Meet Eliza & Arnie
Preplanning at Smith is a conversation with two people who do this every day — no pressure, and no question too small.
PreplanningEliza Smith
Eliza is part of the Smith family, and she is one of the two people who will sit down with you to plan ahead. She will walk through what you'd like, what it costs, and how to put it all in writing — at your pace.
Arnie
Arnie is Smith's other preneed person, and he has been at it a long time. He is very good at this work — he is the one teaching Eliza the ropes — and a sit-down with Arnie means straight answers and time to think.
Benefits of planning ahead
Your wishes, known
Planning ahead gives you peace of mind that your personal wishes are known, and protects your family from tough decisions during a time of extreme stress and grief.
Your cost will not increase
When you plan and fund your funeral in advance, it is purchased at today's prices. Your family will not face rising costs due to inflation.
An exempt asset
If you apply for Medicaid, SSI benefits, federal bankruptcy, or nursing home care, your pre-need funds are safe. And unlike life insurance, a pre-need plan grows in value — any excess funds are returned to beneficiaries tax-free.
Transferable, with payment plans
If you move out of state or choose another funeral home, your Advance Funeral Plan can move with you. Single- and multi-year payment plans are available, and if death occurs before payments are complete, the plan may be paid in full depending on the plan.
Three easy steps
Record your information
The shock of grief makes it hard to remember important details. Our Planning Guide helps your family have everything they need, when they need it most.
Select services & merchandise
Choose your services and merchandise in advance, with our staff here to help you personalize every selection.
Pre-fund your plan
A pre-need policy guarantees your final needs are taken care of. Our Planning Book is free — we are happy to provide it and show you how to use it.
Planning for a Hmong family service or a veteran's honors? Those conversations start here too — see Hmong Services and the Veterans Wall.
Preplanning questions, answered
The questions families ask us most, in plain terms. Anything else — call, and we will walk through it with you.
What is preplanning?
Preplanning means making your funeral arrangements ahead of time — before there is any need — and putting them in writing. It has two parts, and you choose how far you go with each: writing down your wishes (the kind of service you'd like, burial or cremation, music, readings, the people who should be called — plus the facts the State of Wisconsin will ask for), and paying ahead, if you wish. Writing down your wishes costs nothing, and we keep a copy on file for you.
Why do people plan ahead?
Peace of mind, mostly — there is a particular relief in knowing this is handled. Your wishes are written down, so nobody has to guess or argue on the hardest day of their lives. The decisions get made calmly, at the kitchen table, together — and the service can be personal in a way a hurried arrangement rarely is: your music, your readings, your stories. When the time comes, your family makes one phone call to us and everything is already in front of us.
Do I have to pay ahead?
No. Plenty of people only record their wishes and facts, and leave the paying for later. Your wishes on file is a complete plan by itself, and it costs nothing.
If I do pay ahead, where does my money go?
This is the question everyone should ask, and Wisconsin law gives it a plain answer. Our plans are funded with a life insurance policy under Wis. Stat. § 445.125(3m), the part of the law written for insurance-funded plans. The policy is held by the insurance company — never in our operating account. We cannot touch it, borrow against it, or use it for anything. It pays out only after the death, when we file the claim with a certified copy of the death certificate — for your funeral, and nothing else.
How is a plan funded?
With a small life insurance policy taken out for exactly that purpose — most of our families use NGL (National Guardian Life, a Wisconsin company based in Madison). Insurance-funded plans are covered by their own part of Wisconsin law (§ 445.125(3m)). The policy is held by the insurance company, never in our operating account, and assigned to pay for the funeral when the time comes.
Can I pay over time? And is the price locked in?
Paying ahead doesn't have to mean writing one large check — most plans can be paid in smaller payments spread over time, which is far easier than one large bill arriving in the worst week of your family's life. And when you plan today, you choose at today's prices: the services and items you select and guarantee are locked in at that figure, even though costs will keep rising over the years.
What if I change my mind?
Your wishes can be updated with us any time, free. A revocable plan can also be cancelled: tell us in writing, and the policy is surrendered back to you for its cash value under the policy's terms.
What do "revocable" and "irrevocable" mean?
Revocable means you can undo it. The policy stays yours — change it, move it, or cancel it. Because it's still your asset, its cash value still counts as yours, including for Medical Assistance (Medicaid). Irrevocable means it can't be undone. The policy's ownership passes to a funeral expense trust run by the insurance company, and the proceeds can only pay for a funeral — which is exactly why it no longer counts against you for Medical Assistance, the whole policy. And irrevocable never means stuck with us: an irrevocably assigned policy can name a different funeral home at any time before death, in writing.
What if I move away?
Your plan moves with you. A plan made with us can be transferred to another funeral home, and one made elsewhere can be brought to us — wishes and the policy assignment alike.
What if the funeral home closes?
Your plan is a policy with the insurance company — it was never in our accounts to begin with. If anything ever happened to this business, the policy stays in force and can be reassigned to another funeral home. The money follows you, not us.
Should I tell my family I've done this?
Yes — please do. A plan only helps if your family knows it exists. Tell them where your copy of the planning guide is kept, and let them know a copy is on file with us.
The Planning Guide, free
Our Planning Guide is the book version of this page: what preplanning is, how it works, where the money goes, and room to write down everything your family will need, all in one place. Take it either way — download it now, or ask us to put one in the mail.
Download the Planning Guide (PDF)
Short on time? Start with the one-page preplanning checklist (PDF) — everything in the guide, on a single page.
Rather have one mailed to you?
We will send one copy, free, and we won't put you on a mailing list. Prefer to pick one up? Call (715) 832-1141 and we will have one ready at the desk.
Ask for the free Planning Book
Or schedule a quiet appointment. No pressure, ever.
Call (715) 832-1141 Contact Us