American Prepaid Cremation Service (APCS)
Created specifically for prepaid cremation trust funds, APCS tailors the administrative, investment, technological, and regulatory expertise of its sister service AFCTS to the preneed trust requirements of cremation providers.
The APCS Master Trust provides the most comprehensive management services available, from initiating your AFCTS account to efficient processing and payment of death claims. The APCS Master Trust is open to any funeral home or cremation provider who wishes to participate, and does not require dues or membership in any trade association to participate.
Service highlights that deliver value, save time, and improve operational efficiency include:
Simple Rollover Procedure From Current Program – APCS facilitates the rollover from existing preneed programs with simple procedures, assistance from our experienced support team, and provision of all the paperwork and training needed to make it quick and easy.
Complete Turnkey Operation for All-Inclusive Fee – Our fee is competitive and includes everything, from Trustee and Investment Management fees to administrative expenses such as contracts, forms, postage-paid envelopes, and toll-free telephone and fax numbers.
Information Management & Reports – Our sophisticated systems track and summarize your trust information to keep you abreast of the status of your funds. Whether in-depth or high-level, we deliver monthly reports, online-access to your accounts, and other options to stay informed.
Automated Billing & Cash Management – APCS preneed trust installment billing and cash management remove the burden of billing while offering consumers the convenience of payments. Billing options include:
Trust-O-Matic Payment Plan – APCS automatically withdraws monthly payments from the checking or savings accounts of clients who elect electronic payment.
Monthly Billing – For those who prefer manual billing, APCS sends a monthly account statement and a preaddressed APCS return envelope.
APCS receives, tracks and credits payments from both electronic or paper-based billing,and reports the activity in your monthly summary.
Same-Day Payment of Death Claims – APCS’s unique Truschek “instant” claims system fully pays for services on the same day they are provided. Truschek helps improve cash flow and receivables management by eliminating paper forms, reliance on mail, and other administrative delays. After calling APCS to obtain a claim number, cremation providers can write themselves a Truschek against the preneed trust to cover the cost of services.
Value-Added Benefits – With close to 20 years of service behind us, APCS is continuously alert to new ways we can add value. The following lists a few of the ways we “raise the bar” in preneed master trust management service:
- Assistance with semi-annual and annual state reports
- Preparation and distribution of consumer grantor tax letters
- Preparation, filing, and payment of Qualified Funeral Trust (QFT) tax returns
- In-house management and staff training
- Informational newsletters, legislative and regulatory alerts, monthly and ad hoc reports
- Free consumer information brochures
