FAQs

Funeral directors are both caregivers and administrators. In their administrative duties, they make the arrangements for transportation of the body, complete all necessary documentation, and implement the choices made by the family regarding the funeral and final disposition of the body. As caregivers, funeral directors are listeners, advisors and supporters. They have experience assisting the bereaved in coping with death. Funeral directors are trained to answer questions about grief, recognize when a person is having difficulty coping and recommend resources for professional help. Funeral directors also link survivors with support groups at the funeral home or in the community.

One of the advantages of preplanning is that you have many more payment options. Depending on your age you can pay in full or make time payments over a 12 month, 3 year, 5 year, or 10 year time period. This allows you to take advantage of today's prices, protecting your plan from inflation costs.

Another great benefit when you choose the 3, 5 or 10 year option is that you can qualify for first day coverage. This means that if you pass away anytime while you are still making payments, the funeral will be paid in full and all remaining payments will be forgiven. This gives you the peace of mind knowing that your arrangements will be paid for regardless of what happens.

All funds paid into your preplan are completely transferable. This gives you the peace of mind knowing that wherever life takes you, your funds will follow. Simply call us and we can transfer the funds from Messingers to any funeral home in the country. We will even help you find a local family-owned funeral home if you need.

While it is extremely unlikely that Messingers will ever go out of business, you can rest assured that the money you have prepaid is safe and sound. This is because all funds paid for future need are held in a third party funeral plan. This means the funeral home can not touch these funds until your passing, as they are only payable upon death. In the event the funeral home went our of business, you would be notified and would be directed to transfer the funds to another funeral home of your choosing.

It is difficult to give an average cost because funeral services vary based on personal choices. The total cost depends on three main areas: the type of services selected, merchandise chosen i.e. the casket, vault, urn, etc. and the automotive equipment utilized. While national average for funeral costs would be from $4,000 to $7,000, in actuality it depends on what you select. We encourage people to ask questions and find out about the costs so they can make informed choices.

In some respects, funerals are a lot like weddings or birthday celebrations. The type and cost will vary according to the tastes and budget of the consumer. Not only that, a funeral home is a 24-hour, labor-intensive business, with extensive facilities (viewing rooms, chapels, limousines, hearses, etc.), these expenses must be factored into the cost of a funeral. Moreover, the cost of a funeral includes not only merchandise, like caskets, but the services of a funeral director in making arrangements; filing appropriate forms; dealing with doctors, ministers, florists, newspapers and others; and seeing to all the necessary details. Contrary to popular belief, funeral homes that are family-owned often maintain a very modest profit margin.

Funerals, Memorials, a Celebration of Life, can fill an important role for those mourning the loss of a loved one. By providing surviving family and friends with an atmosphere of care and support in which to share thoughts and feelings about death, funerals are the first step in the healing process. It is the traditional way to recognize the finality of death. Funerals are recognized rituals for the living to show their respect for the dead and to help survivors begin the grieving process.

You can have a full funeral service even for those choosing cremation. Planning a personalized ceremony or service will help begin the healing process. Overcoming the pain is never easy, but a meaningful funeral or tribute will help.

With cremation, your options are numerous. The cremains can be interred in a cemetery plot, i.e., earth burial, retained by a family member, usually in an urn, scattered on private property, or at a place that was significant to the deceased. (It would always be advisable to check for local regulations regarding scattering in a public place-your funeral director can help you with this.)

Today, there are many different types of memorial options from which to choose. Memorialization is a time-honored tradition that has been practiced for centuries. A memorial serves as a tribute to a life lived and provides a focal point for remembrance, as well as a record for future generations. The type of memorial you choose is a personal decision.

The Federal Trade Commission says, "Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. Embalming may be necessary, however, if you select certain funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require you to pay for it, such as direct cremation or immediate burial."

Viewing is a part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process by helping the bereaved recognize the reality of death. Viewing is encouraged for children, as long as the process is explained and the activity is voluntary.

Yes, Messingers proudly owns and operates our own crematory. Our state of the art crematory is located on the grounds of our Paradise Memorial Cemetery. This means your loved one will never leave our care and you can rest assured that the cremation is preformed to the highest standards in the industry. Tours of the crematory are available upon request.

Yes, because Messingers owns and operates our own crematory we allow families to visit and even witness their loved ones cremation if they so desire.