Are adult children responsible for parents funeral cost in Ohio?

Answer 1

• There should be a Will and your parents would have taken care of the cost of their funeral in their Estate. The Executor (male) or Executrix (female) pays the cost of the funeral out of the Estate after all bills and taxes have been paid. If they had no Will then there should be no argument as to whom pays what for the funeral and the adult children should get together and pay the funeral costs. More and more people are having simpler funerals (many being cremated and letting the family know where they want their ashes thrown while others still want their ashes buried with either a loved one who was previously deceased or have their own small plot.)

Common misunderstandings: Wills and Estates have nothing to do with the disposition of the deceased. The Will is an instrument of the deceased's wishes for the disposition of the assets. Heaven help the immediate survivors of those who set funds aside or otherwise designate funds held in their Estate, which are assets, then outlive their assets, spending everything, before Medicaid picks-up the remaining years of life. That designated "funeral account" must be spent too, before Medicaid starts paying. Now what? Surprise, for niece, Sarah, the next-of- kin!

Also, one of the adult children will be asked to sign the Statement of Funeral Goods and Services; otherwise, the contract for what your family wants the firm to do for you, and what your family decides to buy from the firm. YOU sign, YOU pay and, you should presume a deposit right then and payment in full by the time services are rendered......just like anything else you buy.

THE FUNERAL HOME DOES NOT BILL THE ESTATE....THEY BILL YOU. YOU WILL BE REIMBURSED BY THE ESTATE.

In most States, the responsibility for the "disposition" of the body is: The immediate next of kin. If dad died 20 years ago, and now mom is dead, with four adult children surviving her, ALL FOUR adult children are considered the next of kin. However, only one needs to be "financially responsible" for paying the expenses.

Lets hope mom pre-arranged everything and pre-funded her wishes through the funeral home. Even if she outlived her funds, her pre-need funeral funds are there, held in a life insurance policy or a trust fund. You may need to pay for some items which are not the charges of the funeral home, but typically, the firm's professional services, and any "stuff" mom picked out which is sold by the funeral home, will be covered by what mom paid into that policy or trust years ago.