Pre-need Trust  Frequently Asked Questions 

• What is a Pre-need Trust? 
  

A pre-need trust is a financial arrangement with a funeral home  to pay, in advance of need, the anticipated costs of funeral, cremation, and burial. Anyone, regardless of age or health, can set up a pre-need trust. 

Planning enables you to make careful decisions, based on your choices and budget, and spares your loved ones the burden of making choices, and paying for, the merchandise, location and details of your final services. 

• What happens to the money you put in a pre-need trust fund? 
  

The funds you place in your pre-need trust fund remain your money. 

Your trust fund can only be used for the purposes you specified in your pre-need contract with us. 

Your pre-need funds are deposited in state-regulated, legally authorized institutions.

 At the time of need, your pre-need trust funds will pay your funeral, or cremation service, per the pre-need contract you arranged, to cover the specific arrangements you authorized with us.

This payment is a transaction that occurs outside of your will and without probate. 

•  What are the steps to set it up? 
  

Our pre-need counselor can guide you through pre-need considerations, such as the service, merchandise, and other arrangements you desire. Your choices will be summarized in a written pre-need contract.

• How much should you put into Pre-need Trust?
  

 The amount of the pre-need contract establishes the amount you should put in your pre-need trust. 

Your pre-need statement of goods and services thru us, and your pre-need trust contract, are written, signed documents that you should keep with your key records that can be easily found at the time of need.

•  How does a Pre-need Trust work with Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid? 
  

SSI allows you to establish a trust to remove funds from countable resources. 

If you are eligible for state assistance, consider prepaying your funeral to ensure that money will be available at the time of need. 

• What are the advantages of the Pre-need Trust over other pre-need payment options?
  

 There are two major advantages: The amount you deposit in a pre-need trust remains your money, and cannot be taken or used by any entity for any purpose other than to pay for your final arrangements. An additional advantage is that funds that you deposit in pre-need trust are invested, with earnings deposited back into your trust, until the funds are needed to pay for your final arrangements. 

• How can you get more information about Pre-need Trust? 
  

Call or visit us  and ask for our pre-need counselor.

 We are trained and knowledgeable about Pre-need Trust.