According to a recent article in the Washington Times, people are selling their cemetery property in order to pay bills and make ends meet.  This is creating a buyers market for people looking for cemetery property.  There's even a web site for buying and selling cemetery property - GraveSolutions.com.

At Indiana Funeral Care, we offer complete funeral services starting at $3,950 and a direct cremation service for just $890.  Call us today at 1-866-570-0029 to find out how you can pre-plan your funeral and lock-in these value-priced services.

Eternal Image has come out with several unusual lines of caskets and urns.  Among their offerings are The Vatican Collection, Major League Baseball, Precious Moments, Cat Fanciers' Association, American Kennel Club and my personal favorite, The Star Trek line. 

At Indiana Funeral Care we have complete funeral packages starting at $3,950 (that's less than the price of a Major League Baseball casket alone).  Call us today at 1-866-570-0029 to find out how you can pre-plan your funeral.  Live long and prosper.

Have you heard about the Missing in America Project?  Their mission is to locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans through the joint efforts of private, state and federal organizations. To provide honor and respect to those who have served this country by securing a final resting place for these forgotten heroes.  To date they have visited 592 funeral homes, identified 491 unclaimed veterans cremains and interred 321.

Many veterans are unaware of the benefits available to them.  Most funeral homes won't even mention these benefits!  At Indiana Funeral Care, we are proud to serve veterans and their spouses and work hard to make sure they get all of the benefits to which they are entitled, such as:

• Free cemetery space at a natioanl cemetery
• Free burial vault
• Free opening and closing
• Free grave marker

Contact Indiana Funeral Care today to find out more about veteran benefits.  We offer discount cremations starting at $890 and complete church funerals starting at $3,950. 

Several casket stores have come and gone in Indianapolis.  Costco continues to sell caskets, but according to a friend that works there, he has not seen much demand or interest.  As far as cheap caskets Indianapolis, they are hard to find.  Indiana Funeral Care prices it's caskets at prices much lower than other funeral homes in Indianapolis....and they are American made!  Some funeral homes in Indianapolis have started selling caskets made in China, which is okay, I guess.  But due to the number of veterans funeral services we perform and just plain old patriotic feelings, we have stayed with American manufacturers.  The price is fair, the quality is dependable and consistent and we can obtain just about any color or material in 24 hours. 

Most veterans have no idea that VA National Cemeteries offer a free grave, free opening and closing of the grave, free outer burial container and free marker for the veteran AND spouse.  When people are planning funerals for veterans, they should at least consider a National Cemetery.  An honorable and beautiful place for burial and they will save thousands of dollars.  

Hanging out at the VFW Post #10003 last night at the reception to honor Del Waugh, a member's wife said her husband understood that VA Funerals were paid for by the VA until just recently.  When they asked a local funeral home about VA benefits, they responded that they did not know, but would look into it.  We can clarify VA Funeral benefits in advance with just a call.  Now that he realized that there is not such thing as VA Funerals and that the benefits would not cover the cost, he wants to preplan his funeral.

Indiana discount funerals? More people are seeking discount funerals in Indiana.  More and more calls, website visits, internet inquiries.  Times are tough! Just hard to see the value in paying $10,000 for a funeral when we offer a number of complete church funeral and visitation packages for less than $5,000. 

After witnessing the funeral at the Indiana War Memorial this week, I cannot think of a more fitting location for funerals for veterans.  The grandeur, history and significance of the Indiana War Memorial is inspiring and makes attendees proud and appreciative of the dedication and commitment to our country of our veterans.  It doesn't seem so much like a funeral, but more an expression of gratitude and celebration of an unselfish life lived and gift given!

Many veterans are unaware of the benefits available to them.  Most funeral homes won't even mention these benefits!  At Indiana Funeral Care, we are proud to serve veterans and their spouses and work hard to make sure they get all of the benefits to which they are entitled, such as:

• Free cemetery space at a natioanl cemetery
• Free burial vault
• Perpetual care with no annual maintenance fee
• Free grave marker

The U.S. Navy will also scatter ashes from a war ship and conduct a full military honor ceremony. Active military personnel are permitted on board the ship only, however, the Navy will send a video to the family. For those veterans who have given 20 years active duty, they are entitled to a free burial at sea.

