Planning ahead
A thoughtful approach to placing your affairs in order
Have you considered the option of pre-purchasing your own or your family memorial? Many New Zealanders have found this is an effective way to ensure their personal wishes will be carried out.
Planning now means relieving your family or close partner of a future financial burden and also the need to make a difficult decision in often emotional circumstances. A Pre-Purchase Memorial Plan makes it possible for people to decide now about the type of memorial they want. This applies equally regardless of a personal choice for burial or cremation.
The Memorial Plan
Pre-purchasing your memorial at current prices is a responsible way to show consideration to your family and completes the process of funeral planning.
Ensure your special wishes are recorded and have a permanent memorial to remind following generations of your special place in life.
Choose the memorial, the inscription and decorative features you wish to be remembered by.
Relieve your family of the financial burden.
Be comfortable knowing that your funds are held securely in a trust account at a reputable banking institution.
Know the Plan is portable and can be transferred elsewhere in New Zealand, where another member of the Master Monumental Masons Association can complete the work.
When a maintenance clean option is purchased, know your memorial will be cleaned at a set time.
How it works
Depending on the type of memorial chosen, the cost will be different for each client purchasing the Plan. Some memorials are simple and inexpensive, others can be very detailed which will require special manufacture and will therefore cost more.
Your Monumental Mason is experienced in helping clients choose the type of material, design finish and appropriate inscription that best suits you.
When you decide on your headstone, plaque or maintenance plan, your pre-payment is made to the New Zealand Master Monumental Masons Association who will hold the funds until needed. A Certificate of Participation in the Plan with full details of the deposit record is issued to the client.
Funds are only released to the arranging Monumental Mason when a memorial is installed, additional inscription made or scheduled maintenance clean completed. Once deposited into the Trust account, the money can only be withdrawn for this purpose. Any difference in costs from the Trust account balance and the production cost of a memorial will need to be met by the family.
