First Things First
Making Arrangements
Funeral/Memorial Service Details
The Visitation Period
Service Time
The Disposition
Business Information
Payment of Funeral Home Expenses
Hamilton's Academy of Grief & Loss
Hamilton's Advanced Planning Services

First Things First

OUR MISSION IS TO SERVE OUR CLIENT FAMILIES AND ONE ANOTHER, ADAPTING TO THE DESIRES OF EACH PERSON SEEKING OUR HELP.

During your involvement with Hamilton’s, please inform us PROMPTLY of any special needs, concerns, or requested changes. Your complete satisfaction is very important to us.

There are many options to consider regarding the disposition of a person who has died and an appropriate funeral/memorial. You will find this booklet to be quite thorough in helping you make those decisions. Our goal is to make your way a little easier by having you use those items that are appropriate for your particular situation.

Immediate: When you meet with us to decide the disposition of the person who has died, it is called Making Arrangements. There are several items which you should bring with you:

1. The deceased’s Social Security numbe
2. Clothing…both under and outer garments
3. Photograph for newspaper obituary (optional)
4. Veterans Discharge papers (if applicable)

Communication: Maintaining ongoing contact with you to make sure that details remain organized and to confirm that you are coping with the reality of the death is important to us and to you. We will talk with you several times throughout the period leading up to the disposition of the person who has died and even after-wards.

Teams: We maintain our thoroughness by working in teams. At Hamilton’s, you will find that you can rely on both the Funeral Director and the Family Services Coordinator to help and assist you. Each of them knows the community rules and restrictions that may influence your decisions.

Children: Children are more aware of death than most adults realize. Care needs to be taken not to exclude children from experiencing significant events with the family. In general, it is healthy to help children understand death as a part of life, and to provide for them the opportunity to express their feelings about the death of someone close to them.

Hamilton’s Academy of Grief & Loss: We want you to be aware of several things which the Academy has available to you and your family, both now and in the weeks and months ahead, as you begin to work through your grief click Here.

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Making Arrangements

When we have completed making arrangements for the services and disposition, we will have documented and recorded the following:

Cause of Death: The Death Certificate is the original legal document that you will need regarding the person who has died. When, where, and how the death occurred and other historical and statistical information are required.

Obituary and media announcements: The Des Moines Register publishes three newspaper announcements:

1. Obituary section: Information about the person who has died
2. Daily Record section: Public notification of all deaths; name and place of death
3. Classified Notice section: Lists the name, service time and place.

The Des Moines Register charges for obituaries (first 8 lines are free, excluding a picture). The Register bills families directly.

Service Options: There are three types of services:

A service can be public or private. It can be either before or after the disposition. All types of services require us to determine the ceremony place, day and time.

There is no charge to the family of an infant child who has died for the following funeral/memorial services provided by Hamilton’s.

1. Facility: Use of facilities and staff for visitation and for funeral ceremony.
2. Care of the deceased: Embalming/operating room and any/or other preparations of the body.
3. Automobiles: Transfer of remains to funeral home and a car to go to the ceremony.
4. Related Items: Obituary report, acknowledgement cards, register book and floral record.

Disposition Options: There are three types of disposition for a deceased.

1. Burial: Burial can be either in the ground or in a building called a mausoleum.
2. Cremation: After cremation, the cremated remains may be contained in an urn for safe keeping, buried or scattered.
3. Donation: It is important to remember that most medical institutions require a pre-death Arrangement for body donation.

Funeral Products: You will decide which funeral products are appropriate for you. Hamilton’s Consumer Price Brochure explains your options for caskets, vaults, and grave liners; and for cremation caskets and urns.

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Funeral/Memorial Service Details

Clothing: There are two (2) sets of clothing we will mention. First is the clothing and personal effects which were on the deceased upon arrival at the funeral home. Please let us know if you wish any of these items returned to you.

The second set is the clothing we will put on the deceased at the funeral home for visitation or before cremation, if you desire. That will be normal clothing of your choice, both outer and under garments. Shoes are optional.

Jewelry: Jewelry is a personal matter. Jewelry may be left on the deceased or removed. There are no laws dictating your actions.

