The Financial Fairy Tales Blog

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The loss of a loved one is never a good time, and it can be even more stressful if you have to try and find the finances to make sure that you give your loved one the funeral they deserve. There are many financial worries, but it can feel a bit of pressure to get the funds, and especially if you are wracked by grief. If you have any concerns about ever having to raise money for a funeral, there are some options available to you.

There are different ways we can raise money in the social media age, and although it may not sound like a sensitive option, you can start a Kickstarter or GoFundMe campaign if you are really desperate for the funds. It has been known to be an option for people who have nowhere else to turn, and because of the sensitive nature of the subject, people are willing to donate, which is a great relief. There are other options available to you that are considered an alternative route. It can be a stressful time, but depending on the cause of death, you may be entitled to a payout from the parties responsible, and there are firms like Krebs Law Firm Personal Injury Attorneys who can work with people to recover the funds they are owed after negligence or an accident. The funds that are paid out would be enough to cover the costs of the funeral. If there is no option to fund a funeral, the local council or the hospital may be able to arrange a funeral service. The stipulations of this are that the service tends to be a cremation, and the service date is chosen for you and is usually shorter than the average funeral service. These are, of course, downsides if you planned on having a specific type of send-off.

If you are in a partial financial position to pay for the funeral and there are funds in the estate of the deceased party, you could claim it from the estate afterward. However, you should check to see if the money can be reclaimed from the estate first because it might not be possible. Another option would be to access the funds from the deceased’s account. This needs to be done as legally as possible because it could be perceived as an act of fraud. It is a delicate matter because when a person dies, their account tends to be frozen unless it is a joint account. But it is possible to ask the bank to release funds if you have ID and a copy of the death certificate, but it is down to the discretion of the bank, and this may only be granted if there is no formal will in place.

Apart from the standard methods, there are some alternate ways of paying for a funeral, as outlined. The stress and heartache of a situation like losing a loved one can be made worse by going through things like probate and arranging the funeral, but there are some options available if worse comes to worse.