Mike Boland  Preplanning is Simple Our Advanced Planning Department is staffed by full time prearrangement counselors who are skilled at presenting information and options to you and your family. This conference can be held in your home or ours, whichever is easiest for you. Families can either record their wishes, desires and vital statistical information and file it away, or many times families choose the protection afforded to them by pre-paying all or part of the costs. This helps to shelter funds from government agencies and “freezes the cost” of the items purchased. Your family will be protected from price increases and inflation. It’s a better way! Call today. Advanced Planning…a better way! We plan for every rite of passage throughout life: weddings, having a family, retirement. We insure ourselves to protect against fires and accidents. Throughout this website, we have encouraged our visitors to protect their family from having to make hundreds of decisions in just a few brief hours. Advanced Planning is a better way…the best gift you could give to your loved ones. Why should you preplan? Life is more complicated now than ever! Family members live in different parts of the country, dealing with government agencies can be frustrating, and inflation is felt by every household. Planning ahead prevents emotional overspending and protects your family’s interests. Seven reasons to plan ahead: Peace of Mind – Arranging today, before death, is handling a family matter. Arranging at the time of death is dealing with a family crisis. Planning ahead…you have true peace of mind knowing you have taken care of everything; Lower Costs – Prearrangement with pre-payment allows you to pay for tomorrow’s funeral at today’s cost. By locking in the cost today, and making decisions in a calm, measured environment, you’ll save money; Inflation Proof Guarantee – Fitzgerald’s guarantees in writing that certain service and merchandise costs will be fully covered when you pre-pay either by placing funds in a trust or an insurance fund; Tax Free Growth – Your funeral plan can be funded by either insurance or an irrevocable trust. In either case, the growth in your funeral plan is tax free. You will not receive a Federal 1099 form; Protection from Nursing Home Costs – Unlike other investments (including cash value of traditional life insurance) that you own, the dollars you place into a correctly structured final expense plan will not count as an asset if you enter a nursing home. The full cost of your funeral can be protected using an irrevocable insurance trust; No Probate or Delay – When you use an irrevocably assigned insurance trust to hold your dollars, the funds are immediately available to pay funeral costs. With your permission, the funds can even be paid directly to the funeral home that provides the funeral goods and services. There is NO probate or delay; Dignity and Control – You help ensure that your wishes are carried out with dignity and respect. Before your death you retain the right to change funeral homes or funeral services. These rights pass to your family after death occurs.   Start today – Call our Pre-arrangement Department (815-226-2273) to make an appointment or Request Information - Click to Contact Us Plan Online Because every family's situation is unique, certain restrictions and exemptions may apply. All benefits listed above may not be available in every case. Planning now, before serious health or other problems arise, gives you the widest range of options. Laws may change at any time so this should not be considered legal or tax advice.