Contact Indiana Funeral Care today to find out more about veteran benefits.  We offer discount cremations starting at $890 and complete church funerals starting at $3,950. 

More families are looking for Indiana discount funerals.  Unfortunately, those families are being misled by companies that advertise low prices, but do not include essential services for which they charge more. Extra charges for transportation of the body from the place of death, for a "crematory fee", for a cremation container, services of director at graveside, etc. 
Indiana Funeral Care may be the only Indiana funeral and cremation service provider that publishes pricing on it's website.  Our package prices include everything except charges outside of our control, such as newspaper charges for obituaries, cemetery expenses.  No bait and switch, honest, practical packages for families seeking dignified funerals and cremations at value prices.

I am frustrated and saddened when we receive calls (like we did today) that a funeral home did not make arrangements for military honors for a funeral for a veteran.  It is so simple and so richly deserved!  When any funeral home performs funerals for veterans, I believe they have an obligation to make arrangements for military honors to be performed by a local burial team or with active duty personnel from the branch of service.
    Regardless of the funeral home, call us, we will make those arrangements, "on behalf of a grateful nation!"

We talked with an out of town family today that was quoted by a funeral home in their city, $3,000 for a cremation and $1,500 extra if the death occured and arrangements were made on a weekend.  I understand that it costs more for staff to work on a weekend, but $1,500?  Wow! 

I never thought you could refer to our price as a "cheap cremation", but apparently it is.  I would prefer to think of it as low cost cremation or value price cremation. 

What an honor to participate in the American Legion National Convention in Phoenix in the last few days.  The response from Legion members to our funerals for veterans packages was very well received.  Many of the attendees were not aware of the veterans burial benefits at the VA national cemetery and were very appreciative of the services Veterans Funeral Care provides for less fortunate veterans and their families.  We heard a lot of great stories and met a lot of impressive men and women that have served our country! 

(if you have already read part 1, just skip down to the numbers part to compare ground burial vs. mausolem spaces in a private cemetery's veteran section) 

Free burial spaces for veterans? Well, it is true, but unless you go to a National Cemetery, you can easily pay over $8000 for a "free" grave or crypt for a veteran and their spouse. Let's start with the simple part: An honorably discharged veteran and their spouse are entitled to free graves, free grave liners, free headstones, free open & closing (the digging), and free perpetual care. This is if they select any National Cemetery for their resting place (Marion National is the closest to Indianapolis).
    Private cemeteries love to advertise "free burial spaces for veterans" which is technically true, but then they charge for the grave for the spouse, the open & closing of the grave, the headstone, the headstone backing, the headstone installation, a paperwork processing fee, a perpetual care fee, a consumer protection fee- for BOTH the veteran and the spouse. Remember, it is TOTALLY FREE for BOTH at any of our fine National cemeteries.
    I recently visited a local cemetery and inquired about Veteran's burial for my father-in-law, a Vietnam Veteran who served two tours in the Marine Corps. (Semper Fi!!!)  Whereas his grave ($1100) and VA Bronze marker were free, the other charges were as follows:

    Mausoleum Crypts
    veteran's crypt-     free 
spouse's grave-            $4895
administrative fee        $95    (for paperwork, etc.)
consumer protection fee    $48.95
open & closing for veteran    $695
open & closing for spouse    $695
                So far, we are at $6428.95

Instead of headstones, the crypt has an engraved front or a face plate
veteran's crypt plate-        $750
spouse's crypt plate-        $750
sales tax                        $105
total for crypt plates        $1605
Add the two together, and the grand total is $8033.95 to entomb the veteran and the spouse (but the veteran's crypt is "free")

In all fairness, Mausolem entombment is not available in all VA cemeteries.
In all fairness, care and respect for veterans is not available in all private cemeteries.

