FAQ

How do I get certified death certificates?

Obtaining a death certificate is four step process.

1. The family provides biographical information for the death certificate
2. Our Society prepares the death certificate with the provided information
3. The doctor completes the cause of death section of the certificate
4. Copies are processed and printed by the appropriate government agency

The amount of time to receive a certified copy of the death certificate dependent upon how quickly the physician completes the cause of death, how quickly the appropriate government agency issues the certified copies, and the time to forward the certified copies to the family.

What is Pre-planning, or Pre-paying?

Pre-planning is making choices now about your final arrangements that will be carried out in the future. 

Pre-paying is setting aside funds with Mid-Ohio Valley Cremation Society to pay for the future arrangements you have put in place. 

People tend to make better decisions by planning in advance.  Advance planning reduces your family concerns in the future as to what you may have wanted and how to pay for what you have requested. 

What do I need to do to pre-plan?

Pre-plaining can be done easily on our website by using the start arrangement orange tab.  This allows you to complete arrangements from the convenience of you home, taking as much time as you need to make an informed decision.  After completing online arrangements, one of our staff will follow up with you to answer any questions and ensure you receive all appropriate member discounts.

What are the advantages of advanced planning?

If you decide to prepay, our society guarantees that your family will never have to pay additional money for your cremation or merchandise in the future. We can provide additional professional advice on pre-planning and prepaying.

What is the difference between pre-paying and pre-planning?

When you pre-plan, our cremation specialist will keep all of your requests on file until they are needed in the future.   Your family can pay for your cremation is the future. 

When you pre-pay at the time you make your pre-arrangements, not only are your request on file but funds are set aside to pay for those requests.

Where does the money go that I pre-pay into a plan?

Once we receive funds for your arrangements, we will establish a trust. The trust funds will not be released until your final requests have been fulfilled.

• Types of Trusts:
• A Revocable Trust is a trust that the money is deposited into and any time, you may ask for this money to be returned to you.  At the end of the year, you will receive a 1099 statement on which you must pay taxes on the interest as it is considered income.
• An Irrevocable Trust is a trust that the money is deposited into and the proceeds can only be used for your cremation. You will receive a 1099 at the end of the year showing total interest earned.

What if the cost of the services/products I pre-pay is greatly increased at the time of my death?

Once you pre-pay for a cremation and/or merchandise, the terms of the contract both parties agree to are permanently in effect, guaranteeing your family will not ever have to pay additional money towards your cremation or merchandise.

What if your Society is no longer in business at the time of my death?

Because your money is held in a certified Trust at Wes Banco and regulated by the State Attorney's Office, your money will always be there for your cremation in the future. This money is still your money, our society does not own these funds. Our society is only the payee of these funds in the future with the following requirements; a certified copy of your death certificate has been provided to the trust and we have fulfilled your cremation arrangements. Should you move out of the area, another cremation society or funeral home can apply for these funds to pay towards their costs after a certified copy of your death certificate has been provided to the trust and they have fulfilled your cremation arrangements.