We don’t like to talk about death. Most of us even avoid talking about preparing our own funeral. It reminds us of a grim reminder of our inevitable demise. It doesn’t bring joy, and some would prefer to talk about their taxes and politics rather than anything that reminds us of our mortality. However, it’s crucial to consider preparing for a funeral, and you can’t avoid it without bringing the subject of death.
Understanding Funeral Cost
The cost for Singapore funeral services is different and hard to tell. Some religious funerals may tend to be more expensive than others as some may require additional embellishments or personnel to complete the ritual. For example, the average expense of a traditional three-day affair Taoist funeral services in Singapore can cost around $8,000 while two-day package services can still rack up to $7,500 to $8,000 estimate according to Value Champion.
Repatriation from Overseas
Should death occur outside the country, a repatriation service is required along with permission and registration certificate preparation. The Ministry of Foreign Affair can provide more information and advice for overseas death situations where families desire to bring the body home. It’s hard to tell the figures for repatriation since it depends on where the body is repatriating from. The average price for Singapore funeral services doesn’t include the repatriation from overseas, so it’s essential to have an established plan to cut down the cost.
It is also worth noting that it is a requirement for the body to be embalmed before travelling or shipping back home. According to MoneySmart, the average for repatriation can be around $5,000 to $10,000 and up. For some, cremating the body before repatriation can be a much cheaper option than travelling with a casket of the remains. Most financial experts and specialists, therefore, advise acquiring travel insurance. Travel insurance can help cover the repatriation cost at the time of unexpected death, so surviving families would only have to worry less.
Registering the Death
Most people will plan to look for Singapore funeral services but the first stage process to do after death is to acquire and register a certificate of death. Issuing a Certificate of Cause of Death (or CCOD for short) is a very crucial process to do after death. It can be beneficial to use for claiming insurance, closing bank accounts, etc. In most common cases, a doctor will issue the CCOD on the spot within 24 hours of death if they are able to certify death. The estimated cost for at-home CCOD via doctor’s house call is around $200 to $300. Hospitals can also issue a CCOD should a loved one pass away under their care, and it can be issued without charges.
Should a family choose to issue a CCOD, they will need a few IDs of the deceased such as a passport, IC or birth certificate. For other uses, CCOD is a requirement to make arrangements for a newspaper obituary.
Autopsy
In some cases where unnatural death occurred, or accident (that causes death) happened an autopsy can be conducted under the Coroner’s Act. An autopsy is used in order to identify the true cause of death. In most cases, the autopsy cost shall remain absorbed. However, should a family wish to acquire a true copy of the result, the fee is $160.50 per true copy.
Arranging for Obituaries
Apart from the cost of choosing a funeral services package in Singapore, some families can make arrangements to announce the death of a loved one via local newspapers – this is called an obituary. The reason behind preparing an obituary is to let other people (friends and relatives) know the death and discover the details of the funeral ceremony or wake – where and when it will be held.
Each local newspaper has its charging fee for obituaries depending on the per inch or per line. The more information or details you wish to include, the higher the cost will be – this will include the length of the content and the photo size. According to MoneySmart the smallest size for an obituary can cost around $1,000 to $1,300 depending on the local newspaper firm.
Funeral Planning – The Importance of Planning Your Own
There is also some quiet satisfaction to be gained from settling up the arrangement for your funeral. Some may go for Christian, Taoist, or Buddhist funeral services in Singapore depending on their background and desire. Each of us has the freedom and ability to have a desirable funeral ceremony after our demise.
However, people sometimes worry about their final wishes not being granted after death. It is essential to realise that any funeral wishes are nothing more than a mere request. More likely, your executors, unfortunately, are under no obligation to carry out your wishes and will do anything more convenient for them.
It is not to say that all friends, families, or relatives won’t grant requests, it’s likely that not all wishes can be fulfilled — unless you choose to plan and do it earlier. Remember, Singapore funeral services can cost quite a lot, especially when your family doesn’t have enough budget to fulfil your desire.
Pre-Arranging Your Funeral – Tips To Consider
When you pre-arrange your funeral you can follow these few tips for better and more convenient planning:
– Select a suitable arrangement based on your budget
It’s easy to underestimate how much money can go to a single funeral arrangement. The worse case can be – if you plan without preparing or settling your budget. Your funeral can either cost $3,000 or can go up to close as $9,000 if you don’t check and estimate the cost. Remember that a single funeral services package in Singapore is not the same as the other package offered by another funeral firm.
– Settle on a method of payment to match your circumstances
Do you desire to bring in full cash, a credit card payment or via online payment? Consider using the most convenient payment method for funeral plans/services that best match your current situation.
– Select who benefits under the plan
Singapore funeral services vary a lot in options and cost. That’s why choosing someone who can benefit under the plan in case unexpected circumstances occur, can save more cost. It’s better to prepare and plan – it can spare your loved ones from the cost of being unprepared.