Personal Items: You may want to bring some personal items (such as pictures, or other items representing interests, hobbies, favorite places, etc…) for display during visitation or the services. Such items may be returned to the family of left with the deceased.

Music/Musicians: Music appreciation is an integral part of most services.
Music Brochure: This document, published by our staff organist, is an organized listing of all music that is in our Music Library.

• Documentation: All the music used in the service at the funeral home will be documented for you.
• Special Requests: We welcome any special requests and will attempt to accommodate your wishes.

Officiant/Eulogist: You should communicate directly with the person conducting your service. Don’t forget that some religious denominations define the manner in which the services in conducted, while others do not. If you would like, we can be of help in arranging for this person to contact you.

Fraternal Service: Some fraternal groups provide a service specific to their organization. At your request, we will notify these groups.

Memorial Folders: Most families like to have a printed record about the deceased person and may people attending the ceremony like to carry something away.

Hamilton’s has several examples of Memorial Folders from which to choose. We can design the information, or we invite you to custom design the information that the folder contains.

Honorariums: Honorariums are monetary gifts for people who help with the service. They are given to the Minister, Organist, Soloist and sometimes to others.

Memorial Contributions: A memorial expression can be made through flowers or through money given to organizations of your choice. We have memorial contribution envelopes at the funeral home.

Pallbearers: Pallbearers are appropriate for Burial Services and Cremation Services. They may be active pallbearers, honorary, or both. They may be men or women, and include family, friends, church members, neighbors, or work associates. Six is the most commonly used number; however more or fewer can be used at your discretion. If fewer than six pallbearers are available, please let us know so that we can be prepared to help.

Transportation: If you are using our funeral home cars for transportation, we want the passengers to have enough room. A funeral limousine holds two people more than a regular sized automobile. Additional limousines are available.

Transportation Options:

1. Our family limousine comes to your home, transports people to the service, to the graveside (when appropriate) and returns to your home
2. You may drive to the funeral home or church in your personal car and then we drive you to the cemetery and back to the funeral home or church in our family limousine
3. Personal cars may be used throughout
   If it is important for you to specify the order of cars for the procession, please make us aware of your desires.

Funeral/Memorial Meals: Our funeral homes have “Family Service Centers”. These rooms are available to you and your family to cater food before or after a funeral memorial. If you are interested, we should talk about room availability and plan this activity together.

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The Visitation Period

Visitation Options: The visitation offers a time and place for relatives and friends to share support and encouragement with the family. The deceased person may be present at the visitation either with a Burial Service or a Cremation Service. With Direct Cremation, the deceased’s cremated remains may or may not be present depending upon your desires.

Things to Consider:

1. The length of the visitation period differs with each family.
2. The family does not need to be present the entire visitation period.
3. Visitation can be limited to specific hours.
4. Some friends like to come when the family is NOT present.
5. Many families announce a limited time when the family will be available but maintain an extended time when the public is invited.

Visitation Rooms: We want you to be aware that in doing our best to serve the needs of all families and services scheduled, it may be necessary following visitation, during the daytime, or prior to service time, to move the deceased to a different visitation room than originally used.

Verification: Even though visitation is a very personal time, several items will be verified with you during this visitation period.

Personal Satisfaction: In a service with visitation, we are concerned about how you think the deceased looks. In addition, we want you to be pleased with the room arrangement, registration and placement of flowers. Please be sure to let us know if we need to make any changes for you.

Memorial Folders: The accuracy of the memorial folder to be handed out at service time is important. We will be checking this information with you. (If you wish to have memorial folders available during visitation, please let us know.)

Floral Distribution: We will be conferring with you about the distribution of flowers after the service. With a burial service many flowers will go to the cemetery, but you may also want some for family and friends. We will help you with this process.

Floral Record: We will maintain a complete floral record for both your permanent record and ours.

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Service Time

Meeting You: As you arrive, you will be met outside the building by our funeral director who will assist you in parking.

Other Relatives: Please inform other relatives about special family parking at the funeral home on the day of the service. We can help them place their cars to alleviate some congestion after the service.

