Bass and Gasper Funeral Home

PRE-PLANNING

No one likes to think about death, let alone plan for it. By pre-planning your funeral, you relieve your family of having to make important financial decisions during a period of great stress and grief at a time when people aren't thinking very clearly and may not know what to do because you never made your wishes known.

Pre-planning your funeral can be very informal, and as simple as jotting down your preferences and sharing your wishes with a family member. More formal arrangements in the form of a preneed contract can be set up with us and can be pre-funded through life insurance, bank trust agreement, or another method.

What We've Heard Over the Years

* Pre-planning my funeral was my way of showing my family just how much I love them.
* In pre-paying for my funeral arrangements, I've lessened the financial burden on those people I leave behind.
* I'm very independent and have always made all my own decisions.
* Some say I like to be in control of everything and they're right!
* This way my family knows exactly what I want. No one has to get angry or fight, and no one has to feel guilty about making the wrong decision. When I'm gone, they will know what I want.
* I remember when my father died. None of us kids knew what to do and absolutely none of us knew what he wanted. No one bothered to ask! I'm just not going to wait for my kids to ask me what I want. I'm going to tell them.
* I guess it's because I want things done my way. I want to provide my funeral pre-arrangements to our local funeral home to make sure I get what I want.

Why Pre-plan Funeral Services?

In many families, discussing one's mortality is an extremely uncomfortable topic. But it is a topic that should be discussed and planned for well in advance of your death.

By pre-planning your funeral, you relieve your family of having to make important financial decisions during a period of great stress and grief at a time when people aren't thinking very clearly and may not know what to do because you never made your wishes known.

It's easy to say, "Don't make a fuss. I don't want a ceremony. Just bury me and be done with it." But it is important to realize that the ritual of a funeral and/or memorial service isn't for the deceased but for the living. It is a time when friends and family can gather together to grieve openly and to provide support for one another.

Pre-planning your funeral can be very informal, and as simple as jotting down your preferences and sharing your wishes with a family member. More formal arrangements in the form of a preneed contract can be set up with us and can be pre-funded through life insurance, bank trust agreement, or another method.

Pre-planning, when done properly, can give you peace of mind becaused you know that your arrangements are ready and pre-funded.

By Preplanning your funeral you can:

* make all the arrangements during a time of peace and not leave them to your family during their time of grief;
* make your wishes known;
* control the cost of your funeral and protect from inflation;
* ensure that personal records are organized and easy for your survivors to locate;
* protect your insurance so that it provides for your survivors and not for funeral expenses; and
* provide protection in case the need arises before it is expected;

RECORD YOUR WISHES

There are many benefits to end-of-life planning. Here are the top ten reasons why you should consider making your funeral arrangements ahead of time:

* It means there will be fewer opportunities for argument and indecision about your funeral arrangements among family members after you're gone.
* Your survivors will never have to worry about doing the wrong thing when finalizing your funeral arrangements. You will have told them exactly what you want.
* No mistakes and no oversights. After you're gone, everything will be done your way.
* You have peace-of-mind now knowing that we will follow through with your wishes.
* After your death, no one can make any decisions you wouldn't want.
* Funeral pre-planning is the responsible thing to do. It removes the burden from family members.
* You can make complex decisions ahead of time when you have the time to think things through.
* Funeral pre-planning can involve pre-payment. This will save your family money and avoid any financial burdens.
* Funeral pre-planning involves an awareness of the reality of death.
* You are almost guaranteed to get what you want.

Options for Financing Funerals

A funeral is an essential expenditure, and a little planning will eliminate the uncertainty of costs and payment. If you don't plan for funeral expenses, you run the risk of your family having to ask friends and relatives to share an unexpected financial burden, which can put everyone in an embarrassing and uncomfortable position. And if you borrow money, it has to be repaid.

Here are some options for financing funerals.

* Pre-Need Insurance
Preneed plans are designed to cover the expenses associated with your death and funeral. Preneed insurance companies such as Forethought Life Insurance Company, offer several payment options to give you flexibility.

* Annuities
Generally, annuities allow for the money you pay to be invested. Interest is earned which will, over time, increase the amount of money available to pay for your funeral.

* Life Insurance
A traditional life insurance policy can meet several needs--pay off loans, fund education costs, and provide for living expenses, as well as funeral expenses.

* Bank or Funeral Trust
A funeral trust is similar to a savings plan. The earnings on funeral bank trust funds are taxed every year, and paid either by the family or by the trust itself.

