Wills & Funerals

Learn how to plan your funeral arrangements in advance so that your loved ones don't have to do it at a very vulnerable time.

Helpful Guides and Links:
Letter of Final Wishes
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ClarkHoward.com and The Clark Howard Show offer more advice for consumers.

Why having a will is necessary and how to get one in place

What are the odds you don't have a will? Best guess is that 50% of people don't have one. For some folks, that may be OK, especially if they're single, have nothing and own nothing. But if you do have kids, you need a will for the simple fact that ...

New online funeral shopping site launches

Shopping for a funeral online could become commonplace if two entrepreneurs have their way. Cleveland residents Mike Belsito and Bryan Chaikin have launched an online funeral planning service called eFuneral.com. This free service is just kicking off in the Midwest, but hopefully will takes flight across the country. What Mike ...

Advance directive forms available for free online

If you want to save your family from making important but difficult decisions about your end-of-life wishes, I recommend that you get a 'health care durable power of attorney' in place (also called a 'medical directive' or 'advance directive' in some states.) An advance directive is a legal document in ...

Big banks target grieving widows over debts they don't legally owe

The nation's biggest banks are specifically and strategically targeting grieving widows with harassing attempts to collect on the debts of their recently deceased husbands. Bank of America, Capital One, Discover and Citibank each have policies in place that allow their collectors to berate widows who have no legal obligation for ...

Louisiana monks win right to make cheap caskets

It's always been a special issue for me how people get ripped off at a time of great sadness when a loved one dies. You can end up paying far more money for funeral or memorial service than necessary because the industry is so expert at figuring out how to ...

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Clark Discusses Final Arrangements

Clark is a big fan of preplanning your funeral arrangements so that your loved ones don't have to do it at a vulnerable time. But what about prepaying for a funeral or a cemetery plot? Get Clark's advice.

End-of-life issues go green with bio-cremation

End of life is poised to go green, thanks to the introduction of a new technique called bio-cremation where the body is dissolved in a heated alkali solution. The process is said to be more environmentally friendly than a traditional cremation. The Orlando Sentinel reports bio-cremation, which one expert ...

Pre-arranged funeral service indicted for allegedly stealing $600 million

RIP-OFF ALERT: A pre-arranged funeral services company indicted for allegedly stealing hundreds of millions from unwitting individuals and funeral home directors offers yet more proof that pre-paying for a funeral is not a good idea. National Prearranged Services was indicted in St. Louis on charges of stealing up to $600 ...

Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney FAQs

What is a living will? A living will is a legal document in which you state your wishes about certain kinds of medical treatments and life-prolonging procedures you wish to receive. The document takes effect if you can't communicate your own healthcare decisions. A living will may also be called ...

Letter of Final Wishes

You may already have a will and a Power of Attorney or Living Will, but have you thought about who will handle important financial matters and what your wishes are in the event of your death? I suggest that you write a letter to your family, typically addressed to ...