Recording the Service: Hamilton’s will include an audio or video tape recording of the service only at your request.

Last Minute Changes: Any last minute changes should be discussed with us. Details are very important.

Jewelry: It is important that you decide about leaving or removing any jewelry or other items from the deceased person. It can be very disappointing if your wishes are not made clear.

Casket Open/Closed: When the casket is present at the service, it is important to decide when it is open and when it is closed. Think about what you want during the following times and tell us your thoughts. We want to honor your wishes.

Cremation Service Options: When you have a cremation service you need to decide if the deceased’s body will be present, or the deceased’s cremated remains are going to be present.

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The Disposition

Disposition Options: You can have a Funeral/Memorial Service before or after the disposition of the deceased. The disposition can be public or private. The deceased can be buried or cremated. Some people chose to donate their bodies for medical dissection. We can also help when there is a transfer to another town or state. We are knowledgeable regarding the details for all types of dispositions.

BURIAL

Cemetery: Cemeteries can be city owned, community owned, church owned, private and for profit, or owned by a special group. Grave spaces in different cemeteries cost different amounts. The cost for the grave opening also varies depending on the cemetery.

Grave Tent and Equipment: When you choose disposition at a cemetery, it is important to coordinate the committal so that the tent, chairs, lowering device, burial receptacle and any other equipment that may be needed is available. We will help organize this interaction between the respective organizations involved.

Escort Service: If we are negotiating traffic on the public streets, we normally suggest that you arrange with us to have a private escort service help with the procession to the place of interment.

Burial Receptacle: A vault is not required by law. However, with a burial service, cemeteries normally require a burial receptacle for the casket to go into so that the grave will not sink. This receptacle can be a vault (seal) or a grave liner (non-seal). We will arrange for the vault or grave liner of your choice.

CREMATION

Permission: Cremating a deceased requires written permission by the person responsible for the disposition. Also, a Cremation Permit is required to be signed by a County Medical Examiner who has authority over all cremations.

Witness: Some survivors decide to be present during the cremation. They feel it is much the same as being present at the cemetery for ground burial. Our crematory is conveniently located with comfortable surroundings. You are welcome to be present during all or part of the cremation.

Cremation Process: Cremation is performed to prepare the deceased for memorialization and/or disposition. It is carried out by placing the deceased into a casket or alternative container and then placing the body into a cremation chamber, where the body is subjected to intense heat and flame. Each deceased is cremated individually. After about two and a half hours, all substances are consumed or driven off except bone fragments, residue from the container the deceased was cremated in, and any metal or other non-combustible material. Following a cooling period, the cremated remains are then swept from the cremation chamber. Unless otherwise specified, the cremated remains are then mechanically processed into a powder-like form prior to placement into the designated urn.

Caskets for Cremation: When visitation and/or a service has been scheduled prior to cremation, some prefer the design and ornamentation of traditional caskets. Caskets for cremation are crafted with the same quality and care as traditional caskets, but are simpler in design, made from different materials, and are typically less expensive than traditional caskets.

Urns: Many people decide to place the cremated remains into an urn. You can purchase the urn of your choice at our funeral home. There are many options for personalizing cremation urns, such as: engraving the name of the deceased, a photograph, special artwork which you select, or the addition of an appliqué. Also urn vaults are often chosen to protect the urn when it is buried in the ground.

Disposition of Cremated Remains: After the actual cremation, you must decide what to do with the cremated remains. Your options are: burial, scattering, or you can personally keep the cremated remains. When you choose disposition at a cemetery, it is important to coordinate the committal so that the grave opening, tent, chairs, and any other equipment that may be needed are available.

BODY DONATION

Permission: Before the death, a Deed of Disposition normally must be completed by the donor and two witnesses before a body is accepted for medical dissection. Normally, after the death, permission to proceed is needed from the person responsible for the disposition of the deceased. The funeral home may or may not embalm the deceased (depending on the request of the institution). Many times the funeral home is asked to deliver the deceased to the institution.

Actual Burial: After the institution is finished with the body, it is then available for final disposition. Your options: the person can be cremated and buried in a common grave chosen by the institution, or the dissected body or cremated remains can be returned to the family for a final disposition of their choosing.

