Have you heard the story of the family that overpaid?

Everyday a family is misguided and mislead by sales people working in the funeral service industry. Recently a family went into a funeral home and was sold a traditional funeral totaling over $16,000.00. Something they could not afford, but felt pressured to purchase as they anticipated the death of a loved one in the near future and wanted to be prepared.

The family was told if they did not use the funeral home on the cemetery property, they would not be able to bury their loved one in this cemetery. Straight out lie. For public knowledge, you may use Voyage or any other funeral provider of your choice for services such as cremation or traditional, followed by the burial of an urn or a casket at the cemetery of your choice.

This family received a Voyage brochure in the mail, and noticed they could purchase a full traditional service, including a hard wood casket, for only $6,500.00 plus GST. They decided they would use the services of Voyage instead. A savings difference of almost $10,000.00. The family then went back to the cemetery telling them they wanted to cancel the purchased services because they where going to use Voyage. The sales person, after taking over $16,000.00 from this family, said he would match the price of Voyage Funeral Home. He matched the price so he would not lose his sale or commission. Why would this sales person not give them the best price possible in the first place? Did you know that you may cancel any preplan policy within thirty days of purchase? When cancelling a preplan policy, you may have a hard time getting a hold of your sales person to do so. If this happens to you, the best thing to do is walk into the cemetery office and demand your money back. Once the 30-day period passes it becomes more difficult to receive your money back.

If your policy is over 30 days and you over paid, you may transfer your policy to Voyage and upon your passing your estate will receive a refund. Example: Simple Cremation at Voyage is $1,600.00 plus GST totalling $1,680.00, others charge as high as $5,500.00 plus GST totaling you over $6,160.00. If you transfer this type of policy, your estate would be refunded roughly $4,480.00 upon your passing.

We all need to prepare for death and making final arrangements is one of the most important gifts you leave behind. Preplanning allows your family to follow through with your specific wishes. It also avoids financial burden for your loved ones with funeral expenses.

There are several mistakes that can occur when preplanning your final arrangements such as:

1. Not asking the right questions beforehand of the funeral home that you wish to use. - You should feel confident and secure with the home you have chosen.
2. Having a preplan at a funeral home, only to find at the time of passing that there are unexpected additional charges. - If you are presently pre-planned at a funeral home, I strongly suggest that you receive in writing that there will be no financial surprises at the time of your passing.
3. Planning your final arrangement while under pressure from an aggressive sales person. - Many homes employ highly trained commissioned sales people and it is very easy to agree to items that are not necessary nor mandatory by law. You can commit to thousands of dollars out of pressure and not knowing what funeral services should be costing.

When a loved one chooses Simple or Immediate Cremation, it is because they want things simple. This usually means they want no viewing and no one touching their body. Their wish is to simply take them from the place of death directly to the crematorium.

Here are some other helpful facts: It is not mandatory by law to identify the body of your loved one prior to cremation, you do not have to purchase a casket for the purpose of cremation – a cardboard container is sufficient, embalming is not required by law, you do not have to purchase an urn from the funeral home, it is not mandatory by law to purchase estate and fraud protection packages, there are no environmental fees you need to pay, there is no law stating you must wash and disinfect the body prior to cremation, by law cremated remains can be scattered (please check scattering laws) and you do not have to inter cremated remains in a cemetery - you may keep them at home, scatter or divide among family.

With cremation on the rise, Voyage Funeral Home wants to help you honour your loved one’s life. We specialize in helping you personalize a service that reflects your loved one’s personality and honour the life they lived. There are many different ways to celebrate your loved one. Some people may have a service at a funeral home, a church or a legion. Some may want a more intimate gathering of family and close friends at a loved one’s home, cabin or favourite restaurant. Having some type of gathering is an important part of the grieving and healing process.

As a funeral director I understand that no two families are the same. Each family has their own way of personalizing a service to remember their loved one. People often ask how to personalize a service and there are many different ways. One family that had a service in our chapel had a close friend officiate the service. As family and friends entered the chapel, pencils and paper were handed out. On this piece of paper, guests were asked to write down their fondest memory of the gentleman who passed. At the end of the service each person placed their paper in a bowl for the family to read after the service.

Another family had their loved one’s favourite candy by the guest book for each person to have, her favourite music was playing in the background as you walked in and on our T.V. screens a slide show was playing showing pictures of the family’s fondest memories.

Anything one may think of that their loved one enjoyed may be incorporated to personalize a service. Using a tackle box or lunch box as an urn is personalization. There are no rights or wrongs in remembering your loved one.

Family and good friends are an important part of life. When we are young our parents raise us to be who we are today and as our parents get older we need to be there for them. We need to help them as they helped us, with unconditional love. Enjoy your mom, dad, family and friends. Make many special memories and enjoy life. Ecclesiastes 3:2 tells us there is a time for everything, a time to be born and a time to die. A time for war and a time for peace. I would strongly suggest that if you are at war with family and friends, to find it in your heart to make peace with them.

As a funeral director, I cannot take death away nor can I take away the pain. I do however have empathy and will do my utmost best to carry your family through the most difficult experiences caused by death. I promise to be honest, loving, caring, understanding and most of all have the greatest compassion, respect and dignity for your family, regardless of your situation.