The choice is entirely yours — that's exactly why pre-planning matters. If you don't document your preferences in advance, your family will make this decision under stress and grief. Common options include a traditional full-service funeral at a funeral home or place of worship, a celebration of life at any venue of your choosing, a graveside service, a private invitation-only service, or a memorial service without the body present. Your Legacy of Love plan lets you document whichever type of service reflects your wishes — including specific music, readings, cultural or religious traditions, and venue preferences.
A funeral service is typically held within 7–10 days of death with the body or casket present, usually at a funeral home or place of worship. A memorial service is similar but held after burial or cremation, without the body present — allowing more flexible timing and location. A celebration of life is a more personalized, uplifting alternative that focuses on honoring the person's story, personality, and impact. It can be held anywhere — a park, restaurant, vineyard, or private home — days, weeks, or even months after the passing. Legacy of Love supports all three formats and can help you document and fund whichever best reflects who you are.
Burial involves placing the body in a casket and interring it in a cemetery plot, mausoleum, or green burial site. Cremation uses high heat to reduce the body to ashes, which can then be buried, scattered, kept at home, or incorporated into keepsakes. Cremation is generally less expensive — the NFDA reports the median cremation service at $6,280 versus $8,300 for a traditional burial with viewing. Cremation also allows more flexibility for timing and location of memorialization. See our full comparison on the Burial or Cremation page.
According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) 2023 report, the median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial is $8,300 — not including cemetery fees, a plot, vault, headstone, flowers, or an obituary. The median for a funeral with cremation is $6,280. Total costs including cemetery expenses typically range from $7,000 to $12,000 or more, with some funerals exceeding $25,000. Families who do not pre-plan often spend 20%–40% more than those who do plan. Visit our How Much Do Funerals Cost? page for a full breakdown.
Funeral homes are 24-hour, labor-intensive businesses with extensive facilities, specialized staff, and significant overhead. Costs reflect professional services including body preparation, transportation, legal documentation, coordination with clergy and cemeteries, and the use of facilities for viewings and ceremonies. The cost of goods — caskets, urns, vaults, and flowers — varies widely. Additionally, families making decisions under grief are statistically likely to overspend on upgrades and add-ons they may not have chosen in a calmer state. Pre-planning with Legacy of Love allows you to comparison shop multiple funeral homes and select only what you actually want — at no pressure and no cost.
The most effective protection is a documented funeral plan — decisions made in advance under no pressure are almost always more financially sound than decisions made under grief. Legacy of Love helps you comparison shop funeral home costs before any need arises. Additionally, our optional Funeral Concierge Service, powered by Sequoia Funeral Concierge Services, assigns a dedicated advocate to your family at time of need who reviews the funeral bill for overcharges and applies industry discounts. Federal law (the FTC Funeral Rule) also requires funeral homes to provide an itemized General Price List upon request — you are never required to accept a package.
No. Embalming is not required by federal law, and most states do not legally require it. Some funeral homes may suggest embalming when a viewing is planned, but refrigeration is an alternative. It is also not required for cremation. If embalming is being proposed by a funeral home, ask whether it is legally required in your state or simply preferred. The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to disclose when embalming is legally required versus optional.
Burial vaults are not required by federal or state law, but most cemeteries require them for traditional ground burial. A vault is a lined outer container that encases the casket to prevent the ground from sinking over time. If you choose a green or natural burial, a vault is typically not used. If you choose cremation, a vault is generally not required. When comparison shopping funeral homes, confirm whether vault costs are included in their pricing or listed separately.
Yes. Cremation only affects the final disposition of the body — not whether a service is held. You can have a full viewing and funeral service before cremation, a memorial service after cremation, or a direct cremation with no service at all. Many families choose cremation paired with a celebration of life held at a later date, allowing out-of-town family and friends more time to travel and plan. The ashes may then be buried, scattered, kept at home, or placed in a memorial niche. See our Burial or Cremation page for more detail.
