Marks Mortuary offers a variety of Advanced Funeral Planning options for our families. We are licensed by the State of Illinois under the "Funeral and Burial Trust Act" to accept payments and deposits for prearranged funeral goods and services.

FAQ's regarding Funeral Pre-Planning

Q. Why should I pre-plan my funeral?
A. Preplanning a funeral is not only about the financial aspect of a funeral service, but it is the gathering of historical information about you or a family member for accurate records. By preplanning, you will have the time to verify names and dates in order that future generations can have this information.

Q. Is my money safe?
A. The State of Illinois "Funeral and Burial Trust Act" requires that funeral homes deposit all funds that are received for the purpose of pre paying a funeral plan into a trust account within 30 days. This trust shall be in the name of the person.

Q. What if I move?
A. Funds that placed into accounts are transferable. If you choose a different funeral service provider or leave the area, the paln can go with you. However, the initial deposit that was made to your account was based on the general price list(s) of the establishing funeral service provider, changing to another provider does not guarantee that like merchandise and services will be available and does not obligate the provider to honor the agreement of another home.

Q. What is a "spend-down"?
A. This term is usually associated with a person who is qualifying for public assistance. The State of Illinois allows an individual to spend down his/her assets while receiving care prior to becoming assistance eligible. A funeral plan may be established during this period using the assets of the individual. An irrevocable assignment of the trust benefits is a requirement to satisfy the asset exemption qualification of the state.

Q. What can be prearranged and financed in a funeral plan?
A. Services, a casket selection, an outer burial container (vault) selection, cemetery grave opening fees, honorarium for clergy and musician(s), floral selections, obituary notice(s), transportation of remains, certificates of death, cremation fees (if applicable) are some of the items that are frequently financed when making arrangements.

Q. Can I make payments on my plan?
A. Yes, we offer a variety of payment options for our families who wish to advance plan. Some are placed in life insurance trust plans while others may be established in an annuity type plan. We evaluate each on an individual basis to ensure that you are receiving the best plan at an amount that you can afford.