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Business Information

After Disposition

Death Certificate: You will need the death certificate to help complete the business and legal work regarding the deceased person. Polk County charges $15.00 for every copy. We will immediately start the necessary steps to obtain certified copies of this document.

1. Certification Procedure:
   
   Step 1 Certificate originates at funeral home with vital statistics and funeral director’s signature.
   
   Step 2 Certificate is delivered immediately to the attending physician for medical information and
   the physician’s signature.
   
   Step 3 Certificate is returned to funeral home for verification of information.
   
   Step 4 Certificate must then be processed, recorded, and signed at the Polk County Recorder or Recorder’s office of the county in which the death occurred. The certificate is then permanently filed with the State Bureau of Vital Records.
   
   It normally takes 2 weeks for certified copies of the death certificate to be available.
   
   Please feel free to contact our Administrative Assistant at 243-5221
   to verify your death certificate order.
   
2. 2 Number of Copies: You will need certified copies of the death certificate to settle four areas of business:
   
   ______banking ______property with title/deeds
   ______legal/will ______life insurance
   
   The State Department of Health has a strict policy forbidding photocopies of death certificates in order to help
   prevent fraud.
   
3. Later: If at a later time, you need additional copies of the certificate, you may purchase them at the cost of $15.00 each from:
   
   

   Polk County Recorder Room 245 111 Court Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 Phone: 515-286-3886

   Bureau of Vital Records Iowa Department of Health Lucas State Office Bldg. Des Moines, IA 50309 Phone: 515-281-4944

   
   If the death occurred out of the state of Iowa, some of the above procedures may not apply
   

SOCIAL SECURITY: The funeral home will send a Notification of Death (Form SSA-721) to the Social Security Administration, thus a copy of the death certificate is normally not needed. Because Social Security is a private matter, they must hear from you before they will process any benefits due. Benefits may be issued to the surviving spouse and/or dependent children. You will find it often works best to make your initial contact with Social Security by phone, rather than an office visit.

Social Security Administration
210 Walnut St, Room #293
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
1-800-772-1213

A copy of the death certificate is normally not needed for Social Security.

Personal Insurance: Most insurance companies require a call from the actual beneficiary. Hamilton’s helps many people with this process. Notify Hamilton’s if you need help.

1. Use the phone book or the actual policy to locate the contact office or telephone number and then call the insurance company.
2. Tell them who has died and that you are requesting a “claim form” for life insurance.
3. Complete and return the “claim form” along with other documents requested by the insurance company.

Banking: We find banking representatives very cooperative. However, some banks stop activity on an account when they are aware of the death. Call or talk to your banker to be sure the account will remain active following a death.

Private Pension Benefits: If the deceased was participating in a pension plan, the rule is to always contact the pension plan’s designated Plan Administrator for information regarding how to obtain benefits. The plan administrator is required to assist you with any available benefits.

Lawyer: Talking with a lawyer and briefly describing your situation will tell you if you need their services and how much it will cost. Please don’t be hesitant to talk with a lawyer; we find most law offices to be very cooperative.

Notary Public: There are staff people at our business office at Hamilton’s, 605 Lyon Street, who can provide notary services for you. There is no fee for this service.

Veterans Benefits: At the time of death, benefits for a Veteran may include the following:

1. An American flag
2. A grave marker
3. A money burial benefit allowance
4. A burial space

Hamilton’s will complete and file the required forms and forward them to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Burial Benefits are available only in certain circumstances. Benefit amounts awarded by VA vary, with the usual benefit being $600.00 (a higher amount may be allowed for transportation charges or for service-connected disability deaths). Benefits may be payable as follows:

1. When the Veteran was receiving a VA pension or compensation.
2. When the Veteran died either while hospitalized by VA or while traveling under VA authorization and expense.
3. When the Veteran had a claim pending which would have resulted in an entitlement.
4. When the Veteran served during a war period or was discharged from service for a disability incurred in the line of duty, if the body in unclaimed, or because of insufficient resources.
5. When the Veteran’s death is considered caused by a service-connected disability.

