funeral costs

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by sns2

Funeral homes are worse than the mafia.

Given a forced choice I could maybe work for the Mafia, but in a Funeral home you have to either have no heart at all or a massive heart dealing with other people's suffering on a daily basis. One of very few jobs I just could not do.

[Carbine]

My mother passed away two weeks ago today. McIinnis and Holloway on Elbow Drive handled everything, we had a off site private family so they were not involved in that. All in, $5900, and that included her obituary that ran for 2 days in the Herald.
There was no upsell of any kind, they were caring, professional and did a great job.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Carbine

My mother passed away two weeks ago today. McIinnis and Holloway on Elbow Drive handled everything, we had a off site private family so they were not involved in that. All in, $5900, and that included her obituary that ran for 2 days in the Herald.
There was no upsell of any kind, they were caring, professional and did a great job.

Sorry for your loss but good to hear there is at least one decent funeral how still in business. Helps restore a guys faith a little.

[smokedstew]

One thing to consider if going with cremation is the casket. When my dad passed he wanted things done on the cheap and helped plan with mom while he was sick. They found a place through hospice I believe that built approved plywood boxes, cost was $50 if I remember right. We also found that by transporting him to a town 200kms away we saved 2-3000 on the cremation as well. Not going to lie it's weird picking up your dad and driving to cremate him but in a way it was also kind of peaceful and get like some extra closure.

[Mr Conservation]

Sorry for your losses - Grizz and Carbine.

Mr Conservation

[Ken07AOVette]

With a funeral looming for us very soon, we have been looking into cremation costs. In Lloydminster we find $1695 to be the starting point, as opposed to Calgary where we found $1050. North Battleford starts at $1995 where it will be done.

[graybeard]

Sorry for your loss Grizz.......

My mother-in-law recently passed and I was tasked to make the funeral arrangements.
I spoke to all the big funeral companies and the prices were astronomically stupid.
I was on-line and continued to ignore my attachment below (Choice Memorial) as I was suspect of the price and wondered when the other shoe ripoff was going to fall?

Well it didn't. I can't believe how professional Choice was at they honored their word.

Since then I have told everyone I have met, with funeral arrangement to make....

Good luck,

Choice Memorial

$995 plus GST (includes the following):

• Arrangement conference with one of our Licensed Funeral Directors in our funeral home or in your home (at no additional charge, whether it is during the day, evening or on a weekend).
• All necessary documentation for registration of death and permits for the cremation
• Transfer of deceased within 50 km radius (no extra charges for evening or weekend transfers, or transfers requiring two people)
• Cremation fee (all cremations are performed at Choice Memorial Crematorium located in our funeral home)
• Unlimited Funeral Directors Proof of Death Certificates
• Creation and submission of obituary to newspaper (newspaper costs additional)
• Creation of personal memorial page and book of memories on our website. This is a place to share the obituary (any length, no extra charge), and to provide a place for friends and family members to share condolences, photos, stories and memories.
• Assistance with AND submission of CPP Lump Sum Death Benefit and Survivor Benefit Applications.
• Step by step executor's guidebook with checklist to assist with settling the estate
Simple Cremation Services Merchandise
• Simple plywood cremation container (oversize if necessary at no additional charge)
• Plastic urn (alternate urns available)
We do not apply additional charges for evening and weekend transfers or transfers requiring two staff members. We do not apply additional charges to make arrangements in the evening or weekends, nor do we charge a weekend fee for services on the weekend. We are happy to give you a tour of our funeral home and crematorium, and answer any questions you may have. This is part of the Choice Memorial difference!

Call (403) 277-7343 day or night to speak to us directly.

For more information on all of the services we offer, visit our funeral services page!

105-4715 13th Street NE
CALGARY, AB T2E 6M3
Phone: (403) 277-7343
Fax: (403) 718-1971

Email: info@choicememorial.com

[skidderman]

Am not fully sure of the process but I have a friend who is Jewish by birth. They do things differently. Once one passes straight into the ground no cremation & no embalming. No idea if that saves or not but it certainly is different.

[gpgriz]

I'm still unclear on cremation and funeral and related payments.
If someone has prepaid funeral insurance or similar arrangement, that's easy and understood.
It's the other version of no previous arrangements I'm unclear on.
Is it simply that family pays for it all upfront and is reimbursed by the estate?
Where does life insurance come into play? It simply adds funds to the estate once processed?

