents will be the usual answer. Single parent families have increase and the loss of the earning member can cripple this household. Having provided for the dependent members of your family even when you are not around is a comforting assurance. Life insurance can give you this assurance in the uncertain times we face. If you have mis-concepts of life insurance it is best to clear them right away.

Life insurance is not going to pay just for your funeral expenses. Your child’s education may depend on these funds. It can help pay mortgages, other household expenditure or even the estate taxes. Without life insurance benefits the family is vulnerable to dramatic adjustments to cater to their needs when the bread earner is no more. A working Mom’s safety net?

• Life insurance is taken by working mothers so that their heirs are not burdened with debts in case they are not longer around.
• Single Mom’s faced more pressure and as the sole breadwinner need to take up a life insurance policy to cover the costs of child care and education. A college education can also be quite expensive and the policy could be of help when your child reaches college.
• Young couples need to get a life insurance policy as it provides a safety net. This is a necessity for families with small savings. The responsibilities are huge and the spouse and kids can be supported by the insurance amount.
• The burden on the other savings that you have can be eased a little when you have a life insurance policy.
• In case of mortgages and other payments a insurance policy can stand as a better guarantee. The single spouse would find it difficult to make payments on the house mortgage.
• You may also insure your parent who looks after the maintenance of the house and looks after the children.

Housewives are not far behind. In case you are a pre-retired housewife that has had an early retirement to look after the house and the children. You can avail the best insurance policy to safeguard the financial aspect of your family.

A good rule of the thumb in any life insurance policy is that the cover should be two to six times of the annual income. Take into consideration the inflation, potential loans and mortgages, college tuition fees etc …, incase they do not suffice you could always go for a supplemental life insurance policy. This will increase the coverage.

Lifecoverpro.com is an information portal that deals exclusive with information on life insurance. This information hub helps you to find solutions for your search for the best suited life insurance scheme. Life Insurance Policy , Life Insurance Benefits, etc… is better expounded by the site.

Visit Gravesites

Why Do People Visit Gravesites?
By Olga Moe

When people ask me if I have been to visit my parent’s grave lately, I ask them, “Why would I want to do that?” The way I see it, it’s not really where they are. Sure, I communicate with them all the time, but I don’t need to take a ferry into Seattle and kneel on my aching arthritic knees on the wet ground to talk to their physical remains. I think it would be a pretty grim comfort to me, if that were the only option I had. Doesn’t the spirit go on living apart from the physical incarnation?




Yes, I think that funerals are fine. They provide a transition for both the souls who have lost their loved ones, as well as for the departed themselves. When we gather by a casket and everyone watches it be interred in the earth, we have a ritualistic chance to witness separation of the perishable physical body from the non perishable spirit. Tribute is paid, and the flesh life of that particular person is lovingly released from further responsibility. The spirit of that person though, is still alive and as close to you as your breath.

Departed souls, unless something unusual or traumatic has occurred, are typically present at their own funeral. This soul is still getting used to being separated from the body to which it was committed for a lifetime. It is bidding adieu, and hovering, because soon its energy will be more committed to an agenda other than the earth bound one it has just completed. The body was earth bound, the coffin is earth bound the two are joined and the cycle is complete. Returning to this site in order to communicate with that disembodied soul however, is like carrying around an empty bag when you are hungry because at one time it held cookies.

To someone who finds comfort in visiting the grave of a departed loved one, I say go for it. Like all things spiritual, there are gradations of understanding. If a person needs physical props to comprehend the non-physical, then that is fine. We are still being provided with a vehicle for communication. To those who are more in tune with the spirit world, I am happy for you because you are feeling less pain of separation.

The important word here is “communicate”. Once we comprehend that we are doing business on a much larger, all-inclusive playing arena, we discover new attitudes about our earth life right now. We get a greater sense of purpose for why we are temporarily here. We feel buoyed, because we are assured that the universe is not going to kick us out of our home.

We understand finally, that we don’t go anywhere because we are already here. Time won’t change things, because time is linear and we have been released from the constraints of linear time. We simply are right now and we are forever. This simple knowledge gives me peace.

