6 Things Funeral Homes May Not Tell You

Updated and adapted from the book "1,001 Things They Won't Tell You: An Insider's Guide to Spending, Saving, and Living Wisely," by Jonathan Dahl and the editors of SmartMoney. Additionally edited by Andrea Barnes, San Diego Memorial Society, Sept. 19, 2021 There's no need to shop around. All mortuaries charge about the same thing. Uh, not so fast... First some Read More →

Death in One State and Need Burial in Another

I recently had a call from a fellow in Ohio who wants to be buried with his family in San Diego. He told me he has no family or friends to help out with things at the end. So, it was important that he have everything dialed in beforehand. I explained to him that he will need to get things Read More →

How Can I Plan Ahead for the Death of a Loved One?

If you live in San Diego County you can call us and sign up your loved one as a member of the San Diego Memorial Society. We have 11 contracted mortuaries to choose from. Once the time of death arrives, the mortuary is called, the membership number is given to them, and the discounts are applied. Click here to apply. Read More →

Coping with the Loss of a Loved One to Mesothelioma

There is grief when a person is struggling with Mesothelioma. Here is an article that can help you cope.

The Most Effective Alternatives to Life Insurance

Many look for life insurance as a financial safety net. However, if you’ve been rejected for life insurance in the past, then you’re probably looking for alternatives to your life insurance. An effective money management strategy is something that many individuals should be looking for, even in cases of life insurance not paying out. Life insurance companies only make money Read More →

Many people wonder if they need a trust. What are the asset limits that you must consider? What happens if you don't have a trust? We have some answers.

How to Plan a Memorial Service

Need to plan a Celebration of LIfe service? Here are some tips on how to set the tone, who to invite, what special touches can be done to make it a memorable day.

48 End of Life Care Costs and Statistics for Families and Caregivers

End of life care costs and statistics show a high cost of care in the last few months of life. The cost of hospital care, palliative care, and hospice care are part of end-of-life costs for most people. In the last month of life, hospital costs can add up to $32,379 and hospice care up to $17,845. In addition to Read More →

Actions and Decisions to be Made after a Death has Occurred

Who to call FIRST … Hospice Nurse (if the deceased was in hospice care) or Call the Sheriff's Office at (858) 565-5200 if death occurs somewhere other than a nursing home or medical facility Next, decide whether to: Use a funeral home - See our list of privately owned mortuaries that we have pre-negotiated the pricing.  or Have family and Read More →

After-Death Checklist for Survivors

Many people find that having a checklist of decisions to be made and tasks to be done when a death occurs helps them to be better organized and, thus, reduces some of the anxiety associated with an emotional time. We hope you find this checklist helpful. Decide who will do what tasks Contact those who will take on responsibilities Have Read More →

What is a POLST Document?

You've had a terrible accident at home or are at the end of life and now the end is drawing near. Something has necessitated the calling of EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and they are on their way. You may think that if you have an advanced directive that gives instruction to your loved ones when you become unable to make Read More →

Planning a Funeral | 5 Key Tips

Planning a Funeral and/or making funeral arrangements at the last minute can be stressful, expensive, and disappointing in terms of services received. Planning ahead can provide the following benefits: Large cost savings, quite possibly cutting funeral costs by half.• Funeral service items you really value and want. Peace of mind because when funeral services are needed, you will have far Read More →

Life After Death: Burial Options in a Sustainable Future

Embalming, cremation and casket-making are far from eco-friendly. Some researchers want to return human bodies to the earth naturally. By Joan Meiners August 6, 2020 What might sustainable cemeteries of the future look like? Seattle-based Recompose says human compost, trees and modern architecture. (Credit: Olson Kundig)This story appeared in the September/October 2020 of Discover magazine as "Life After Death." We Read More →

Cremation Information

This information is from the Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases https://www.cfb.ca.gov/consumer/funeral.shtml CREMATION INFORMATION California law requires written acknowledgment of the following disclosure when cremation is to take place: "The human body burns with the casket, container, or other material in the cremation chamber. Some bone fragments are not combustible at the incineration temperature and, as a result, remain Read More →

Your Right to Die (An Overview of Final Exit Network)

This post is meant to be informative and not an endorsement. Final Exit Network's mission is: To educate qualified individuals in practical, peaceful ways to end their lives, offer a compassionate bedside presence and defend their right to choose. Their Vision is: That any competent person unbearably suffering an intractable medical condition has the option to die legally and peacefully. Read More →