Thanks!

[Wolftrapper]

[QUOTE=Grizzly Adams;3774454]My wife passed away the middle of February. Still tough to take, but going one day at a time. We're not extroverted people, with a small circleof friends, so we kept it simple. Funeral costs, including cremation were less than 3500. Mountainview was very helpful, no complaints there. We rented a local hall and had a celebration of life, very intimate and the affected people attended. I decided I'd build the urn, the least I could do for her. There was a will, since I'm the surviving spouse and executor, no Probate necessary. About as simple as it could get and not a bank breaker. Everybody you deal, may want to see the death certificate and a copy of the will, including motor vehicles, that's why the funeral home supplied 15 copies, wondered why initially.

Sorry for your loss Grizzly.

[-JR-]

Friend of the family past away last year. His wishes were his body gets donated to
the hospital for organ donation and for science . There was no cost .
They did have a Celebration of life for him where all family an friends attended.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Friend of the family past away last year. His wishes were his body gets donated to
the hospital for organ donation and for science . There was no cost .
They did have a Celebration of life for him where all family an friends attended.

Not a bad plan at all.

[schmedlap]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

This is very untrue.
Banks have claim to whatever they hold as secured creditor, but do not freeze accounts. They also have no need to see wills. The Executor will share as directed but only people named in the will are entitled to see it.
Banks have nothing to do with distributing assets.

I have seen funerals under $4000 if cremated. $20g is extremely extravagant.

Banks have nothing to do with non account assets. But as to regular and investment accounts held by a bank which are not joint accounts and do not have named beneficiaries, these must be frozen at death. The bank will need copies of the will and death certificate to accept deposits through the executor. The bank will release funds through the named executor to pay proper funeral and burial expenses, and probate court filing fees. Other than that, the bank will normally require the grant of probate or letters of administration to be issued before the accounts can be liquidated and paid out, or transferred to the solicitor for the estate. If the account amounts are very small, the bank may release them to the executor without probate, upon getting an indemnity from the executor.

[Sooner]

I seems to vary. When my father In law passed 20 plus years ago, the biggest pain was my wife having to take her mom to place after place and show the death cert to prove why they were changing accounts to her moms name. Not a big deal just time and brings up the loss over and over. No frozen assets. No joint accounts as he did all the banking.

In the last year a good friend passed after a 2 yr cancer battle. They knew he was not going to survive, they moved everything into a joint account as they were advised his accounts would be frozen as soon as they got notice of his death.

To the OP, my good friends wife did a cremation and nice celebration of life for under 6G. I think if you let the funeral home do everything, the price tag can go sky high. We seen that when we buried my father in law. Good thing they are Polish and cheap and didn't let them run hog wild with their cash.

[Roderek]

I believe you have to sign up for this while they are still living, but its $42.00 and you get your choice of a few different plans. We did this for my Dad, and it kept the cost under 5k.
https://www.calgarymemorial.com/
Recently signed my Mom up as well.

[dgl1948]

Was just through this last December. Funeral was in a small town.
Funeral home services $3389.00
Cremation casket $437.00
Urn $454.00
Funeral notices $33.00
Mileage to Crematorium $195.00
Cremation Fee $765.00
Minister $200.00
Church Bulletins $100.00
Organist $75.00
Hall rental and lunch for 150 people $450.00
Regulatory fee 52.52
Plot in Cemetery 50.00

We had burial at a later date so we looked after that ourselves and there no costs for that.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by smokedstew

One thing to consider if going with cremation is the casket. When my dad passed he wanted things done on the cheap and helped plan with mom while he was sick. They found a place through hospice I believe that built approved plywood boxes, cost was $50 if I remember right. We also found that by transporting him to a town 200kms away we saved 2-3000 on the cremation as well. Not going to lie it's weird picking up your dad and driving to cremate him but in a way it was also kind of peaceful and get like some extra closure.

Some creations use caskets made out of cardboard.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

With a funeral looming for us very soon, we have been looking into cremation costs. In Lloydminster we find $1695 to be the starting point, as opposed to Calgary where we found $1050. North Battleford starts at $1995 where it will be done.

