How Can I Take Advantage of Aspen Funeral Alternative Savings?
Whether prior to death or after the death has occurred, it's as easy as 1-2-3.
Prior to Death
Step 1 - Preplan Your Funeral. Preplanning your funeral, with our sister company the Heritage Plan in advance is a wonderful way to ensure that you receive the kind of celebration services you desire at a price you and your family can afford. You may contact our preplanning consultant to assist you with the process. You may arrange everything here in our offices, or in the comfort of your home.
Step 2 - Select A Payment Plan. Once you have made all your important decisions about the kind of services you desire, the next step is to simply prepay for your funeral is order to "freeze" the cost at today's price. At Aspen Funeral Alternatives, we understand the budgetary constraints that every family experiences therefore; we have a variety of payment options from which you can choose.
Step 3 - Sign Your Prearranged Funeral Agreement. In compliance with New Mexico law, our preplanning consultant will prepare all the necessary documents for you to execute your preplanning agreement. This agreement will specify in detail the type of service you desire as well as any merchandise or cash advances (i.e. clergy honoraria, music, newspaper notices).
It's as simple as that.
If you have prepaid for your funeral in Albuquerque, then you move elsewhere, your policy can transfer with you. The insurance is a consumer safeguard for you – if anything should ever happen to the funeral home you have selected to use, you still have an insurance policy that you can use at any other funeral home. Also, The biggest advantage to prepaying for your funeral is that you are able to lock into the current cost of your funeral. In other words, if your funeral costs $4,000 today and you prepay for it and live for twenty years when the cost is $8,000, your family will NOT pay any other cost. The cost is locked in on the cost of all services and merchandise that you selected.
Following the Death
If you had the foresight to preplan and / or prepay your services, most of the details are already complete. However, even if you did not preplan the services, Aspen Funeral Alternatives has a simplified process that will make funeral planning easier on your entire family.
Step 1 - Call Aspen Funeral Alternatives at 505-323-9000 any time of the day or night (24 hours a day / 7 days a week) to notify us of the death and to begin the process.
Step 2 - Make an appointment to meet with our funeral director. Our expert funeral staff is available to make arrangements Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5PM.
Step 3 - At the arrangement conference, we will help you determine the appropriate way in which to commemorate your loved ones life while keeping the services and merchandise within a budget you can afford. It's as simple as that.
I'm not a religious person; can I have a service that is not in a church?
Yes. It is not necessary to have a service in a church. Many people chose to have services either in one of our funeral chapels, reception rooms, or maybe at our Sunset Memorial Chapel. However, we encourage you to have the service somewhere that is special to you. Maybe at your favorite park, restaurant, or even your work place -- we can arrange to have services almost anywhere.
What should I do if someone dies at home?
If a death occurs at home – there are a number of scenarios possible.
The person was under hospice care. In this case, the first person to call the hospice nurse – the nurse will come to your home and pronounce death. When you are ready they can take care of calling us.
The person dies at home – NOT under any hospice care. If the death is expected (old age, or illness) then call the non-emergency number for the police. Once the police have "cleared the death" with the Medical Investigators Office you can contact us for transfer of the body into our care.
The person dies at home – NOT an expected death, call 911. Police and emergency staff will proceed from this point. Usually the Office of the Medical Examiner will be involved in this scenario, removing the body from the home and to the examiners office for testing. Once this work is completed you can contact us for transfer of the body into our care.
Choices Related to Payment
We believe in the recognition and meaningful celebration of a life that has been lived and will assist in creating a personalized service to meet your needs. What is important is that the arrangements be in keeping with your wishes as well as your budget.
We are a family owned business that treats every family we serve like family. In an effort to provide you with the finest services and merchandise possible while minimizing your expenses, we rely on you to make your choices relative to payment prior to services being rendered.
For your convenience, we accept the following forms of payment:
Cash, personal check, MasterCard, VISA, and American Express.
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