A funeral director coordinates the logistics of a funeral service — including transportation of the body, preparation and embalming, filing death certificates and legal permits, scheduling the service, coordinating with clergy or officiants, and arranging transportation to the cemetery or crematory. They also provide compassionate support to grieving families, answer questions, and guide the family through decisions. Legacy of Love is not a funeral director or funeral home. We are an independent planning service that helps you document your wishes and compare funeral home options in advance — so your family has a clear, stress-free path to follow when the time comes.
Pre-planning your funeral is one of the most considerate financial decisions you can make for your family. It spares your loved ones from having to make difficult, costly decisions under grief and time pressure — often within 72 hours of a death. Industry data shows that families without a funeral plan spend 20%–40% more than those who plan ahead. Pre-planning also ensures your personal wishes are honored, allows you to comparison shop funeral homes at your own pace, and may help reduce countable assets for Medicaid eligibility. Financial experts Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, and Clark Howard all publicly endorse funeral pre-planning. Read more on our Why Should I Plan For My Funeral? page.
Not at all. Planning your funeral while you are healthy is a practical and loving act — no different from writing a will, purchasing life insurance, or making any other thoughtful financial preparation. The best decisions are made when you are calm and clear-headed, not under emotional pressure. Suze Orman calls funeral pre-planning "the greatest gift you can give your family." Dave Ramsey says it "shows them respect and consideration." The hardest part is starting — and with Legacy of Love, you can start for free from the comfort of your home at any time.
No. With Legacy of Love, you never need to visit a funeral home to create your plan. The entire process can be completed online from the comfort of your home, at your own pace. If you have questions or want guidance, our local counselors are available by phone, email, or video to assist as much or as little as you wish. This approach lets you comparison shop multiple funeral home options without the pressure of an in-person sales environment. In fact, the NFDA 2025 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Study found that nearly one in three Americans prefers exactly this kind of hybrid approach — starting online independently, with easy access to a professional when they need one. That’s precisely how Legacy of Love works.
Yes — this is one of Legacy of Love's most important differentiators. Because we are an independent service and not a funeral home, your plan and any associated insurance funding are fully portable and can be used at any licensed funeral home in the United States. If you move, if your chosen funeral home changes ownership or closes, or if your family simply prefers a different provider at time of need, your plan and insurance proceeds travel with you. Funeral home pre-paid plans typically do not offer this flexibility.
Every completed Legacy of Love funeral plan includes a personalized My Final Wishes binder — a keepsake document with your documented funeral preferences, important contacts, and step-by-step guidance for your family. You also receive free access to our secure Online Legacy Vault, where you can store and share documents, photos, videos, and personal messages with designated family members at any time. Your plan documents your service type, burial or cremation preference, funeral home selection, music, readings, cultural or religious preferences, and any other specific wishes. Plans can be updated at any time.
Yes. Creating a funeral plan with Legacy of Love is completely free with no obligation. You receive your My Final Wishes binder and access to the Online Legacy Vault at no cost. The only costs involved are if you choose to pre-fund your plan using a burial insurance, pre-need insurance, or irrevocable funeral trust product — which is entirely optional. Many customers start with a free plan and add funding later.
Your wishes are preserved in two ways. First, you receive a personalized physical My Final Wishes binder mailed to you with a printed copy of your plan. Second, your plan is stored in our secure Online Legacy Vault, where you can update it at any time and share access with designated family members or friends. At the time of your passing, your Legacy of Love counselor can also communicate your plan directly to your chosen funeral home on your family's behalf.
The Celebration of Life kit is a legacy documentation tool included with your plan. It allows you to document your life story, memories, values, and personal messages for your loved ones to read after your passing. It includes prompts covering your family history, military service, religious affiliations, education, valued possessions, and personal beliefs — along with practical information your family will need, such as financial accounts, insurance policies, real estate, and pet care wishes. Everything is pulled into one organized resource so your family has clarity and comfort when they need it most.