So I wonder how much it would cost to get the body to the crematorium in Calgary and get the ashes back to Loyd? I looked into pricing for Medicine Hat, the difference in price between Med. Hat and Calgary is obscene. Will be looking into how much to get a body to Calgary.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

So I wonder how much it would cost to get the body to the crematorium in Calgary and get the ashes back to Loyd? I looked into pricing for Medicine Hat, the difference in price between Med. Hat and Calgary is obscene. Will be looking into how much to get a body to Calgary.

This is from GrayBeards Post. Seems like a reasonable option. Transport to Calgary, can't imagine it would be more than $1 a Klm over the 50 Klms, use their services, pickup ashes or have them mailed to you. You also have the option to transport the body to the funeral home yourself. Even with extra mileage looks a bunch cheaper than the options locally.

Choice Memorial

$995 plus GST (includes the following):

• Arrangement conference with one of our Licensed Funeral Directors in our funeral home or in your home (at no additional charge, whether it is during the day, evening or on a weekend).
• All necessary documentation for registration of death and permits for the cremation
• Transfer of deceased within 50 km radius (no extra charges for evening or weekend transfers, or transfers requiring two people)
• Cremation fee (all cremations are performed at Choice Memorial Crematorium located in our funeral home)
• Unlimited Funeral Directors Proof of Death Certificates
• Creation and submission of obituary to newspaper (newspaper costs additional)
• Creation of personal memorial page and book of memories on our website. This is a place to share the obituary (any length, no extra charge), and to provide a place for friends and family members to share condolences, photos, stories and memories.
• Assistance with AND submission of CPP Lump Sum Death Benefit and Survivor Benefit Applications.
• Step by step executor's guidebook with checklist to assist with settling the estate
Simple Cremation Services Merchandise
• Simple plywood cremation container (oversize if necessary at no additional charge)
• Plastic urn (alternate urns available)
We do not apply additional charges for evening and weekend transfers or transfers requiring two staff members. We do not apply additional charges to make arrangements in the evening or weekends, nor do we charge a weekend fee for services on the weekend. We are happy to give you a tour of our funeral home and crematorium, and answer any questions you may have. This is part of the Choice Memorial difference!

Call (403) 277-7343 day or night to speak to us directly.

For more information on all of the services we offer, visit our funeral services page!

105-4715 13th Street NE
CALGARY, AB T2E 6M3
Phone: (403) 277-7343
Fax: (403) 718-1971

Email: info@choicememorial.com

[aardvaark]

My wife died approx 11 years ago. I told the funeral director I wanted a cremation, nothing extravagant. Because of my very weak emotional condition at the time, I brought along a trusted friend and told him to watch out for my best interests. A day later some family called and said they wanted to view the body and because of the time involved, the funeral home had to embalm. All told, with a rental viewing casket, embalming, use of the funeral home for a private ceremony, it was around $1200.00

Beware of funeral homes, there’s all kinds of sheisters out there that prey upon your weakened emotional state and go for your pocket book.
[/B]

Originally Posted by gordfishing

A friend of the family recently passed, there will be a church service a cremation and a few others things, the step daughter is telling her step mother the funeral costs are $20,000.00
Too me this seems expensive , I could understand $8,000 to $12,000 but struggle with the 20 k
Anyone want to share their experiences

This same step daughter told step Mom that the funeral home needed a copy of the will which I called a funeral home and was told this was BS

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

So I wonder how much it would cost to get the body to the crematorium in Calgary and get the ashes back to Loyd? I looked into pricing for Medicine Hat, the difference in price between Med. Hat and Calgary is obscene. Will be looking into how much to get a body to Calgary.

Price of gas in a half ton truck with a tonneau cover, like another member said, it was one last road trip. That is of course providing the funeral home doesn't charge a $1500 'loading fee' into and out of the truck.

[pikergolf]

So I spoke to a place in Calgary, cremation is 1100, transport to Calgary is 2km I have the option of getting myself there, that would be a good friend I guess, if you could find someone to do it. If not, about 700 transport. So about 1800 before tax, in the Hat same service ranges from 3,000 to over 3500. So quit a savings, oh and they can ship the ashes to the Hat, he said about 3 to 5 lbs.

[Ken07AOVette]

Piker is there something you aren't telling us? Everything ok? Or is this just preplanning for down the road?

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

Piker is there something you aren't telling us? Everything ok? Or is this just preplanning for down the road?