You may contact the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding burial benefits or survivors benefits by calling 1-800-827-1000.

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Payment of Funeral Home Expenses

1. All families will receive an itemized verification of expenses regardless of method of payment
2. East insurance company will need a CERTIFIED DEATH CERTIFICATE.

The Death of someone you love is devastating human experience and can impact judgment. We believe in the importance of celebrating the life of your loved one. Hamilton’s will assist, any way we can, in arranging an appropriate service to meet your individual needs. However, it is important to be realistic with funeral expenditures, as with any expenditure. We will strive to help you carry out your withes within your financial means

HAMILTON’S PAYMENT POLICY
Provisions for payment need to be made at the time of the arrangements.

We accept:
Cash or Check
VISA and MasterCard
Life Insurance Assignments

PAYMENT OPTIONS

1. IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OPTION
   Payment today and up to the time of the memorial service day or within 3 days. This option has the advantage of a 3% Prompt Payment Discount based on the products and Hamilton’s services you select.
   
2. LIFE INSURANCE ASSIGNMENT OPTION
   A life insurance policy can be assigned to the funeral home for direct payment of the expenses. This option also has the advantage of a 3% Prompt Payment Discount based on the products and Hamilton’s services you select. We will initiate the required documents and confirm the assignment during the days surrounding the service and disposition arrangements.
   
   Information needed:
   1 Name of Deceased     2 Name of Beneficiary
   3 Policy Number            4 Insurance Company Name
   
3. TEMPORARY CONSUMER CREDIT OR EXTENDED PAYMENT OPTION
   Both temporary and extended credit requires a Consumer Credit-installment Agreement Document. The Document is used when families intend to use money from a bank account, unassigned insurance proceeds or other means of payment but the funds are not immediately available. The document is also used when families want to make monthly payments.
   
   This option requires a down payment. The first payment will be due in 45 days. If you intend to pay for the funeral with funds not available at arrangement time,, but the debt is paid before the 45 day time period, then the Consumer Credit-installment Agreement Document will be terminated.

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Hamilton's Academy of Grief & Loss

Death and grief are common human experiences, yet these experiences tend to be different for every individual. As a result, there are no words that can adequately describe what a survivor goes through when grieving the loss of someone loved. You may be wrestling with several emotions – extreme sadness, loss, loneliness, guilt, anger – and wondering how in the world you can keep going. You may find that it is impacting every aspect of your life – emotionally, mentally, physically, behaviorally, and spiritually. We want you to be aware of several things that Hamilton’s Academy of Grief & Loss has available to you and your family, both now and in the weeks and months ahead, as you begin to work through your grief.

• Grief Information and Resources
• Grief-Recovery Services
• Grief-Related Education

Learn more about Hamilton's Academy of Grief & Loss

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Hamilton's Advanced Planning Services

Many people, after experiencing a death, make a decision to plan in advance what will take place when they die.

The process of setting out one’s wishes and instructions to be followed at the time of death is call Advanced Planning. In its simplest form, planning your final arrangements is having your wishes recorded by a local funeral home. There is no charge for this service at Hamilton’s.

Two areas to consider when determining the type of final arrangements you desire include:

1. Funeral/Memorial Service: Decisions regarding the funeral/memorial service are a very personal part of one’s
   planning. Recognizing one’s life can be done publicly or privately, with or without the presence of the deceased.
2. Disposition: Final disposition can take the form of burial, cremation or donation to a medical facility. The staff at Hamilton’s will assist you with the planning of this important decision and will carry out the details of disposition, whether it be in the Des Moines area, another town, or another state.

Prefunding, or prepaying your funeral arrangements, is an option at Hamilton’s. We offer a funeral/memorial trust product, administered by Forethought Federal Savings Bank. We also offer an insurance product through the Forethought Life Insurance Company. All of our funding options meet the guidelines of Iowa law and can qualify as exempt assets for Title 19. Prefunding can protect your family from having to pay future price increases. Flexible payment options are available. Plans can be transferred to another funeral home if you should move out of the area.

Should you desire further information about Hamilton’s Advanced Planning Services and the prefunding options available, click here.

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