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American Press
2 days ago
- General
- American Press
Pre-planning: What to know about prepaid funeral plans
(Metro Creative Services) Death is inevitable. It is something everyone will have to face and it's something that's not usually brought up at a dinner party or holiday gathering — but, in the end, someone has to take responsibility and make important decisions. Pre-planning is a way to take the burden off loved ones and make the grieving process a little easier during their dark days. Canon Cart grew up around the funeral home business. His grandfather worked at Johnson Funeral Home and he would stay with him often during school breaks. Cart is now the advanced funeral planner at the funeral home. 'One question I tend to ask every family that comes in to pre-plan is, 'What is the most important reason you're doing this today,' and 99 percent of the time they say back, 'I do not want to burden my loved ones with making these arrangements',' Cart said. Cart said planning a funeral involves huge decisions and finite details — and often those decisions need to be made within a 36-hour window. 'Imagine making all of those decisions at the time of need, on the worst day of your life, when you've just lost a loved one. You can imagine it's pretty overwhelming, especially if it's not something you were prepared for,' he said. 'Trying to make meaningful plans and also incorporating everyone into those plans can be difficult and there's one person who can probably make those plans the most meaningful for that family — probably the person themselves.' Cart said he understands how uncomfortable it is to talk about one's end of life. 'I think many people get intimidated whenever it comes down to talking about themselves because it makes it real, makes them realize we're not invincible to death.' But, he said, at the end of the day the services are not for the deceased, they are for the living. There's a lot of information needed when it comes to a death certificate — including the full legal names of one's parents, birth certificate, education level and more. 'Many people don't realize what all is needed for a death certificate, they're shocked and it is a lot. It also helps with writing the obituary, as well,' he said. For veterans, they also need a DD Form 214 for the presentation of the casket flag and the playing of taps. Service details are the next item on the list to be discussed. Those include things such as open casket or closed, rosary or not, two-day traditional service with a wake or funeral and visitation on the same day, casket spray and flowers, possible Bible verses to be read, and hymns or songs to be played at the service. 'Sometimes families are spread out and everyone is not in Southwest Louisiana, so we also have to acknowledge how many people will be attending the service. If having a service all in one day, how would a mid-day service affect people being able to attend, giving folks an ample opportunity to pay their respects for the family. There's a lot of details that goes into it that people don't always think of,' he said. Pallbearers are also discussed. Usually there are six to eight required and sometimes that takes people aback because they're not sure who that would be. Then the topic moves to presentation — how the deceased would want to be dressed. 'Some people want to be buried in a suit, while others might want to be buried in a gown, personal articles like wedding rings, rosaries, or if you were in a fraternity, pins possible on your lapel are discussed,' he explained. Cost is also a factor when deciding whether or not to pre-plan. With pre-planning, the current cost of the funeral is locked in. 'By being able to secure today's prices, this is the cheapest that funeral services will ever be, ever, the same thing goes for everything else,' Cart said. Cart said obituaries are often the hardest discussion because most people are not comfortable writing their own. Following the obituary discussion, specific selections such as a casket or urn, personalizations, memorial packages, stationary, prayers cards, thank you cards, photos, slideshows, possible streaming services and more are addressed. 'I always tell families to be very conversational about talking about your final wishes. Many conversations always come up after attending someone else's and if you bring it up, you'll be surprised how many people have actually thought about it and have ideas on what they want,' he said. 'I always explain to people as they're sitting here pre-planning how in this environment this decision is 10 times easier than it would be for anybody else. If your kids have to come here and choose from 20 different caskets they're going to have a way harder time than you're having right now, so keep that in mind as we discuss these things.' He said it's also important to expose younger family members to the funeral service. 'I think it's so important that this generation needs to understand and be able to experience it that way they understand what has happened,' he said.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
VA loan spouse requirements
VA loans are designed for military members, veterans and their spouses. Spouses can qualify for a VA mortgage by being an active service member, a veteran or by being a civilian co-borrower on a VA mortgage. Spouses of deceased service members can also qualify for a VA mortgage. A VA loan is a mortgage for members of the military, veterans and their spouses that allows the borrower to buy a home without a down payment, and often at a favorable interest rate. In certain instances, military spouses can also qualify for a VA loan if they meet certain criteria. A service member's spouse can qualify for a VA loan if they meet one of the following requirements: They are an active military service member (for at least 90 continuous days) They are a veteran They will be a co-borrower on the loan with an active member of the military or a military veteran They are a surviving spouse of a deceased service member or veteran If you are married to a service member or veteran and you are a civilian, however, you cannot apply for a VA mortgage solely in your name. VA loans are only for people who have served in the military. If you are married to a civilian with whom you plan to co-borrow on a VA loan, you and your spouse must meet certain criteria. The good news? You may qualify for a larger loan if your spouse has a higher income. Most VA loan eligibility requirements are based on your military service, along with financials like credit score and debt-to-income ratios. These standards also apply if one or both spouses are military members or veterans. In most cases, you will need the following to qualify for a VA loan: A credit score of at least 620 (the VA has no minimum credit score requirement, but many lenders typically set one) A debt-to-income (DTI) ratio of no more than 41 percent In addition, unless you (or your spouse) are on active duty, you will both need to move into the property within 60 days of closing the mortgage. Learn more: Compare current VA loan rates If you're the spouse of a deceased veteran, you could qualify for