No, everything is OK, thanks for asking. I just want a plan for my wife and I when the time comes. Especially for the wife, I want to lay out, if I die do this, this and this. It's just easier on everyone.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

No, everything is OK, thanks for asking. I just want a plan for my wife and I when the time comes. Especially for the wife, I want to lay out, if I die do this, this and this. It's just easier on everyone.

Thanks Piker, I just didn't want to see what I thought may have been a subtle sign and not act, it was not because I was being nosy, just being a concerned neighbor.

[outlaw'd]

When our daughter passed away unexpectantly in Vancouver and we went through a bunch of bs through the BC healthcare system, they sent her remains to Kearney Funeral Homes because it was right down the street from the hospital/morgue. I have never in my life met so many people that preyed on weakness and did not respect the family's wishes.
It began right from the start and they gave us a hard time right to the minute we had her body shipped back home to Westlock.
When we got the call, before we flew out, we contacted Bob and Betty Jones from Westlock funeral home and let them know the situation. We also asked them if they would handle everything for us as soon as we had landed and got some information.
We chased around the healthcare system for 3 days trying to find out where she was and finally had to get the wife's cousin, a VCP detective involved to get some answers. BC healthcare sent her remains to the funeral home and when we figured out where she was, they said they were in the process of preparing her for cremation.
They were told that under no circumstances were they allowed to proceed with the cremation, and our friend Bob would be "the go to guy". We met with their representative within 3 hours of our initial call and he tried to convince us to buy a casket and urn, and cremate immediately. They refused to recognize our funeral director as our spokesman.
Long story short, we almost had to get a lawyer involved to get our daughters remains released to us and Westlock Funeral Home. These azzholes even tried to screw around with the flight arrangements to get Jeanelle home made by Bob.
Our immediate family was given the opportunity to say good by and Bob and Betty did an excellent job for us.

[abhunter8]

Originally Posted by D4l3k

All my mother in law's bank assets where immeditally frozen when the executor told them she passed away. These were accounts solely in her name. They demanded the will and death cert and took weeks to unlock the funds for the executor while they verified everything was in order

This was with RBC
During the time RBC was verifing everything the family started fighting about the assets in the frozen accounts and lawyers got involved.

RBC would not disclose any dollar amounts in the accounts until the will was processed so people started thinking there was hundreds of thousands sitting on those accounts

Certain family members made claims about the will being illigitimet and nothing got distributed for over a year because of it, what a mess it was

Much of the family does not speak anymore, it has been almost 10 years since then, so maybe it has changed now

My experience has been that banks most definitely freeze accounts when people pass away

I was in bank management within a branch for 17 years and the above is most definitely true. Joint accounts are right of survivorship to the surviving party on the account. Single accounts or assets are froze until the will is settled via probate or letters of administration based on the value of the accounts/estate. The bank requires a copy of the death certificate and the will. The bank works with the executor/executrix to pay legitimate bills of the deceased and estate until such time as the probated will is presented. Then the funds are released to the executor/executrix to distribute as per the will.

[Okotok]

The Mennonites, Hutterites and I'm sure others seem to do it right. They build a pine box, relatives (usually the women) prepare the body. Men pitch in to dig the grave. Funeral at the church. Food at the community hall afterwards is often a potluck style where everyone pitches in. Can't see things costing too much. Most of society has been distanced from having to take care of things like this themselves and certainly don't seem to have the appetite for it.

[Fish along]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

My wife passed away the middle of February. Still tough to take, but going one day at a time. We're not extroverted people, with a small circleof friends, so we kept it simple. Funeral costs, including cremation were less than 3500. Mountainview was very helpful, no complaints there. We rented a local hall and had a celebration of life, very intimate and the affected people attended. I decided I'd build the urn, the least I could do for her. There was a will, since I'm the surviving spouse and executor, no Probate necessary. About as simple as it could get and not a bank breaker. Everybody you deal, may want to see the death certificate and a copy of the will, including motor vehicles, that's why the funeral home supplied 15 copies, wondered why initially.

Grizz

Sorry for you're loss.

[dicknormal]

Around our place it's maybe a couple thousand give or take a couple bucks. No funeral BS that's for the living to spout crap about you. Cremation and then maybe sometime in the months following a gathering of family and friends at a local hall with everyone supplying snacks, salads and deserts. A reunion of sorts more upbeat and a lot less somber than a funeral. We celebrate the life not morn the loss.