Olga Moe lives on an island in the Puget Sound. She is known mostly for her fiction contributions to literary e-zines which can be found at http://zelda2530.tripod.com/

When Your Loved One Needs Help

How To Recognize When Your Loved One Needs Help
By Dunni Awoyemi

We all change gradually with time. Sometimes it happens so slowly that we can hardly see the changes - a wrinkle here, a gray hair there, maybe we go down stairs a little more slowly than last year. Just as it can be hard to notice changes in ourselves, changes in an older loved one may go unnoticed until there is a fall or some serious issue. Naturally, you want to see the clues before minor matters become major problems.

Here is a list of things to look for that could indicate your loved one needs more help:

• Loss of appetite or changes in eating habits. As people get older even cooking a simple meal can be a chore, and this can lead to poor eating habits. If you find spoiled food in the refrigerator, and a lack of nutritious food choices in the house, it may be time for more help.
  
• Lack of energy and persistent fatigue. There can be many causes of fatigue - some are physical and others are emotional. Either way, the person should be checked by a medical professional.
  
• Difficulty standing and walking or recent falls. The sense of balance becomes less sure as we age, and falling becomes a bigger risk. A medical professional can help diagnose the issue, and can also be the one to promote using a cane or walker for extra safety.
  
• Loss of interest in favorite activities, poor grooming, personal hygiene, reluctance to socialize. Depression is a risk as we get older and cannot do things we once could, and loss of interest can be a symptom. In addition to evaluation by a doctor, adding more personal interaction, as with a caregiver, can help your loved one.
  
• Confusion or mistakes about medications. Most older people have some prescription medications to take every day, often on a set schedule. When you see that some meds are not being taken correctly, it may be time to have outside help with managing the pill bottles.

Elder care professionals are trained to notice changes and to work with your loved one's doctors to ensure a safe and caring environment. Whether the need is for occasional daily help or full time live-in care, your caregiver is dedicated to making life better. We know that your loved one's health blossoms with tender care.

Dunni Awoyemi is the administrator for Dubols Home Care. Dubols is a medical and non-Medical staffing agency that provides caregivers for in home elder care services. http://www.dubols.com/

Scatter Cremated Remains

How to Scatter Cremated Remains (Ashes)
By Mary Hickey

You may envision going out to a beautiful spot and scattering your loved ones remains. While this can be a beautiful, ceremonial and a very healing way of returning a loved one to nature, it can also be a disaster. The following guidelines, will make the experience a positive one and make the final wish of your loved one, “I just want my ashes to be scattered” to come true.
To begin, often the word “ashes” is used to describe cremated remains. The media portrays it as light ash. The reality is the remains are bone fragments that have been mechanically reduced. They normally don’t gently flow into the air. It is more like heavy sand That being said there is some dust or ash that can blow in the wind, so when scattering cremated remains make sure to check the wind so they don’t blow back in people’s faces or onto a boat.




You will also want to consider the legal requirements to scatter remains. In no state is it legal to scatter remains on private property without permission from the property owner. Many parks also have rules and permit requirements so you will want to check into the requirements.
If you do plan on scattering the remains, many people are choosing to keep some of the remains in a keepsake container or mini urn. Some people feel they still want a part of the person and sharing the cremated remains is a way to still have a part of the person with you. Keep in mind, you will want to make sure the partial remains are in a sealed plastic bag inside the keepsake or mini urn. A funeral director can handle this for you. Many products are also available such as diamonds that are made out of the remains, jewelry that is designed to hold the remains or hand blown glass paper weights.

Techniques for Scattering

Casting
Casting is a way of scattering where the remains are tossed into the wind. As I mentioned previously, you will want to check the direction of the wind and cast the remains downwind. Most of the remains will fall to the ground and some of the lighter particles will blow in the wind forming a whitish-grey cloud. One person in the group may cast the remains or scatter some and hand the container to the next person so everyone has a chance to ceremonially cast the remains. Another option is people are given paper cups or casting cups and they cast simultaneously in a sort of toasting gesture.

Trenching
Trenching is digging a hole or trench in the ground or sand and the remains are placed into the trench. The remains can be placed directly into the trench or placed in a biodegradable bag or urn. At the end of the ceremony survivors often rake over the trench. A deceased name can be drawn in the dirt or sand- perhaps inside of a heart. The remains could also be placed inside this name and heart. You may consider taking a photo of this for a memory book. If done at the beach, it can be timed that the tide comes in and ceremoniously washes it out to sea. Family and friends may want to join hands and form a circle. If not too windy, candles may also form a circle around the site. The candles are then given to each person as a keepsake.

