fbpx

Create Your Memorial Experience

Help Celebrate Your Life by Pre-Planning
Call Us
discussing funeral planning

BASIC PLANNING FORM

Once your form is received, it will be filed in our office. We will contact you about about further details and considerations. Prepayment, though encouraged, is not necessary. Modifications to your plan can be made at any time. 

Full legal name of the person for which you are planning.
The date of birth of the person for which you are planning.
The address of the person for which you are planning.
What type of services are you requesting?
Will there be a viewing or wake?
Will there be a funeral or memorial service?
Where will the funeral / memorial service take place?
Please use this space to add any other requests; add an obituary; the names of songs to be played during the service; or any other additional notes to your funeral plan.

Important Facts About Preneed Accounts in NC

  • A copy of all preneed contracts must be filed with the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service (NCBFS) which then guarantees their performance with a $20 filing fee.
  • Funds received for pre-arranged funeral plans must be placed in a third-party financial institution.
  • Funds received for pre-arranged funeral plans are never owned by the funeral home. The purchaser of the plan is the owner of the preneed account and therefore the funeral home cannot access to funds. The funeral home is listed only as a beneficiary of the account.
  • The preneed account can be created with a bank account, annuity, or insurance policy. North Carolina funeral homes are ONLY able to collect those funds after the death has occurred. This ensures that the funds will be protected and available when services are needed.
  • Purchasers of preneed can request for an inflation-proof designation that locks in selected services and merchandise at the current date’s price for those items. 
  • Inflation proof preneed funds are placed with the insurance policy option and the funeral home takes the risk that the investment growth will keep up with inflation and increased costs.
  • Preneed accounts are transferable. Should you move residences to another city or state or if you simply want to choose another funeral home even at the time of need, the full amount of the account can be used to pay for services at another funeral home. 
  • You may also set aside additional money to go toward other funeral-related expenses such as flowers, cemetery fees, clergy honorarium, obituaries, or catering.
  • You may choose to sign a preneed contract as revocable or irrevocable. (Irrevocable preneed contract funds are exempt from being counted as assets when applying for Medicaid assistance.)
  • All funeral home preneed accounts are audited each year by the NC Board of Funeral Service. This audit confirms each individual account was filed properly and reports any value changes of existing accounts. 

Planning Ahead is a Gift to Survivors

Pre-planning the funeral experience for your loved ones provides you with time to make end-of-life decisions in a calm and rational atmosphere.

Start the online planning process now, or meet with one of our pre-planning advisors.

funeral preplanning to relieve family stress

Relieve Your Family of the Burden of Decision Making

Planning is a gift of love that will give your family room to breath, celebrate your life, and begin the healing process 

funeral costs holding hands

Lighten the Financial Impact on Family

By prepaying you help your family by removing the financial burden. You can pay today’s prices for future service with our inflation proof funeral trust. All prepaid funeral accounts are called both ‘preneeds’ and ‘funeral trusts’. Funeral trusts are owned by you or a designated survivor such as a spouse or POA but never the funeral home. All funeral trusts are transferable. All funeral trusts are audited annually by the NC Board of Funeral Service.

celebrate life funeral pre-paid raleigh

Personalize the Funeral Arrangements You Want

Do you want to choose the music, the poetry, the visuals, and perhaps more? You can with funeral pre-planning.

Eulogies

A eulogy is “a speech that praises someone who has passed away” and is typically given during funeral services. More importantly, a eulogy is a special and memorable moment that honors your loved one who has passed. While this is certainly an optional practice, it may be something that your family may want to have at your loved one’s services. Delivering a eulogy may be a daunting task, so here are some tips to help you in your planning and delivery. 
Tips for Writing a Eulogy
  • Take the time to write the eulogy, don’t rush.
  • Type and print the eulogy and bring it with you (or hand-write in large print). It’s OK to read off of the paper. It’s more important to be comfortable and say the right words rather than forgetting what you had planned to say by memorizing.
  • Keeping the length of the eulogy to about three to five minutes would be ideal.
  • Ask a few close family members or friends to review the eulogy for feedback and provide their prospective.
  • A eulogy should be simple and remind people of the type of person your loved one was while with us. There is no need to recount a detailed life story of your loved one. Tell your story.
  • Include a memorable story that is representative of how your loved one lived their life.
  • Having a few humorous parts of the eulogy would be appropriate and memorable. 
  • Focus only on the positive aspects of your loved one’s life, not the negative ones. 
  • It’s difficult to stay strong, and if you become emotional, everyone will understand and be supportive. 
  • Bring a small bottle of water and tissues with you in case you need it.
  • It’s OK to not make eye contact with the audience. Focus on the words you want to say.
  • Speak from the heart.
Important Note: While many churches allow eulogies during the funeral service at the church, some churches ask that eulogies be given at the funeral home or cemetery. A church leader may ask for a copy of the eulogy to ensure it is aligned with church teachings as well. Please check with your funeral director to coordinate a eulogy with the church.

Watch This Example of a Eulogy