How and where to get funeral assistance

Planning a funeral is emotionally draining, costly and time-consuming.  Having to deal with funeral homes without necessarily having the finances can be very challenging and most people quickly realize that they need to get some help to give their loved ones a proper send off.

 So what can you do if you do not have the finances?

Apply for burial expense assistance

 Find out if the area you live has the burial expense assistance and apply for it. The government will in some instances give burial assistance to those who do not have insurance. Surviving children of people who qualify for social security get a one-time death benefit from the government. You can use this to take care of some of the funeral expenses. There are of course some eligibility criteria that you would need to meet before you get the money, for instance, you have to be the resident of the area and you must be able to show that you need the help. The process can be lengthy because you really have to prove your case.

Burial benefits for veterans

Veterans have special cemeteries and so the family doesn’t have to worry very much about burial sites. Allocation of the grave site is free together with the headstone, a flag, and maintenance of the graveyard. This applies whether you cremate the person or by road.

 If you opt for a private cemetery, you can still get the headstone, the flag, and certificate from the president. You will, however, get no benefits.

 In some states, survivors of veterans get an allowance but it varies from state to state and it also takes into consideration whether the person was serving at the time of his or her death.  If the person was in service, the allowance is higher than if he was not.

Funeral compensation by the government

Depending on the nature of death, for instance, if the person dies during an event that the government is aware of like floods or forest fires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the mandate to release some money to the families. You will, of course, have to prove that you’re eligible for the compensation and have the necessary documentation to support you. Other states will also compensate the victim’s family if the death was due to a crime.

Community assistance

In some cases, the community can come together to give your loved one a send-off. These largely depend on the deceased person’s affiliations within the community, his employer, social groups amongst other things. You can also use crowdfunding where you appeal for help from people online. Using this, you can generate enough money to cover the funeral expenses; however, you’re not able to know how much you will receive because it is largely dependent on goodwill.

Use of unsecured loans

You can opt to take a payday loan to take care of funeral expenses. You will need to have a good credit rating so that you are able to get a quick loan.