Yes. Your funeral plan preferences can be updated at any time through your Online Legacy Vault or with the help of your Legacy of Love counselor. If you have funded your plan with an insurance policy, the policy includes a 30-day free look period from the date you receive your contract during which you may cancel for a full refund. You also have 90 days from the policy issue date to make changes. If you choose to pay off the policy early, it can be converted to paid-up status, though an early pay fee may apply.
The funeral concierge service is an optional add-on powered by our partner Sequoia Funeral Concierge Services. At the time of your passing, a dedicated Sequoia specialist contacts your family, communicates your pre-planned wishes to the funeral home, reviews the funeral bill for any overcharges, applies available discounts, and manages logistics and documentation. The plan includes 24/7 live support, multilingual service, domestic and international repatriation assistance, and coverage for up to 10 family members. It is specifically designed to take the burden of "handling the business side" of a funeral off your family's shoulders during a time of grief.
Legacy of Love offers an optional Travel Plan by Inman add-on that covers exactly this situation. If you pass away 75 miles or more from your home — domestically or internationally — the plan covers transportation of the deceased, body preparation, all required documentation, and shipping to your local funeral home. Without coverage, international repatriation alone can cost $5,000–$15,000. The Travel Plan is a one-time lifetime purchase available for a single traveler ($450) or a couple ($875), with flexible monthly payment options.
Yes, in many cases. Certain funding structures available through Legacy of Love — particularly the irrevocable funeral trust (IFT) — allow individuals to set aside funds for funeral expenses in a way that Medicaid generally does not count as a personal asset. This is a legitimate spend-down strategy for seniors applying for long-term care Medicaid benefits. Rules and allowable amounts vary by state. We encourage clients to consult with their attorney on state-specific requirements, and our counselors can explain the options available to you.
With Legacy of Love, this is not a problem — it's one of the most important reasons to use us instead of prepaying a funeral home directly. Our insurance policies designate a family member as the beneficiary, not the funeral home. So if your chosen funeral home closes, changes ownership, or if you relocate anywhere in the United States, your insurance proceeds remain safe and fully portable. Your family simply chooses another funeral home. This protection is one of the key reasons financial experts Dave Ramsey, Clark Howard, and consumer advocates like AARP warn against prepaying funeral homes directly.
The NFDA 2025 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Study — which surveyed 1,126 Americans age 40 and older — reveals a clear and consistent picture. 93.4% of Americans said they would contact a funeral director or funeral professional for help with arrangements, even as digital planning tools have become more widely available. The percentage of people who would feel unconfident planning without professional guidance is actually growing, not shrinking. At the same time, 31.8% explicitly prefer a hybrid approach — starting their plan online at their own pace, with a knowledgeable professional available when they have questions. Only 12.9% said they want to plan entirely online with no professional involvement. The takeaway: most people want convenience and expertise — not one or the other. Legacy of Love is built around exactly this model. Read our full analysis of the NFDA 2025 study »
Each represents a fundamentally different type of service. Dignity Memorial is the largest corporate funeral home and cemetery operator in North America — owned by Service Corporation International with approximately 1,900 locations. Pre-planning with Dignity Memorial typically locks your plan and funds to their specific network. Neptune Society is a cremation provider that operates its own facilities; plans are tied to their locations. Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage is a final expense life insurance company that sells one product through captive door-to-door agents; their planning component (the FCGS) only activates after death and is limited to a 2-page form. Legacy of Love is categorically different from all three: we are an independent planning service — not a funeral home or captive insurer. Funeral planning is completely free with no purchase obligation. Plans and insurance proceeds are fully portable and usable at any licensed funeral home in the United States. We also offer services none of the above provide: Medicaid-compatible irrevocable funeral trusts and travel protection for deaths away from home.
Both are life insurance products that fund funeral costs, but they work differently. Pre-need insurance is paired with a documented funeral plan and sized to cover specific estimated costs. It includes inflation protection, requires no medical exam, and pays the benefit to a family beneficiary — not a funeral home — within 48 hours of death. Burial insurance (also called final expense insurance) is a standalone whole life policy with a small face value ($1,000–$50,000) that the beneficiary can use for any purpose — funeral expenses, medical bills, or debts. With Legacy of Love, both options name a family member as the beneficiary, keeping your plan fully portable. See our full comparison on the Pre-Need vs. Final Expense Insurance page.
