2nd Quarter- MORTUARY ADMINISTRATION Exam 3

Question 1

Funeral arrangements made in advance of need

Answer 1

pre-need

Question 2

No provisions for funding or prepayment

Answer 2

pre-planned

Question 3

Includes provisions for funding and payment

Answer 3

pre-funded

Question 4

reasons for preneed

Answer 4

 Make individual wishes known to family.
 Make intelligent and informed decisions with less emotion.
 Relieve survivors of financial burden.
 Reduce personal assets for Medicaid eligibility.
 “Spend-down.”
 Includes pre-funded arrangements.
 Exempt from personal assets.

Question 5

types of pre-need contracts

Answer 5

 Revocable
 Irrevocable
 Guaranteed
 Non-guaranteed

Question 6

Contract which may be terminated by purchaser at any time prior to death of the beneficiary with a refund of monies paid on the contract as prescribed by state law.

Answer 6

revocable contract

Question 7

contract which cannot be terminated or canceled prior to death of the beneficiary

Answer 7

irrevocable contract

Question 8

Funeral home guarantees that services and merchandise will be provided at need for an amount not exceeding original contract amount plus any accruals (interest).

Regardless of cost of providing services and merchandise upon death

Answer 8

guaranteed contract

Question 9

Funeral home only agrees that amount prepaid plus any accruals (interest) will be credited to balance due. Funeral price will be whatever current price is for service and merchandise at time of death

Answer 9

non-guaranteed contract

Question 10

locations where pre-need can be done

Answer 10

Home / Funeral home / other location

Question 11

State and federal regulations

Licensing laws for pre-need

Answer 11

 Funeral service licensee

 Licensed insurance agent

Question 12

Federal trade commission (FTC) funeral rules.

Answer 12

 Presentation of price lists
 Permission to embalm
 Mandatory disclosures

Question 13

Alteration of pre-funded contracts

Answer 13

1. Minor changes in merchandise or services / No effect on guaranteed contract price.
2. Major changes - Void a guaranteed contract
3. Unavailability of services or merchandise. / Most allow substitution of similar or higher quality service or merchandise.

Question 14

Wishes of decedent vs. wishes of funeral planner

Answer 14

 Legal effect of pre-funded contract once death has occurred.
 Most states allow spouse or next-of-kin to change or cancel pre-funded contract and purchase merchandise and service of their choice.

Disagreement among family members.
Case may go to court.
Judge will consider wishes of decedent.
Effect on surviving family member.
Right to right and duty of final disposition.
Most survivors will honor wishes of decedent.
Not legally bound in all states.

Question 15

Parents of a mentally impaired adult child make pre-funded arrangements for a traditional funeral service.
Contract beneficiary is the mentally impaired adult
What will happen to this contract at time of death?

Answer 15

Contract will be honored, although contract was made by the child’s parents.
They are not the direct contract beneficiary upon the child’s death.

Question 16

Types of funding

Answer 16

 Trust account
 Insurance
 Savings/passbook accounts

Question 17

Account established by one individual to be held for the benefit of another. This creates a fiduciary responsibility

As a method of payment of funeral expenses, money paid to a funeral home for future services is placed in an account with the funeral home as trustee for the benefit of another.

Answer 17

trust account

Question 18

Separate account for each pre-funded funeral arrangement.

Answer 18

Individual trust accounts

Question 19

Monies for all pre-funded arrangements placed in one account. Individual record for each account. Provides higher return on investment (interest) as allowed by law

Answer 19

master trust accounts

Question 20

Similar to purchasing automobile or life insurance policy

Policy can be paid in full or monthly premiums may be allowed until the contract price is paid in full

Answer 20

insurance policy

Question 21

Similar to a trust account.
Monies from all pre-funded arrangements placed in one account.
Account draws interest.
Interest pays inflationary increases in funeral prices.

Answer 21

Savings/passbook accounts

Question 22

reduction of a dead human body to inorganic bone fragments by intense heat in a specially designed retort or chamber.

Answer 22

cremation

Question 23

furnace or retort for cremating dead human bodies. Building that houses a retort

Answer 23

Crematory

Question 24

Latin for crematory

Answer 24

Crematorium

Question 25

burning chamber in a crematory

Answer 25

Retort

Question 26

National average of cremation is about (what percentage) Increases each year. The highest rate is in

Answer 26

30%

coastal states and Florida

Question 27

Reason for growth for cremation

Answer 27

 Public acceptance.
 Higher level of education
 Relocation of elderly to “sunbelt” states.
 Immigrants who prefer cremation.

Question 28

considerations for cremation

Answer 28

– Removal of medical device - Explode and destroy the retort
(Electronic pacemaker / radioactive implants)
–Positive identification of remains - by family member
–Sign affidavit - Prior to transporting to crematory
–Adhere to family wishes
–Items to be removed or cremate( Sign form listing items)
–Adhere to state and local laws
–use of Cremation container
—Co-mingling remains
—Disposition of cremains

Question 29

cremation forms

Answer 29

–Authorization and release forms
(Signed by person with right and duty of disposition) The form informs family of cremation process and protects funeral home and crematory
√File death certificate
√Secure forms required by state law
 Cremation permit / Disposition permit
TEXAS requires – death certificate, burial transmit permit, cremation authorization form

Question 30

when transporting decedent to crematory what are the acceptable forms of containers

Answer 30

a casket or alternative container (fiberboard, wood, etc.) Anything that is “environmentally safe and friendly” and “crematory safe and friendly”

Question 31

act of placing cremains in an urn

Answer 31

inurnment

Question 32

According to CANA (Cremation Association of North America) the definition of inurnment is -

Answer 32

placing cremains in niche or grave

Question 33

What is the key thing to remember about receipt of cremated remains?

Answer 33

You need to make sure you know to whom the cremated remains are to be released.
Make sure you state name of authorized individual during arrangement conference.

Question 34

True or False

Cremation is only a method of final disposition?

Answer 34

TRUE

Question 35

Rites held at the time of disposition of human remains with body present.

Answer 35

traditional funeral service

Question 36

Service held with the final disposition of the cremated remains if cremains will be buried or placed in a niche

Answer 36

graveside

Question 37

committal service with a procession from the funeral service to the crematory.

Answer 37

Committal at the crematory

Question 38

a service related to cremation, as appropriate, allowed by law

Answer 38

Scattering cremated and remains

Question 39

without the body present – w/ or w/o funeral home staff.

Memorial gathering.

Answer 39

memorial service

Question 40

appropriate and helpful acts of counseling/helping that comes after the funeral and final disposition. Also called Post funeral follow-up

• Done at Family’s request
Contacted by funeral home personnel, either Funeral director who made and conducted funeral arrangements or other trained individual

Answer 40

aftercare

Question 41

types of aftercare

Answer 41

 Formal or organized after funeral activities
 Seminars
 Grief support groups
 Holiday activities

Question 42

True or False? Funeral home personnel should be trained to do aftercare - by qualified aftercare educators and professionals?

Answer 42

TRUE

Question 43

FYI- aftercare as an optional service

Answer 43

Not all funeral homes provide any type of aftercare service.
Some view it as growth opportunity.
It provides additional service to the family.
Excellent “word-of-mouth’ advertising.
Logical extension of basic funeral home services.
“Captive audience” - Family and other survivors
Opportunity to educate your community and general public.
Purpose and value of modern funeral service

Question 44

Remember to look over forms for cremation - handouts

Answer 44

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