A funeral is a short ceremony and it is a way of saying goodbye after a person’s death. Funerals create a scope of hope for the living, support system for the community and let us know the meaning of life. Arranging funerals may be expensive, but churches may help with funeral expenses. It is common to see that low-income families don’t afford to arrange such ceremony because of several costs associated with it.
More importantly, Low income families after losing their beloved ones may have financial and mental stress and funeral may add more costs which may be shocking at this time. There are so many options for arranging funerals with free of cost before cremation or burial. You may get assistance from different platform like churches that help with funeral expenses. Non-profit organization also come forward to help in this tough time to help cover the cost of funerals. So, we are going to discuss about different options to cover funeral expenses as well.
Content Outline
- 1 Getting Church Assistance For Funeral Expenses
- 2 Churches That Help With Funeral Expenses
- 3 Organization That Help With Funeral Expenses
- 4 Government Assistance For Funeral Expenses
- 5 Who Are Eligible For Funerals Expenses Assistance From Churches
- 6 Documents That You May Require To Get Funeral Expense
- 7 How To Find Funeral Expense Assistance
- 8 Different Types Of Funeral Costs
- 9 Benefits Of Seeking Funeral Assistance From Churches
- 10 Limitation Of Funeral Expense Assistance
- 11 Frequently Asked Questions
- 12 Final Verdict
Getting Church Assistance For Funeral Expenses
Every family in the community is not same in financial status. Some families may have a very bad time in the course of their life because of low income. At the time of death of the beloved one, some families may not arrange funerals and even they don’t have any insurance coverage or other options as well. In this time, low income families highly think of how funerals before cremation or burial will be arranged and what amount of money is required to hold this ending ceremony.
For this, it is important to keep knowing where assistance on funeral expenses is possible. It is true that there are so many churches, non-profit organization and government assistance that provide such assistance. This assistance may come to cover different expenses like service fees, cost of flowers, transportation and many more. As you can see that it may be so difficult to arrange such funeral as low-income family, you may seek assistance from churches.
Churches eternally provides financial assistance for the peace of the deceased soul by arranging funeral in effective way. Churches provide financial assistance to cover the cost of funeral for low income families based on funding availability and other eligibility criteria. Such assistance is highly available on immediate basis because it is an immediate need for the low-income families. in this case, contacting with churches directly may be effective to get prompt response for funeral expense assistance.
Churches That Help With Funeral Expenses
So here is list of churches that help with funeral expenses and such churches highly come forward to help low income families in this tough time. The families who need such assistance may also get relief of financial stress because funeral also costs an amount as well.
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist church is named as UMC and it is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States. when you are living in the United States of America, it is easy to find its local congregation that provides financial assistance for funeral expenses. Low income families may get such assistance from their church fund or other non-profit organization in partnership with this church.
In addition to financial assistance, this church also stands beside the families of the deceased and families are provided with emotional and spiritual support like counselling and prayers. More importantly, this church may also help the low-income families to get assistance from different government and non-government organization to get support in this time.
Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church is one of the largest Christian church and it provides different type of bereavement services for the low-income families. there are different ways to get financial assistance for funeral costs for the low-income families and this includes fees for musicians, facility fee, services fee. You may need to go for eligibility criteria for the funeral expenses assistance from this church and get a detailed package of services. When you are low income families, you should get started with Roman Catholic Church to get assistance on funerals.
Catholic Church Charities
Catholic Church always stands beside with the needy families and it also comes with assistance at the end of human being. There is burial assistance program to make sure the low-income families can complete funerals perfectly. There are different type of burial and cremation services at reduced rate. When families have no other way to cover the cost of funerals like no coverage of insurance, they can be entitled to get such assistance. This assistance may depend on the location and other factors and it is important to check from the local catholic Charities as well.
Lay them to rest
Lay them to rest is the program of Diocese of Madison in Wisconsin and it started to complete funerals for cremated remains for burying effectively in catholic cemeteries. This highly offers free interment of cremated remains at the chosen cemeteries. This program aims to ensure effective and proper burial process as per catholic churches beliefs. So it may not cover funerals but it works differently like for cremated remains that does not get fund for funerals.
Episcopal Church
When you are residing beside this church, you may visit to know a number of programs run by this church. when it comes to funerals expenses, one may get different type of bereavement services with financial assistance. When you are needy but don’t think of funerals expenses, you may need to prove your eligibility and get a detailed package of services as well.
Other local churches and religious group
It is sure that there are so many churches and religious group in the community who always work for the people of the community. They highly work for the issues that make sense and have public attention. In the same, helping low income families at their funeral is also available from other churches and local religious group. So, one may also find such local churches and religious group and get help at this tough time.