* Saving Account
Beware with this strategy. A long illness can easily deplete short-term savings, while taxes and early withdrawal penalties can reduce long-term savings.

6 Great Reasons Why You Should Plan Your Funeral

It lets you make your wishes known, so your loved ones won't have to guess. They won't have to worry if they did the right things.
* It eliminates emotional overspending from grief or guilt.
* Planning can bring peace of mind to your family's decision making.
* It gives you a chance to personalize your funeral and make it a celebration of your life. It's a way to get your loved ones involved and make it a positive experience.
* Helps relieve you and your family from future financial responsibility. There are several ways to make sure your funeral is funded.
* Gives you total peace-of-mind. Planning is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can leave your family to help them cope with their loss.

Forethought® Funeral Planning

Grandpa...will you always be here?

grandfather holding granddaughter

It wasn't just the love I felt for my granddaughter on that fine day. It was what she asked me...and what her question told me. For a moment, I was at a loss for words. It was clear she wanted the answer to be yes. But lie? Not to her. I finally found the words that brought her smile back. "I'm here now and I'm with you. That's what's important to me." It seems I've always been able to leave her with a smile. My dearest wish is never to see that change.

You're going to be missed by those you've touched. But there's something you can do today to ease their burden when the time comes. Forethought® funeral planning, funded through the purchase of whole life insurance from Forethought Life Insurance Company let's your loved ones spend that important time in fond remembrance, without worry about the cost or arrangements.

Of all the things you can do for your family, planning and funding your funeral may be one of the most considerate and caring. No other thing will do as much to ease their minds and comfort them in their time of loss. It' something you can do now, it's easy, and it's affordable.

With Forethought® funeral planning, you make all your personal decisions in the comfort and privacy of your own home, where you can give calm thought to each choice. We will assist you in gathering all of your important information and you will become informed of the process that will take place at the time of death. Your loved ones will not have to make these choices in their time of greatest mourning.

A Simple Three Step Process

Step 1 : Gathering Information

This is just a matter of putting down all of your biographical information about your life, your career and your family. All the facts you'll want everyone to know and remember. This is also a good time to write down all the personal information that will make your funeral more meaningful, things like hobbies and special interests.

Step 2 : Making Arrangements

With this step, you'll sit down with us at Bass & Gasper and make choices about things like burial, cremation, what type of casket or urn, the types of services you want, and other details. At Bass & Gasper we will explain all your options, outline the costs, and make recommendations, if you like. It's painless, it's easy, and it only takes about an hour.

Step 3 : Funding the Funeral

At Bass & Gasper we offer Forethought® funeral planning, which helps alleviate the funeral burden on your family. We will work with you to set up a plan to fit your budget. Should you move or relocate, your plan is transferable to a funeral home in your new community.

Today's Personalized Funerals

People today want more from funerals. They want them to be a reflection of the individual and a celebration of life. Personalized funerals are more meaningful. It's a chance to think about what made the person special and unique. A funeral might include:

* Favorite music or songs
* Reminders of hobbies or special interests
* A lifetime of photo memories
* Special poems or readings
* A customized casket or urn

But a personalized funeral is more involved than a standard service, and requires prior planning. It's very important to write down the details ahead of time, and share them with family members.

Forethought® Insurance provides:

* Simple Underwriting
* Payment Plans to fit your budget
* A 30 Day free look
* Easy & Rapid claim service
* No tax liability on the death benefit

Forethought® Insurance plans are affordable:

* Single & Multiple Year Payments
* Payments can be drawn directly from your bank account
* Easy conversion of multi-pay plans to fully paid plans
* May qualify for Medicare/SSI assistance
* No income tax liability on policy growth

Everyone between the ages of 0-99 is eligible for insurance coverage, and no one may be refused a policy because of poor health.

Caring Professionals

At Bass & Gasper Funeral Home we consider it essential to provide the highest level of professionalism and services to families at one of the most difficult times in their lives. Call us for a Free Memorial Cost Estimate. Learn how you can gain greater joy today by planning for tomorrow. You may call us (812) 591-2571. Or simply fill out the form below for additional information.

YES, I'd like additional information about Forethought® funeral planning, funded through the purchase of whole life insurance from Forethought Life Insurance Co., Batesville, IN plus a FREE Memorial Cost Estimate. It's mine just for filling out this form or by calling. I understand that there is no cost or obligation and a licensed insurance agent from Bass & Gasper Funeral Home will contact me.

PRE-PLANNING

What We've Heard Over the Years