No. Legacy of Love's burial insurance and pre-need insurance policies use simplified underwriting — no medical exam, no blood tests. Qualification involves answering a few health questions. Policies are available for applicants ages 50–99. For the pre-need insurance policy specifically, you must not have been confined to a hospital, received hospice care, or been given a terminal diagnosis in the past 12 months. Most approvals are quick and may even be same-day.
Legacy of Love insurance policies typically pay out the death benefit to the named beneficiary within 48 hours of a claim being filed. This is critically important because funeral homes generally require payment within days of a death — well before estate funds can be released through probate, which can take weeks or months. Having funds available immediately protects your family from having to pay out of pocket or go into debt to cover funeral costs.
You can fund your Legacy of Love plan with a lump-sum payment or through an installment plan spread over 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, or 20 years — making it accessible for virtually any budget. Payment plan availability varies by age. Once your premiums are paid in full, coverage continues for life at no further cost. If you pass away while still making installment payments, remaining payments are forgiven (provided your payments are current), and the full benefit is paid to your beneficiary.
Yes. Legacy of Love pre-need insurance includes built-in inflation protection — the death benefit grows annually to help offset rising funeral costs. For example, a $10,000 policy growing at 2% per year would be worth over $12,000 after 10 years. The funeral industry has historically seen cost inflation of 4–6% annually, so having a benefit that grows over time is an important feature for long-term planning.
It depends on your health at the time of application. If you qualify based on your health history, you may be eligible for first-day full coverage — meaning the full death benefit is payable immediately. If full first-day coverage is not available due to health conditions, a graded death benefit option is used, in which the benefit amount increases over a set period before reaching full value. Your Legacy of Love counselor will explain which applies to your situation.
An irrevocable funeral trust (IFT) is a legal arrangement that sets aside a specific sum exclusively for funeral and burial expenses. Because the funds are irrevocable — legally restricted to funeral use — Medicaid generally does not count them as countable assets, making them a useful Medicaid spend-down tool. Unlike a burial insurance policy where a family member receives a flexible cash payout, an IFT's funds are designated solely for funeral expenses. Both tools have their place depending on your goals; a Legacy of Love counselor can help you determine which is right for your situation.
Prepaying a funeral home directly comes with significant risks that experts consistently warn against. Your money is locked to a specific funeral provider — if that home closes, changes ownership, or you move, you may lose your funds or face penalties to transfer your plan. The funeral home is named as the policy beneficiary, meaning leftover funds stay with the funeral home rather than your family. And you lose the flexibility to change your mind on providers. Dave Ramsey has called prepaying a funeral home "a gift to the funeral home." Legacy of Love's insurance policies avoid all of these risks by directing benefits to a family member beneficiary, keeping your plan fully portable and your family in control. Read more on our Disadvantages of Prepaid Funerals page.
Legacy of Love's pre-need insurance and irrevocable funeral trust options are designed to be Medicaid asset exempt. However, Medicaid rules vary by state and can change, so we always encourage clients to consult with their attorney or elder law professional to confirm state-specific requirements and limitations. Our counselors are familiar with Medicaid planning strategies and can walk you through the available options in your state.
It depends on your situation. If you have an active term life insurance policy with a sufficient benefit amount, your family may be able to cover funeral costs from that payout — but only if those funds are not needed for income replacement, outstanding debts, or other expenses. Additionally, term life policies expire and may become unaffordable or unavailable with age or health changes. Burial insurance and pre-need insurance are specifically sized for funeral costs, require no medical exam, and pay out within 48 hours regardless of probate timelines. Many people use burial insurance as a dedicated, ring-fenced fund for funeral expenses so that life insurance proceeds remain available for other family needs. A Legacy of Love counselor can help you assess what makes sense for your specific situation at no cost.