– Share your final wishes with someone you trust
It’s all a matter of personal preference when it comes to choosing the most appropriate funeral plans. However, sharing your funeral wishes with the one you wish to handle your funeral affairs (like your loved ones) when you’re not around can ensure that the process can be carried out effectively. It’s better to consider someone whom you can trust to make careful decisions — someone who can represent your final wishes.
– Have comfort and freedom from worries and stress
If you’re going for a funeral pre-planning, it’s ideal to make choices when you are not burdened and worn down with anxiety and stress. Having these two on your shoulder only adds weight, which makes making decisions more difficult. Being stressed only serves to make things harder than it seems, and you can’t make better choices if you’re feeling that way. When choosing plans and looking into details in a funeral services package in Singapore, do so in a relaxed manner.
– Ensure no hidden fees are charged.
When it comes to acquiring Singapore funeral services, some may include hidden fees or extra charges. It’s your responsibility to ensure that you are secure against hidden costs and that you have at hand the agreed total amount of charges to pay for the planning.
Funeral Directors
Funeral directors take away the responsibility of having to look for the smaller details on funerals. If you’re doing a funeral pre-planning, a funeral director will walk you through the process of planning the funeral. They can give you viable options that match closely with what you intend to design a funeral. When it comes to professional Singapore funeral services needs, funeral directors have the general responsibility in fulfilling every funeral needs.
Funeral directors are the group of personnel behind organising every funeral service, burial or cremation and will sort out all the paperwork needed for the final send-off. They can also offer services like repatriation or embalming, therefore choosing a suitable funeral director is crucial.
The Cost for Funeral Director
If you’re looking for professional Singapore funeral services that can be personalised or tailored to your likings, a funeral director can help you through. However, it comes at a cost. The total charges or pricing fee for a funeral director depends a lot on the package and can be summed as the total expense for the funeral services. It includes almost all components essential in a funeral ceremony, from the coffin to the burial ceremony.
Some funeral directors or funeral homes can charge much lower, while others can charge more premium fees depending on how well-established, reputable or experienced the funeral director is.
Choosing a Suitable Funeral Director
– Make a list of what’s important.
If you’re choosing a funeral service for your pre-planning or a departed loved one, a funeral should reflect on the deceased’s values and beliefs. Whether it’s Taoist, Christian, Freethinker or Buddhist funeral services in Singapore, each individual has preferences for their funeral ceremony. Having all the essential services and components listed, from the coffin design down to the catering services, and venues can save the hassle and let you get the estimated price for each.
– Compare prices
Before you settle for a single funeral director or even a funeral services package in Singapore, comparing prices between different ones can help you save more. Be sure to check what services and other components are included for each quote and weigh down which ones are more value-based and which one contains anything you deem unnecessary for funeral plans before you commit.
You can use online discussions, forums, and even tools for comparing prices and services. Additionally, you can contact and speak with the funeral director representatives to ask for more details or inquire about specifics you want.
– Use reviews to find quality funeral director services
Since there are a lot of funeral directors that offer Christian, Buddhist, and Taoist funeral services in Singapore, it’s hard to find which one can provide the best service you expect. One convenient way to make options much easier is by reading online reviews and testaments left by previous clients about their experience working with that particular funeral director.
Additionally, you can use recommendations from your friends, relatives or family members for top funeral directors. Once you have their given recommendations listed, you can check and compare review ratings and even inspect their profiles so you can make a better judgement on which service to choose.
– Check their payment option.
Sometimes, the payment process can be a hassle, especially if you have no idea which options you should go with. Some funeral directors will require you for an up-front payment, while others can be paid later on. If you’re looking for a funeral services package in Singapore, never forget to consider checking the payment option.
Funeral Pre-Planning/Pre-Paid – A Brief Look
If you pre-plan or own a pre-paid funeral plan, you are guaranteed to protect your loved ones from any unexpected costs that entail after death. With the benefits of ensuring that your final wishes will be fulfilled, pre-planning takes away the burden (financially) and the hassle as long as you’re arranging with a reputable and trusted funeral director.
Still, arranging for a funeral is never an easy task. With the majority of Singapore funeral services remaining quite costly, there are few options that one can do to save more whilst ensuring that your wishes will remain carried. Funeral pre-planning or pre-paid can be your go-to choice, but not all options are money-savers. At the end of the day, you will still use your judgement for making a careful decision.
To further help you go through prepaid or pre-planning you can:
- Ask yourself if the payments are reasonable enough
- Learn the pre-paid planning cost in advance
- Inquire more about burial insurance
- Choose a more convenient funeral director
- Learn if there are any unexpected costs
- Decide how the remains will be handled
Conclusion
Now that you have the basic idea of the cost for Singapore funeral services, it’s on you to decide wisely about handling expenses that come with your or your loved ones funeral planning. Ask your friends or loved ones for advice. Taking time to do more research and weigh in contributing factors to the plan is a wise route for securing better financial choices.
However, no matter what options you choose, communicating and informing your plan to your family members can help you go through and make a sound decision.
If you’re looking for a reputable funeral home that offers a funeral services package in Singapore, visit Confidence Funeral Services for more details.
