Everything You Should Know About Hidden Funeral Costs and Tips to Avoid Them

1. Everything You Should Know About Hidden Funeral Costs and Tips to Avoid Them Planning a funeral is one of the most difficult processes as there are so many decisions to be made at a time when the family is grieving. The options, cost, and decision making is often overwhelming at such an emotional time. Though you may be confused about making choices, most people are prepared when it comes to choosing the right funeral home. In Singapore, you can find several packages for funeral which may dig a deep hole in your pocket. Only due diligence can help you in making informed decisions and avoiding unnecessary expenses. Unfortunately, funeral packages in Singapore come with hidden costs which can quickly add up, making a bigger bill. Here’s a look at how you can avoid hidden funeral costs: 1. Fancy casket While the casket in itself is not a hidden charge, some funeral homes hide the low-cost options from display and attract the customers to spend more on fancy caskets. Funeral homes are required by law to show customers all the available caskets and their prices so that they can make an informed and conscious decision. 2. Package deal Many funeral homes offer funeral package deals which may initially appear to be beneficial. But before making a decision, ask for the breakdown of every component which the package includes and how the package price is different from the regular price. You may not want every component of the package and they may adjust certain components against another one to make it appear a better deal. For example, they can use a cheap quality casket and charge more for the funeral director’s fee. 3. Timing Some places charge extra for the visitation time before the funeral or memorial service, for after-hours service calls, or holding the service on a weekend. 4. Accessories Ask in advance if the register book, memorial cards, acknowledgement cards, and religious items are included in the funeral package or have extra charges. The same goes for other arrangements also such as flowers, music, decorations. 5. Storage surcharge Ask if the funeral home charges extra for storage of the remains including refrigeration for a reasonable period of time before the burial or cremation. Some places add surcharges for remains as well. 6. Service fee This may consist of anything such as use of the chapel, staffing fees, funeral director’s time, crematory arrangements, permits, and paper work. This should not be an expensive affair, so get a list of each service you are paying for.

2. Explore the web for more information and suggestion on choosing a suitable funeral package in Singapore. Ask the funeral home about the mentioned items and consult the funeral director for more clarity on issues that may raise disputes in the near future. If you do not wish to pay extra at a funeral event, it is always good to ask for quotations in advance.