I have a pre arranged contract at another funeral home. Can I use J. B. Tallent Funeral Service & Crematory at my death?
Yes, the General Statutes allows for a change or substitution from the original funeral provider. Just because you funded with a particular funeral establishment does not mean you must use that provider at the time of the death. J. B. Tallent Funeral Service & Crematory will make sure whether it is before the time of death or when the death occurs that there is no loss in your policy amount.
My parents are in a retirement home. How can I change the funeral home we designated when they entered the retirement home?
It’s simple, just contact the administrative office at the retirement home and ask them to change your parent’s designated funeral provider to J. B. Tallent Funeral Service & Crematory.
What do I do when a death occurs?
Most deaths occur in health care institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes. The staff of the health care facility will ask you which funeral home you wish called.
If the death occurs at home and the patient is under the care of a hospice organization, you should immediately contact your hospice nurse. Your hospice nurse will follow the necessary and legal procedures. Some time during the event they will ask you which funeral director you want notified.
If the death occurs outside a health care institution you simply dial 911. The authorities will guide your next actions and will ask which funeral home you wish called.
As well as removing the deceased and preparing them for final disposition, the funeral home can help you with:
· Obtaining death certificates
· Completing the relevant form for Social Security
· Completing the relevant forms for Veteran Administration (if veteran)
· Helping with compiling, formatting and inserting the obituary information in local and out of town newspapers.
· Informing all the people and organizations who need to be informed
· Making arrangements for and conducting the funeral or memorial service
· Deciding on whether you want memorial gifts to be made on behalf of the deceased, and whether they should go to a hospice, charity, church, school, etc.
· Deciding on the disposition of flowers after the funeral
Most people are reluctant to ask a funeral establishment for consumer information they would expect from any other company, organizations or service oriented provider. Every funeral home is required by law to give you information including price over the telephone. If a firm is hesitant or appears not helpful you may wish to search for one that will satisfy you.
Do not hesitate to call several firms. There is rarely such hurry that you will not have time to select a funeral home as carefully as you would any other service. Know the details of the type of funeral you want or that your family may have used in the past. If the representative is a good listener, is free with options and information, and is comfortable to talk to and you feel pleased, then the firm probably will be supportive of your needs. Be certain to evaluate all aspects of what you are expecting the funeral provider to do for you. There is an extremely wide range of costs in the Charlotte area. Please be careful not to make your decision based only on price.
Who Must I Tell When a Death Occurs?
When a death occurs you will need to notify the deceased person’s family members and close friends as well as their employers/business colleagues, school/college and any associations they were affiliated with. This is easiest done by telephone.
Try to get a family member to help you, and keep a record of all calls made and received. Make a list of far-away people who will need to be informed by mail, and decide what form the notification will take and who will take care of it.
Keep a list of everyone who sends flowers, writes, calls, etc. and decide who will acknowledge them. “Thank you” notes may be printed cards or handwritten notes or both. The staff of your chosen funeral home will probably be able to provide cards and other assistance with stationery needs.
Contact the deceased person’s bank. This is especially important if receipts such as Social Security checks are deposited automatically, or if mortgage payments and such are made directly from the account.
You will need to find the deceased person’s will and notify their lawyer and/or executor, and also inform any insurance companies. There may be income for survivors to come from insurance policies, or from credit or trade unions, fraternal organizations, the military, etc.
Check for any outstanding debts, such as credit card bills. Some insurance policies may take care of them, but even so you may need to ask for an extension on payments which are coming due to tide you over until the insurance money is paid.
Where appropriate contact the deceased person’s landlord, cancel utilities, such as electricity and telephone, and give the post office a forwarding address for mail.
Why do I need a funeral home?
It may be perfectly legal for a family to handle all the details, prepare and transport the deceased, and obtain and process all of the legal documents by themselves.
But, for practical reasons, almost no one wishes to do this without the assistance of a funeral home. The average family is not experienced in the knowledge of relevant laws, does not have the necessary equipment, and is too emotionally involved to handle the procedures involved when someone dies.
