Homesteaders Blog

How to Choose Between Burial and Cremation: Key Factors to Consider

When planning a funeral — whether it’s preneed or at-need — one of the many decisions you’ll face is whether to choose burial or cremation. While other methods of final disposition exist, like donation to science, natural organic reduction or entombment, burial and cremation remain the most common choices. Personal values and beliefs often shape this choice, however, emotional, financial and cultural considerations also play an important role. In this blog post, we’ll break down the main differences and key considerations to help you choose with confidence.

The Role of a Funeral Professional: What to Expect When Preplanning

Preplanning a funeral might feel intimidating at first, but it’s a powerful way to ensure your final wishes are clearly documented and your loved ones are spared unnecessary stress. At the heart of this process is a funeral professional — often a funeral director or a preneed counselor who specializes in advance funeral planning. They offer compassionate care combined with expertise in funeral service options, serving as a trusted guide through one of life’s most emotional and personal decisions.

What Is Burial Insurance?

Planning for end-of-life expenses isn’t something most of us want to think about — but taking steps now can save your loved ones from added stress and financial strain later. Burial insurance is a simple and affordable way to ensure that essential costs like funeral services, burial fees or outstanding bills are covered when the time comes. In this post, we’ll walk through what burial insurance is, how it works and how it compares to other planning options like preneed insurance — so you can make a confident, informed decision that brings peace of mind to you and your family.

What Is Preneed Insurance?

Insurance can be a complicated topic, full of technical jargon and legal language — perhaps you’ve found the same confusion with preneed insurance. If you’ve arrived at this post searching for information about preneed insurance in simple, straightforward terms, you’ve come to the right place. From the insurance definition to how to get started with your own funeral plans, we hope to clear up the process so you feel confident navigating your preneed journey.

Why It’s Normal to Feel Hesitant About Funeral Preplanning

If the idea of planning your funeral or a loved one’s makes you feel uneasy, you’re definitely not alone. That nervous feeling usually comes from a place of love and wanting to protect your family, even if the topic feels heavy.

It’s okay to feel unsure. Many people do. In the U.S., we don’t always know how to talk about death, and it’s easy to let fear or even superstition take over. Some think that talking about death will “jinx” things, while others may get overwhelmed before they even start.

Discussing Funeral Costs: How to Prepare Your Family for Your Passing

While no amount of planning will fully prepare your loved ones for all that comes after your passing, there are some ways you can help ease the pain and difficulty of that challenging time. Among them, having a conversation with your family about your funeral and the associated costs is important for many reasons, which we’ve outlined below. But first, let’s start with the basics.

Why Preplanning Your Funeral Is a Gift to Your Loved Ones

Thinking about your own funeral can be a difficult topic, but an important one to plan for and consider. Just like you plan for the end of life in other ways — such as documenting your will and power of attorney — planning your funeral relieves burdens from your loved ones and ensures your final wishes.

Funeral preplanning offers a lasting gift to your loved ones — one that provides clarity, comfort and peace of mind when they need it most.

Dispelling Myths About the Funeral Profession

With the internet and copious amounts of information at our fingertips, sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between myth and fact, even in the funeral profession. You will likely require a funeral professional’s services sometime in your life, and you may have uncertainties about what to expect throughout the process. With the expertise of some Homesteaders’ account executives who have worked in or with funeral homes for many years, this post sheds light on the reality of funerals and the funeral profession.

Tips for Operating a Successful Preneed Team

I think you’d be hard-pressed to find many professions that require such a strong willingness to go above and beyond expectations as the funeral profession. On any day, any member of your firm’s staff may need to jump into many different roles to ensure families receive exceptional service when memorializing their loved ones.

4 Ways Preneed Can Help Your At-Need Business

We already know that a robust preneed program is a valuable part of any funeral business. Not only does it help ensure the long-term security of your firm, but it also provides a service that families really want and need.