Organization That Help With Funeral Expenses
There are some organization that may help for arranging funerals. As part of helping the needy families, they have different programs like food assistance, financial assistance and many more. Helping some families at the time of losing dear ones is no exception as well. So, these organization are
- Final Farewell: This is a non-profit organization that may support funerals for low income families. this organization highly helps the families who lose their children and go for funerals. Additionally, there may be guidance on emergency financial support to provide mental and emotional support for those families.
- Children Burial assistance: Children Burial Assistance is another non-profit organization that provides possible support for funerals. When parents have a very low income and see funerals as difficult to arrange, then possible assistance like vaults, burial plots, grave fees and cremation costs are provided by this organization.
- Funerals Homes: There are so many funeral homes throughout the country and it is so easy to locate. This organization helps low income families with funeral costs and there may be discounted or free funerals for low income families.
- The TEARS Foundation: The TEARS Foundation is one of the foundations that pays for the funerals or the cemetery. When families get stuck in paying the rest of funerals cost, then this foundation may stand beside the families to cover this cost. The financial assistance may come by different amount based on age and causes of death.
Government Assistance For Funeral Expenses
There is also government assistance which may come from federal and state government. There is financial assistance for low income families to cover the cost of funerals. This highly helps with emotional and mental support for the family who lose dear ones.
- Department of human services: Department of Human Services may be one of the important resources to get funeral expenses assistance. You should visit the Department of Human Services according to your state to get funeral expense assistance. There are financial and other type of support for funerals expense from this department.
- Social security one-time payment: When family may get one-time payment when the deceased had social security benefits. This social security is going to pay a death settlement that come by $255. This amount goes directly to the family who have lost the deceased eligible for social security benefit. This amount may be used to cover some costs for funerals.
- FEMA Benefits: FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management agency that also covers some funeral costs. When someone dies due to the disaster directly or indirectly, then this government assistance helps the family for arranging funerals.
- Burial Allowance for Veterans: The Department of Veterans Affairs provide assistance for funerals to their families. this assistance comes as funeral for children and spouse of veterans. The family of the deceased may get a tax-free burial allowance that comes between $300 and $2000.
Who Are Eligible For Funerals Expenses Assistance From Churches
Churches provide funeral expenses assistance for specific target of people who don’t afford to go. Additionally, these assistances may also depend on other criteria as well. So it is important to know such criteria but these may vary on different location.
- Membership: when you are going to request for funeral expenses assistance, you may need to be member of the churches. Some Churches may provide only to their members as well and it comes as primary eligibility criteria. This membership may come in the way where you are members or deceased oneself were members.
- Residency: different churches offer free burial or funeral expenses assistance and but this may be available in specific location and region. Churches may provide such assistance but same named churches may not provide due to different reasons. You need to qualify assistance according to living status as well.
- Income level: income level is the most significant factor to determine the eligibility criteria. There are different ways to assess low income that is the obstruction of the low-income family to go a complete funeral process. So you may require to submit your income level to get assistance.
- Availability of funds: churches always want to stand beside every distressed family. But it may not be possible due to limited funding. When there is limited funding, then families are not supported but they may be referred to other churches where assistance is available.
- Causes of death: some Churches may also set rules of the causes or death. If there is normal death, then they provide such assistance. If the causes of death is different that doesn’t align with their policy, then assistance may not be available.
Documents That You May Require To Get Funeral Expense
Funeral expenses assistance is going to help the needy families and it also ensures mental ease at this moment. The assistance may require some supporting documents to make sure it is considered as eligibility criteria. So, these documents are-
- Death certificates as certified
- Some related documents that are evidence as benefits
- Papers from different body to prove the cause of death at the time of disaster
- Some papers on funeral costs and receipts from service providers
- Documentation that shows that the families don’t afford to pay the cost of funerals.
Documents may be flexible at this time because the families of deceased need mental and emotional ease at this moment. So, families should collect papers and keep for showing when it comes to funeral expenses assistance. Some churches and other organization may not want to see such documents as well.
How To Find Funeral Expense Assistance
When a family loses a dear one and have low income, a little financial assistance to cover funeral expenses may be worth ensuring sympathy and empathy. In this time, financial assistance can enable a successful farewell to the beloved body. But they need to seek such assistance and it may be possible to get as well. Here are some ways to get that.
- Find online: online is an important way to find anything. It is just about searching on Google by funeral expenses assistance near me and then you are going to know a lot of results according to your location. It is sure that there are some Churches, religious organizations and non-profit organization that provide such assistance and you can see their program and location as well. So, you may contact with such organization and get help accordingly.
- Call 211: when you are in despair for funeral expenses and need assistance, you may firstly call to 211 and it is an emergency number to make sure you can get resources on funeral expenses assistance. Luckily the staff responding to your call can direct you to the nearest church, religious organizations that provide funeral expenses assistance.
- Contact with local memorial societies: in every stage of the United States of America, you may find local memorial society where you may join to get funeral service at low cost rate. So you may join in this society and get to know how they provide such funeral expenses according to non-profit organization.