Thanks for listening! Please feel free to email any questions to me at info@indianafuneralcare.com

Free burial spaces for veterans? Well, it is true, but unless you go to a National Cemetery, you can easily pay over $8000 for a "free" grave for a veteran and their spouse. Let's start with the simple part: An honorably discharged veteran and their spouse are entitled to free graves, free grave liners, free headstones, free open & closing (the digging), and free perpetual care. This is if they select any National Cemetery for their resting place (Marion National is the closest to Indianapolis).
    Private cemeteries love to advertise "free burial spaces for veterans" which is technically true, but then they charge for the grave for the spouse, the open & closing of the grave, the headstone, the headstone backing, the headstone installation, a paperwork processing fee, a perpetual care fee, a consumer protection fee- for BOTH the veteran and the spouse. Remember, it is TOTALLY FREE for BOTH at any of our fine National cemeteries.
    I recently visited a local cemetery and inquired about Veteran's burial for my father-in-law, a Vietnam Veteran who served two tours in the Marine Corps. (Semper Fi!!!)  Whereas his grave ($1100) and VA Bronze marker were free, the other charges were as follows:
    veteran's grave-     free 
perpetual care fee-      $165
spouse's grave-            $1100
administrative fee        $95    (for paperwork, etc.)
consumer protection fee    $11.00
veteran's 'vault'            $975 for basic vault
spouse'  'vault'             $975 for basic vault
open & closing for veteran    $975
open & closing for spouse    $975
                So far, we are at $5111.00
Do you want a headstone? For both husband and wife, the charges are:
veteran's flat bronze marker    $free (provided by VA)
matching bronze for spouse    $1060    (no, that is not a typo)
Granite base for both markers    $1030
Vase                                    $730    
concrete foundation for base    $260
installation fee                    $200
perpetual care fee            $248
sales tax                         $125.30
        Total for the headstones: $3653.50
Add the two together, and the grand total is $8764.30 to bury the veteran and the spouse (but the veteran's grave is "free")

Stay tuned for "The illusion of the deal Part 2" which is for mausoleum entombment...

Why do more and more people Google for discount funerals and cremations in Indiana?  There is a small but rapidly growing segment of people that are looking for more simplicity and less expense in funeral and cremation services.  There are lots of good traditional funeral homes in Indiana, but trying to find a quality value provider that offers "discount funerals" or "discount cremations" in Indiana is a difficult task.
    Many funeral home websites have beautiful graphics and colors, but no pricing information.  There is a reason!  When you visit the website of Indiana Funeral Care you will see they offer cremation and funeral packages anywhere in Indiana at discount prices, 40% to 50% less than traditional funeral homes. 

 We are honored to serve families of less fortunate veterans in need of financial assistance.  When a Veteran dies in a VA Medical Center or if his or her care is contracted out to a hospice or nursing facility (domiciled):  

    A.  Indiana Funeral Care will pick up the body of the deceased, meet with the family to complete all documents, bathe, dress and casket, in a minimum flat top casket, arrange for a military graveside service and transport to the closest VA cemetery for that service.  We will provide those services for the VA burial benefits, there will be no charge to the family.
    B.  Indiana Funeral Care will pick up the body of the deceased, meet with the family to complete all documents, cremate and transport to the closest VA cemetery for a military graveside committal service.  We will provide those services for the VA burial benefits, there will be no charge to the family. 

We are most grateful for our veterans and their service to our country!

I was honored to speak to the incoming District Commanders at the American Legion Department of Indiana, July 13.  One of the Commanders volunteered that he learned he could transfer the arrangements he had made for he and his wife to be cremated.  They made the arrangements before they were aware of cremation services offered by Veterans Funeral Care through the American Legion.  He was amazed that our prices on cremation services were so much less expensive.  He was very pleased to learn that Veterans Funeral Care refunds the excess amount in the trust at the time of need to the next of kin and wanted other Legionnaires to be aware of that.

 It is hard to find any Indiana funeral homes that will work with medicaid.  The thing everyone needs to know is that with the right type of medicaid benefits are available.  Indiana Funeral Care accepts medicaid and will work with the families.  I will need a social security number or the medicaid number to call and check on the eligibility.  I can usually find something out that day if not the next.  If the family is eligible then we will deduct that cost from the contract and only bill for the remaining balance.   It's help towards an already low cost service. 

 When applying for veteran funeral expenses, the discharge papers or DD214 are required.  If unable to find it then we will help them request it.  All it takes is a signature from the next of kin on a request form with some information about that veteran.   We will then fax it to the veteran's administration.  They in turn will fax a copy to us.  At that point we can apply for the veteran's benefits.