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ELIGIBILITY

The deceased worker must have credit for work covered by Social Security,
ranging from 1 1/2 to 10 years depending on his or her age at death.

WHO MAY RECEIVE MONTHLY BENEFITS

• A widow or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled), or at any age
  if caring for an entitled child who is under 16 or disabled.


• A divorced widow
  or widower age 60 or older (50 if disabled) if the marriage lasted 10 years,
  or if caring for an entitled child who is under 16
  or disabled.


• Unmarried children up to 18 (19 if they are attending a primary
  or secondary school full lime).


• Children who were disabled before reaching
  22, as long as they remained disabled.


• Dependent parent or parents 62 or
  older.

LUMP-SUM DEATH PAYMENT

A one-time payment of $255 is paid in addition to the monthly cash benefits
described above. The lump-sum death payment (LSDP) is paid in the following
priority order:

• A surviving spouse who lived in the same household as the deceased
  person at the time of death.


• A surviving spouse eligible for or entitled
  to benefits for the month of death.


• A child or children eligible for or
  entitled to benefits for the month of death.

APPLYING FOR BENEFITS

Hooper Memorial Home Inc. can apply for these benefits for you or you may
contact the Social Security Office by calling the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213.
The operator will schedule an appointment for you or arrange for the local
Social Security office to take your claim by telephone.

SOCIAL SECURITY TELESERVICE - DOING BUSINESS BY TELEPHONE

You may call Social Security toll-free, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The
number to use is 1-800-772-1213. To speak with a representative, call between
the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm on regular business days. At other times and
on weekends and holidays, you may leave a message and they will call you back,
in most cases, the next business day.

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About Veterans:

The Veterans served our nation with glory and honor. You can pay tribute to
the memory of these veterans with ceremonies that reflect their dedication
to our country, such as Soldiers in uniform, a 21-gun salute, and bugles playing
Taps at their funeral.

Hooper Memorial Home Inc. specializes in funerals that commemorate the individuals
who faithfully served our country. From the services you plan to the products
you select, Hooper’s helps you remember your military hero through a
meaningful funeral.

The Veterans Administration offers a free grave, free opening/closing of the
grave, a free flat bronze marker or upright headstone and a free vault to all
honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, and any child under the age of
eighteen in any National Cemetery. There are also monetary benefits regarding
the funeral expenses of a Veteran. Call a Hooper Memorial Home Inc. staff person
regarding them or call the local veterans administration at (717) 255-2666.
If you choose you may also call (800) 827-1000 or visit their website at www.cem.va.gov

Indiantown Gap national Cemetery in Lebanon, PA (717) 865-5254 (20 minutes
North East of Harrisburg, PA on Interstate-81)

Arlington Cemetery Website: www.arlingtoncemetery.org

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One of the most important tasks you now face is the execution of a loved one's estate. Whether or not the deceased had a will can make a difference in the time and effort involved in the proper disposition. It is suggested that you obtain legal advice on a lot of these matters such as the disbursement of assets, changing of property deeds and titles, the disposition of bank accounts, stocks and bonds, and the disposition of business assets, etc.

An attorney is helpful but not always needed. Talk to our directors and they are sometimes able to save you money on small estates. If your loved one had a will, it will need to be probated. Probate is the orderly way of distributing the estate. In most cases, probating a will is a simple process. Only in certain instances where the will is being contested or the deceased had numerous holdings will the action be more complex. There is a time limit to all of this.

If there isn’t any will, the estate will be disposed of according to state law.

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Normally life insurance companies only ask for two documents to be submitted
when they pay the benefit on the policy: a death certificate and a benefit
application, however they do reserve the right to request more.

When filing a claim form, you should have available the following information:

1. The policy number and the face amount.
   
2. The full name and address of the
   deceased.
   
3. His or Her occupation and the last date worked.
   
4. His or her date and place
   of birth and the source of the birth information.
   
5. Death certificate
   
6. Claimant's name, age, address, Social Security Number,
   and date of birth.

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Gather all the decedent’s bills together and make sure you are aware of all the financial obligations of the deceased. Many loans, service contracts, and credit card accounts are covered by life insurance, which pays off the account balance in the event of the death of a customer.

The family then contacts the financial institutions where the decedent had a loan, and informs them of the death. These institutions will be able to inform you if the loan was covered by credit life, and what needs to be done to file the claim.

Credit card companies also need to be notified. If the card is jointly held, find out what documentation is required to change cards into the survivor's name.

Notify banks as well especially if there is a joint account. This is necessary before you can withdraw funds from that account. A bank will usually stop payment on all checks as soon as a death notice is published.

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When inquiring about reservations, ask them if they
have bereavement discounts.

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