We plan for every aspect of life: going to college or university, our career path, getting married and having children; buying a home. We plan our vacations, and our retirement. We buy insurance for when the unthinkable happens: fires, accidents and floods.

But, because most of us do not like to think about death - we avoid making important funeral decisions in advance. This is one of the biggest oversights made in a life well-lived. Such inattention can cost your loved ones money, time, and emotional strain.

Heartbreaking Results of Inattention

During our longstanding service to the community we've repeatedly seen the confusion and heartache that can occur when no plans have been made. Conversely, we've also seen the peace-of-mind brought by thoughtful end-of-life preparation – not only for the one making the plans, but also for those who will be left behind.

Of course, pre-planning is a thoughtful gesture. But, it’s also practical:

• It allows you to make unhurried informed decisions while your emotions are at rest.
• It requires you to organize your important documents so your survivors will have the information they need, and so insurance or other benefits due you won't be overlooked.

And, if you choose to invest in a pre-payment plan, you not only protect against the higher costs tomorrow may bring, you also assure funds will be available when they're needed most.

Advance planning allows you to:

• Choose a reasonable budget
• Have the option to set aside the funds over a period of time

Funds set aside against future cost are held in a state-approved trust account or top-rated insurance company until required. Pre-payment is not required, however; many families simply prefer to record the details for future use.

Either way, there is no charge for making pre-arrangements.

What are the Advantages to Pre-Planning?

There are many advantages to arranging your funeral, cremation or cemetery services in advance:

• You protect your family from having to make such decisions at a difficult time.
• You make your wishes known to your loved ones.
• You make your own decisions about the type of service, merchandise and price.
• You prevent emotional overspending by family members who can only guess what you might have wanted.
• Your funeral, cremation or cemetery prearrangement is transferable to other firms all around the country.
• You lock in today’s prices for services that may not be needed for many years.

All of the ceremony, burial, or cremation arrangements can be made at one time in our offices, or in the comfort of your own home. Call us today at (856) 983-1005 for an appointment. Our pre-arrangement specialist will be honored to assist you in creating the perfect pre-need solution for you.

If you’d like to complete the process online, through our state-of-the-art interactive advance planning tool, click here.
Please click on a topic below for more details.

• What about Pre-Payment?
  What about Pre-Payment?

  Prepaying allows you to pay for the funeral of your choice:

  • Before assets are used up for medical care.
  • Before your assets are reduced to SSI or Medicaid eligibility levels.

  
  
• What does the law allow?
  What does the law allow?

  Federal and State law allows properly trusted funeral funds to be excluded from resources when SSI, Medicaid or General Assistance eligibility is determined.

  You may pay your funeral director in full for future funeral arrangements by depositing funds into an irrevocable account in a properly established Trust Fund.

• Will your prepaid funeral arrangements qualify as SSI, Medicaid or General Assistance exemptions?
  Will your prepaid funeral arrangements qualify as SSI, Medicaid or General Assistance exemptions?

  If you prearrange your funeral through CHOICES, the New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund™ you can be sure your funeral arrangements qualify for exemption. By opening an irrevocable account in the New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund™ you can arrange the funeral of your choice provided that:

  • The cost of the funeral is reasonable.
  • The account is irrevocable, meaning that the funds cannot be refunded or used for any other purpose.

  
  
• What Is the New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund™?
  What Is the New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund™?

  A funding vehicle that is immediately available upon the death of the intended funeral recipient for payment of funeral expenses. Unlike traditional savings vehicles which may close or become inaccessible at the time of death, this account becomes payable.

  The Trust Fund is managed in cooperation with one of New Jersey's largest banking institutions. The funds are fully insured to the extent permitted by law by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and, at all times, are totally refundable to the purchaser, with interest and without penalty. (Your funeral director will discuss the way in which these basic terms and conditions may be affected and modified by a prepaid arrangement intended to qualify for SSI, Medicaid, or General Assistance Exclusion.)

  
  
• Why Use The New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund™?
  Why Use The New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund™?

