Does Social Security contribute money toward funeral expenses?
No. Social Security pays a one time payable death benefit to a surviving spouse of $255.00. If you are single there is no death benefit. This benefit is paid direct to the spouse not to the funeral home.
If I am someone’s Power of Attorney or Executor, can I arrange for their cremation?
Yes and No in New Jersey. Yes, you can make their funeral arrangements as P.O.A. Power of Attorney gives you the right to act on their behalf while they are alive, depending on what kind of P.O.A you have. But the authority to consent to their cremation must be authorized [...]
Do I need to purchase a casket if my family wants to have a viewing before cremation?
No. Most funeral homes offer a rental casket for this purpose. The rental casket has an insert inside, (insert:: Cardboard container which holds, pillow, bedding and deceased) so after the viewing the insert is slid out for cremation. This does not disturb the deceased. The empty shell of the casket remains [...]
What information do I need to make funeral arrangements?
The information you will need is the person's address, father and mother's name, including her maiden name, place of birth and date of birth, social security number, discharge papers if the individual served in the US Military and cemetery information, if they own a grave.
Are vaults required for caskets only?
No. If a cemetery requires vaults for casketed deceased's, they may also require a small urn vault for cremains. This is an individual cemetery requirement. We check each cemetery as needed.
Is it a law that a vault is required to bury someone in a cemetery?
No. It is a cemetery requirement not a NJ state law. Each individual cemetery may or may not require a vault. The vault helps stop graves from caving in and creating low spots in a cemetery.