Are you planning a funeral following or in preparation for the death of a loved one? First of all, we wish you our condolences. At this difficult time, it’s important to get organized so that your final farewell takes place in the best possible conditions. Let’s take a look at how to divide the expenses between the deceased’s loved ones using our Sesterce application. Here are the steps to follow:
- Family meeting: Organize a family meeting to openly discuss costs and reach an agreement on how they should be shared. It’s important that all family members have the opportunity to express themselves and share their opinions. You can also use a discussion group in a messaging application like Facebook or Whatsapp.
- Insurance policies: Check whether the deceased had any life insurance or savings that could help cover funeral costs. If so, be sure to follow the necessary procedures to obtain the funds.
- Government assistance: In some countries, there are social assistance programs that can help cover part of the funeral costs. Find out what assistance may be available in your area.
- Religious or community resources: Religious or community organizations can sometimes provide financial support in such situations. Don’t hesitate to explore these options.
- Define a budget: Determine an overall budget for the funeral and review the anticipated expenses.
- Divide contributions: Decide whether you would like each member to contribute according to his or her means, or equally. Some may be able to contribute more than others but the aim is to find a balance that is acceptable to all.
- Use an expense-sharing app: To track and divide expenses, we strongly recommend using Sesterce. This application, available on the Web and mobile, lets each person add the expenses spent on the funeral, and divide them up as you see fit (with shares based on means, equally, or according to the number of people). You can also view expenses and receipts, follow a budget, and add income (savings, life insurance policies, government assistance, etc.). Debts can then be settled to balance the expenses.
It’s important to maintain open and respectful communication throughout this process. Losing a loved one is difficult enough, and working together to manage the costs can relieve some of the pressure and strengthen family bonds.
Don’t forget that there are ways other than financial to contribute to a funeral. People without resources can help by participating in the organization, for example!