a VA loan under these circumstances: The veteran died while in service (or from a disability related to service) and you didn't remarry, or the veteran had been disabled and died, but their disability might not have been the cause of death The veteran died while in service (or from a disability related to service) and you didn't remarry before Dec. 16, 2003, or turning 57 years old The veteran is missing in action or a prisoner of war To apply, you must first obtain the veteran's certificate of eligibility (COE) and DD Form 214 (record of service). You can get these online through the VA website or by contacting a regional VA office. To get a VA loan as a surviving spouse, you must get a VA loan certificate of eligibility from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These certificates serve as evidence that you're eligible for a VA loan. How you get a COE depends on if you're receiving dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC). If you are, you'll need to complete the VA's Request for Determination of Loan Guaranty Eligibility–Unmarried Surviving Spouses form. In addition, you'll need to have your spouse's military records. If you don't have a copy, you can get one through the National Archives. If you currently aren't approved for DIC, you'll need to fill out a separate form to apply for it. You'll also need to provide copies of your spouse's military records, your marriage license and your spouse's death certificate. If you're a service member or veteran, you're not required to co-borrow with or list your spouse on the VA loan application. If your spouse isn't a co-borrower, however, you won't be able to have their income count, which probably will curtail the amount you might qualify for. For this reason, many military couples jointly apply for a VA loan. Having a spouse as a co-borrower on a VA loan can also improve other features of your financial profile, like debt-to-income ratio and credit score. Making both items appear stronger may help secure a lower interest rate on your mortgage. There are not a lot of downsides to co-borrowing on a VA loan, although all the things that make it a positive choice (credit score, income, debts) may also have a negative impact — if your spouse's financials are in poorer shape than yours. It's also important to note that even if you aren't co-borrowing with a spouse but live in a community property state, your spouse's finances might still come into play. If your spouse's credit needs work, it might make sense to leave them off the mortgage but add them to the home's title. This means your spouse has an ownership stake but isn't liable for making mortgage payments, which could help you qualify for better loan terms. The general rule: Unless the service member or veteran is deceased, you'll need their participation to qualify for another VA loan, including if you'd like to refinance in divorce proceedings. If you're currently divorcing a spouse you co-borrowed the mortgage with, your next steps depend on how you decide to handle the marital property and the applicable laws in your state. If you are not a co-borrower on the mortgage, you would have to assume your mortgage or refinance the mortgage to stay in the home. As noted above, the laws may be different if you live in a community property state like Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, or Wisconsin. For example, if you live in a community property state, you and your spouse share a 50/50 ownership interest in the property unless you agree to different terms or the court rules differently. Another aspect that could make things difficult is the loan's VA entitlement on the property. A full VA entitlement affects the money the government guarantees to your lender if you default on a loan that's over $144,000. In that case, the government will pay up to 25 percent of the total loan amount. The entitlement situation can be complicated when a service person has a civilian spouse who keeps the home and the mortgage in a divorce. If the loan remains active, the service member has only 'remaining entitlement' — and that affects the size of an additional VA loan they could take out, say to buy another home with a new spouse. When this occurs, the civilian ex-spouse is responsible for paying off or refinancing the VA loan. Only then will the service member's full entitlement be restored. And if you're already divorced from a service member or veteran, you can't get a new VA loan based on their eligibility. Can a domestic partner qualify for a VA loan? To qualify for a VA loan with a partner who is a service member or veteran, you're required to be 'married' as defined or recognized by your state. This includes common-law and same-sex marriages. However, if you're unmarried but both have served, you could qualify for a VA loan based on both your entitlements. Who can be on the title on a VA loan? The people allowed to be on a VA loan title are limited to a military member or veteran, a military member or veteran along with their non-military spouse, two unmarried veterans or two married veterans. Some lenders also allow veterans to co-borrow with a non-spouse, non-veteran, but you'll need to find lenders that allow this option.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Doña Ana County Assessor's Office to host property tax waiver event for veterans
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Doña Ana County Assessor's Office and the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services will be hosting an event to help eligible veterans and unmarried widows of veterans apply for a qualified property tax waiver or exemption. Notices of property value to be sent May 1 in Doña Ana County The Property Tax Waiver and Exemption event will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, at the Government Center's multipurpose room 111, located at 845 N. Motel Blvd. Staff from the Assessor's Office and the NM Dept. of Veterans' Services will be there to assist eligible candidates in applying for the qualified property tax or exemption. To verify eligibility during the event, veterans are asked to bring the following documents: A copy of DD Form 214, NA 13038, NOAA Form 56-16, or PHS Form 1867 If applicable, VA award letter verifying permanent and total service-connected disability Proof of New Mexico Residency, including a valid NM Driver's License, current voter registration card or most recent New Mexico Personal Income Tax Return No appointment is needed, and the event is free, according to the news release by Doña Ana County. According to Doña Ana County, House Bill 47 'implemented the provisions of the constitutional amendments increasing veteran's property tax exemption from $4,000 to $10,000 and allowed a proportional property tax exemption equal to the percentage of service-related disability. Veterans with a service-connected permanent and total disability rating of 100% waives property tax payment of their primary residence.' For more information, you can call the County Assessor's Office at (575) 647-7400 or contact Jeff George, the Benefits Bureau chief at the Department of Veteran's Services at (505) 699-4087. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