Raking
Raking involves pouring the cremated remains from an urn evenly on loose soil and then raking them into the ground at the conclusion of the ceremony. It is important to keep the urn close to the ground when pouring out the remains due to wind. Survivors may wish to take turns raking the remains back into the earth. If you choose to do this at a scattering garden at a cemetery this is how they will perform the scattering.

Green Burial
This is done either at a “Green Cemetery” or at a traditional cemetery. Often cemeteries will allow you to place a biodegradable bag or biodegradable urn on top of a gravesite or a family member as long as it is buried. Obviously, you will want to check with the cemetery and see what their requirements are.

Water Scattering
Water scattering involves placing the remains into a body of water. A biodegradable bag or urn is recommended. This is most often when cremated remains can blow back into a person’s face or get washed up onto the side of the boat. Both experiences can be traumatic and not the everlasting peaceful memory you envisioned. If you search on the internet or in the phone book you can find people that have boats and are experienced. There are urns on the market designed to gently float away and then quickly biodegrade into the water. Many people throw rose petals or flowers into the water after the urn. If the remains are in a biodegradable bag they may sink so you also may wish to throw a wreath of flowers into the water and watch the wreath drift away.

Air Scattering
Air scattering is best performed by professional pilots and air services. The airplanes are specially designed to handle the cremated remains. Some professionals will arrange for family and friends to be on the ground watching as the plane flies over and a plume of remains can be seen from the ground. If survivors are not present, the service will provide the specific time and date of the aerial scattering. Often it can be arranged that close family and friends fly along.

While scattering cremated remains can be emotionally very difficult, hopefully by knowing your options and being informed it will make a difficult time a little easier.

Mary Hickey is an urn designer and thought leader in the funeral industry. She is co-founder of Renaissance Urn Company, based in San Francisco. For some drastically needed new life celebration ideas, contemporary memorial poems and verses visit her site http://www.nextgenmemorials.com/. Hickey can be reached at hickey_mary@hotmail.com.

Find Cheap Life Insurance

The Best Way To Find Cheap Life Insurance
By Chris Simons

In today’s market the cheapest and simplest life insurance is term life insurance. Term insurance is especially cheap if you are young, and in good health, in this case your premium may be as low as ten or fifteen dollars a month for $200,000 worth of coverage. Although term insurance is more temporary than some people may like, it does offer a reasonable amount of coverage at a monthly premium most people can afford.



Photo by Dr. Hemmert

You’ll get the best deal if you figure out what type of policy will fit your needs. Generally the death benefit should cover five to ten times your annual salary. Life insurance needs are based on the needs of your survivors, so there are other things to consider when determining how much the death benefit should be; for example if you have a child that has disabilities or special needs you may need to increase the amount that will be received in the death benefit to accommodate their needs if you do pass away. You will want to ask yourself questions like; if I pass away how long will the family need to be covered financially before other sources of income can be found? Will any of the children be pursuing higher education and need financial assistance? Is my home paid for? Are there other major debts? How much will the funeral cost? Will my spouse be able to retire? If you do not have dependents, or if you do not have any debts to pay off, you may consider getting a plan that covers only funeral expenses. Making sure you get just enough coverage will ensure that you are not paying for extra money that is not needed.

The next decision to make is to decide if you want renewable term life insurance or level term insurance. With renewable term you have the right to renew the policy (rates may be higher) regardless of the state of your health. This is a major advantage because it allows a person to still have life insurance even if their health would disqualify them from getting any other insurance. With renewable term insurance it is possible to switch a policy to another company if they have lower rates, but you may want to be careful with this practice, some companies do not like to take on people who have a history of changing business often. Level term provides the same premium throughout the life of the policy whether rates go up or down.

Now that you have decided how much you need and what type of term insurance you want, it will make it much easier to shop around for the best deal.

Chris Simons is a prolific freelance writer. You are welcomed to visit http://life-insurance.cyberinformer.com/, for more information on Cheap Life Insurance