- Reach to churches and local religious body: it is sure that Churches may help you at this moment. If your beloved one passes away and need to go funeral formalities, you should contact with these churches and religious organizations that can help you to cover this cost.
Different Types Of Funeral Costs
There is different type of funeral expenses it may vary according to the culture and location. These care common expenses that come in general
- Funeral Directors Services: there are different works of funeral directors such as planning, documents work, permits and communicating with the cemetery and crematorium and many more. It is the basic cost of the funeral and the family of the deceased has to pay for it.
- Transportation: it is common type of funeral expenses because the body may be carried from funeral home to the burial site and it involves transportation cost as well.
- Embalming and Preparation: Embalming is the process of preserving body by limiting the natural effects of the body. After this work, the body is prepared for viewing or burial. It also involves costs.
- Casket or Urn: there is also costs about Casket and Urn and it may vary according to the design of material and design. Commonly Casket may come between hundreds to thousands of dollars.
- Plot fee and other costs: the body will be buried somewhere in the cemetery and it is the cost of the land where the body will be placed. There are other costs like grave marker, headstone and grave opening and closing.
- Funeral Ceremony and viewing: these are the funeral costs and it includes venue rental, cost of flowers, other arraignment costs, music and officiant fees as well.
Benefits Of Seeking Funeral Assistance From Churches
There is benefit of seeking funeral assistance from Churches. As the family are shocked to lose loved ones but this time financial assistance may be at ease indeed.
- Financial relief: when family loses beloved one who may be earner, or someone else, financial assistance can be helpful at this moment. Funerals may be expensive for some low-income families and they need financial assistance to make sure they don’t have to face more financial loss. So this works as financial relief even they lose their beloved ones.
- Emotional support: the families who loses someone in their family understand the situation. If they are low income families, their grief has no boundary and they have to think of the cost of funerals. If such assistance on funeral expenses comes anyway, surely this is going to be a great emotional support.
- Ease of planning: at the time of passing away of a family member, it brings untold mental shock and they don’t plan what to do due to no financial solvency. If they get financial support for funerals, then it becomes so easy to make plans for every process.
- Community involvement: when Churches are funding the funerals, then it is believed that community is taking part in this funeral. Then it is possible to see a large gathering of the community people that may be strength of mind of the deceased family.
- Familiarity and comfort: when Churches are taking the responsibility of funerals, then every member are taking part. Then it becomes a way of knowing each other that creates Familiarity and comfort.
Limitation Of Funeral Expense Assistance
Even if we are discussing so many options of funeral expense assistance, but there may be limitation of such assistance in some rare cases. Surely every church and religious organization and non-profit organization want to say goodbye of every deceased but the church may not have enough fund to cover the full cost of the funeral. They may partially provide assistance due to limited funding.
Additionally, there may be eligibility requirement that may be income, residency, church membership and many more. So it is important to check out availability of such assistance even it is highly available from churches and other organization as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
So, there are some questions about this topic and we have selected some most common questions and answered. So, this can be also important to get more information as well.
Do I need to apply to get church funeral assistance?
There is no human hand on human death and death is sure but unpredictable. So, when families lose their dear ones and don’t go for funerals expenses, they can directly contact to churches and other organization as part of immediate help. Surely this has no waiting list because funeral expenses can be available on immediate basis.
What happens to a body if there is no money for a funeral?
It may be common to experience for low income families. If it happens then there are some options. The family should release the body to the state or county for burial or cremation. The family may have option for memorial service or celebration of life after some months or even after a year.
What is the average cost of funeral?
In the United States of America, the cost of funeral may come between $7000 to $9000. There are different costs like embalming, viewing, burial and many more. But the basic fee comes for funeral directors’ services. The cost may also vary according to location and other reasons.
Can church cover the full cost of funeral?
The cost of funeral may come as big amount and this amount may be covered by the churches. In some cases, church may go partial assistance as well. The full cost of funeral cost may depend on church policy on assistance. So it is important to ask for such cost directly.
What is the major cost of funeral?
The major cost of funeral comes to casket because the casket may be expensive that may come from hundreds to thousands of dollars. It highly depends on material and design.
Is there any way to save money on funeral?
Some family may not go funeral expenses when they have low income. If this happens, then they can think of direct cremation and immediate burial. The celebration may be arranged after some moths or a year as well. Additionally, the family may also opt for low cost casket or urn or and arrange funeral at home without thinking of high cost venue as well.
Final Verdict
Funeral may be important for every family and it is highly seen among families to arrange funeral. But funeral may cost a sum of money and families with low income may not have much money to go for funeral. So, families who lose dear one and may want to arrange such funeral should seek assistance and help from churches. For this every family with low income background should study and research about this assistance program run by churches to make sure they can get such assistance on immediate basis. Then assistance may also be a source of arranging funerals.