Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Preneed Trust?

A preneed trust is a financial arrangement with a funeral home, cemetery, or cremation service  to pay, in advance of need, the anticipated costs of funeral, cremation, and burial.   Anyone, regardless of age or health, can set up a preneed trust.  Planning ahead enables you to make careful decisions, working with the licensed death care provider of your choice, 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 preneed trust fund?

The funds you place in your preneed trust fund remain your money.  Your trust fund can only be used for the purposes you specified in your preneed contract.  Your preneed funds are deposited in state-regulated, legally authorized institutions.   At the time of need, your preneed trust funds will pay your funeral, cemetery or cremation service, per the preneed contract you arranged, to cover the specific arrangements you authorized.  This payment is a transaction that occurs outside of your will and without probate,

How much should you put into Preneed Trust?  What are the steps to set it up?

Your funeral, cemetery, or cremation service preneed counselor can guide you through preneed considerations, such as the service, merchandise, and other arrangements you desire.  Your choices will be summarized in a written preneed contract.  The amount of the preneed contract establishes the amount you should put in your preneed trust.  Your preneed statement of goods and services, and your preneed 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 Preneed 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 Preneed Trust over other preneed payment options?

There are two major advantages:  The amount you deposit in a preneed 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 preneed 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 Preneed Trust?

Call or visit your funeral home, cemetery, or cremation service and ask for their preneed counselor.  This person is trained and knowledgeable about Preneed Trust.  You can also download a brochure with more information or send us an email request to be referred to a professional in your area.

Click each consumer brochure to view, download, and print.

Preneed Cemetery Brochure
Preneed Funeral Trust Brochure
Preneed Cremation Trust Brochure