  • Totally revocable with interest.
  • Growth from day of deposit, FDIC insured.
  • Competitive rates & flexible payment options.
  • NO age limit & NO health questions.
  • Available for SSI, Medicaid and General Assistance applicants.

  The Trust Fund provides a safe, well managed, trust earning interest rates that should keep up with or surpass inflation. In this way, your funeral director should be able to provide you with the funeral of your choice no matter how much prices increase in the years ahead, as long as the initial payment and interest remain intact.

  
  
• How Does It Work?
  How Does It Work?

  At the time of prearrangement you will select the specific items of funeral merchandise and services that you desire. Your funeral director will determine the today's prices for your selection and provide you with an itemized statement and the trust fund agreement in the amount of those charges.

  If you are prepaying you funeral for SSI or Medicaid eligibility, your funeral director will make the necessary arrangements to ensure the agreement will be accepted.

  Your check (minimum initial deposit, 500) is made payable to the New Jersey Trust Fund™. The funeral director will forward a copy of your contract, together with your check, to the offices of the trust fund.

  
  
• How Is The Trust Fund Administered?
  How Is The Trust Fund Administered?

  On the day that the trustees receive your contract, Social Security Certification, and check, your money will be deposited into the Trust Fund's time deposit, pooled investment to receive the highest rate of interest. Shortly thereafter, you will receive a deposit acknowledgement of your account.

  Each year, the Trust Fund will send you a summery statement of the principal and interest together with the internal Revenue Service's required Grantor Tax Letter for you individual tax reporting. Interest income is reportable if you are required to file with the Internal Revenue Service.

  The interest received by the Trust Fund will vary with prevailing jumbo certificate of deposit (CD) rates, and the Trustees will only place those funds into FDIC insured bank deposits.

  The trustees receive 1.0% of the Trust Fund annually for their management and their record keeping services.

  
  
• What about SSI, Medicaid, and General Assistance?
  What about SSI, Medicaid, and General Assistance?

  If you or someone in your family may soon apply for assistance under one of these programs, contact any funeral director who offers the New Jersey Prepaid Trust Fund™. Federal and State law provide that the properly trusted assets intended for the payment of funeral expenses will not be considered as a resource when eligibility is determined. This permits recipients to preserve assets that would normally be exhausted, and in so doing ensure their funeral will be provided.

  A program of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association Inc. Administered by the New Jersey Funeral Directors Services Inc.

  
  

It’s Simply a Matter of Security

Interest rates Defer Inflationary Increases

Who Should I talk to?

Simply contact your County Department of Human Services and a funeral director who offers the New Jersey Prepaid Trust Fund™. That funeral director will provide you with valuable up-to-date information on funerals and your pending benefits.

To use your existing life insurance policy(s) to prefund funeral arrangements, ask for Sure Trust™!

Sure Trust™, the Funeral Insurance Administration Trust, is another CHOICES program especially beneficial for families who would otherwise have to surrender their whole life insurance policies during the spend-down process for SSI, Medicaid or General Assistance eligibility. Sure Trust™ meets all SSI, Medicaid and General Assistance requirements, ensuring that you will not be forced to "cash out" insurance policies in order to qualify for assistance.

Other reasons to preplan…

Preplanning helps you become informed of any benefits that may be available to your family at the time of death such as Veteran's administration, Social Security, fraternal, or civic benefits. Your funeral director will be pleased to answer your questions.

• Personal Items
• Clothing
• Furnishings
• Appliances
• Jewelry**
• Equipment**
• Car**
• In Hand*
• In Bank*
• In Trust*
• Stocks or other Existing Whole Life
• "Cashable" Assets*
• Insurance*

Prepaid Funeral Arrangements

Your total funeral costs may include: funeral director's professional services, funeral home facility and staff charges, transportation charges, casket, vault, similar merchandise, and cash advances for clergy, cemetery, monument, etc. SSI Medicaid and General assistance allow for these funds to be deposited into one irrevocable account in a properly established Trust Fund.

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