When a death occurs you will probably want to immediately phone a funeral home to arrange prompt assistance, such as remove the deceased from place of death and transfer to the funeral home. Immediate transfer may not be possible in situations where an autopsy or tissue/organ procurement is to be completed. If the death is unexpected, accidental or under investigation, the transfer is dictated by law enforcement and medical examiner officers. Whatever the situation, your funeral director can tell you what needs to be done next.
A good funeral home should be able to provide you with this kind of emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, using its own trained, professional staff.
The funeral home will help you make arrangements at an arrangement conference, and will assist you whether you choose a full traditional service or immediate disposition of the remains with no service or memorialization at all, and whether you choose burial or cremation.
A good funeral home will always have a “full service” attitude, and will be pleased to meet your needs. A good funeral home should be able
to provide service 24 hours a day, 365 days a years and offer appointments 7 days a week.
The funeral home should be able to offer pre-death information and arrangement services, as well as post-service assistance and advice.
It is not realistic to think that anyone can be an expert in a process that they experience so seldom. The funeral director is a very valuable resource to explain options, alternatives, legalities, and other details.
We have a death in the family, what do I need to bring to the funeral home when ready to make arrangements?
You will need to bring with you (if you have them available):
· The social security number of the deceased person
· Military service record or discharge summary form (DD214)
· Deed or information reference to the cemetery property you wish to use
· Insurance policies
· Any information, special requests, instructions, etc. left by the deceased
· Clothing including underclothing
· Photograph of deceased for newspaper announcement and/or hairdresser
· Information you would want to include in the obituary announcement.
· A support person, family member or someone whose judgment you trust while you are making arrangements
· Be open minded. Many people have little experience in arranging a final tribute. The options for funeral services are much greater, and your ideas may be only the starting point for the ultimate arrangement.
· But if you do know exactly what you want and the funeral director you chose is not able to help you, keep an open mind about finding a funeral home that will help as you want.
Your funeral director can help you with information on death certificates and can get certified copies for you. You will need the following information about the deceased:
Date and place of birth
Mother’s (including her maiden name) and father’s names
Social Security number
Veteran’s discharge (DD214) or claim number
Level of education
Marital status
Citizenship status
Racial/ethnic background
Religion
Your funeral director will also notify Social Security Administration for you.
It is an unfortunate fact that there are many legal requirements when a death occurs, and it is easy to overlook things which need to be done. Keep in mind these details:
· Will
· Insurance
· Bank accounts
· Safety deposit boxes
· Transfer of ownership of a home and a car
· Union/professional association benefits
· Business succession documents
· Transfer of assets
· Taxes, including inheritance taxes and any senior exemptions on property tax
You will need certified copies of the death certificate for many of the following:
· Life Insurance and benefit claims
· Title/ownership transfers
· Access to bank accounts and safety deposit boxes
Can I say in advance what I want done with my remains?
Prearranging funeral and cemetery preferences and expenses is the best way of ensuring that your wishes are honored. Just as we prepare a will to ensure that our property is distributed properly, we should prepare instructions to ensure that our wishes regarding our final disposition are followed. In the planning process you will have a chance to research your options and make a well thought out decision.
By planning and contracting with the funeral home in advance you accomplish several major goals.
Your survivors will know for sure what you wishes are since your instructions will be in written form. Your survivors will be bound, as a matter of law, to follow your wishes unless extenuating circumstances prevent it. The funeral home will become your agent in ensuring that your plans are carried out. When you have set money aside to pay for the services your family will not be burdened by the expense nor will they be tempted to alter your plans for financial reasons. In North Carolina financing arrangements made with funeral homes are regulated and audited by the state. The contracts are registered with N. C. Board of Funeral Service for a fee of $20.00 per contract. The contracts can be drawn up as standard or inflation-proof agreements. Inflation proof would cover those services and merchandise provided by the funeral home (and noted on the contract). Third party or additional fees can be included with the contract but since they are provided by another party or agent they are not inflation proof. Some examples of third party items would include flowers, cemetery fees, monuments, newspaper obituaries, certified copies of death certificate, and honorariums. The money paid in advance for funeral expenses can not be held or placed in the funeral home banking accounts. The money must be placed either with a state approved prearranged insurance company or in a trust account with a selected bank.
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