Question: I have been seeing a lot of funeral homes advertise preneed funeral plans.  What are they?  How much do they cost?

GFS: A preneed funeral plan is a contract that is as valuable as a will or deed to a house.  What a preneed contract does is insure that your wishes will be honored and gives your family peace of mind when the time comes.  These contracts are used to pre-pay for most of the expenses of a funeral service, including the casket, vault, lot, etc.  The best part is that they lock in the cost for most of the service, which means that if the plan is not used for another 20 years, the cost of the funeral will be frozen at today’s prices.  That is a good guarantee because rarely has anything ever gone down in price.

…………………………………………………………..

Question: Why should I trust Gerth Funeral Service with my preneed contract?

GFS: Gerth Funeral Service is a family owned funeral home that handled its first preneed contract in 1913, so we have almost 90 years of preneed experience and three generations of care in managing these vital plans.  With the precedent set by Fred Gerth when he handled the Ella Ewing funeral, Gerth Funeral Service has passed on a tradition of premier service, handled by a professional staff, with the best facilities and care at an affordable price.  With us you are guaranteed that your wishes will be followed and your loved ones cared for.  That promise is what has brought thousands of families to Gerth Funeral Service for 107 years.

…………………………………………………………..

Question: How do I pay for a preneed contract?

Answer:  There are several ways to fund a  prearrangement.  Gerth Funeral Service will take payments on the contract selections or the payment in full.  These funds are deposited in the Missouri Funeral Trust and cannont be accessed until the time of need.
Another avenue is the assignment of a life insurance policy.   The redemption amount is then applied to the funeral bill at the time of need. 

…………………………………………………………..

Question: How do I get more information?

GFS:  Gerth Funeral Service has available free booklets for family members to record pertinent information and to record their personal wishes. This is one way to ease the family’s burden at the time of need by knowing the wishes of their relative or friend.