It is imperative that you select the right casket for your loved one’s final journey. While you are occupied doing so, you must keep a few things in your mind when you are purchasing one.
Type of casket You must determine whether the body is going to be cremated or buried. If the body is going to be cremated, then mostly a simple wooden casket will be available. On the other hand, if the body has to be buried then there are several options that you can choose from. Hardwood, cloth, copper, bronze, stainless steel, biodegradable, cardboard, veneered wood, etc. are some commonly used materials in caskets. If the size of the casket is your concern, then you need not worry, as it is crafted in diverse sizes as well.
Customization It is quite natural that you may want to personalize the casket. It could be the incorporation of special designs or inclusion of compact drawers, where you could keep mementos or photographs. So, ensure that the seller you are buying the casket from helps you customize it.
Cost Usually the most expensive kind of caskets are metal caskets. This is because they are highly durable. Although they cannot stop the body from decomposing, they prevent the entrance of water or air in the coffin, allowing the remains to alter on their own. If you are inclined towards the traditional form of funeral, then you can consider wooden caskets, which can cost around $2000 to $8000. Similarly, if there are any budget constraints one can also consider cloth or wood veneer caskets, as they are comparatively quite inexpensive.
Mostly one can buy a casket from a funeral home, where the funeral director will guide you about the various types of caskets they are offering. Although it isn’t mandatory that you must buy a casket from a funeral home. If you wish you can purchase it directly from the casket producer. As prescribed by the Funeral Rule, the respective funeral director must accept the directly purchased casket without levying any kind of additional fees.
If you want an environmentally friendly option, then you can rent a casket too. These kinds of caskets are just utilized during the display part of the funeral ceremony. The body is kept in a simple wooden box, which is then placed inside the rental casket for viewing purposes. You can avail this option at a funeral home or from a casket retailer.
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Common Cold and Allergy Symptoms
Read moreGetting a cold is one of the most frustrating things. You have to deal with a runny nose and a constant series of sneezing. Moreover, a cold may be accompanied by a cough or vice versa. It makes things worse when you have to go to school or office. You may end up contaminating the workplace and infecting a whole lot of other people. We sometimes confuse an allergy for a cold as an allergy too causes congestion in the nose and leads to a runny nose. If you are sneezing and coughing, the first thought that comes to mind is a cold. These symptoms could be a sign of an allergy as well. Confused whether it could be cold or allergies symptoms? Read on to know about the similarities in both conditions.
Similar cold and allergy symptoms
An allergy occurs when the immune system has an adverse reaction to a substance or a series of substances. When you are exposed to an allergy trigger (which varies from person to person), your immune system releases histamines. The release of histamines to counter an allergen leads to the symptoms of an allergy. While allergies and colds do share some common symptoms, they are entirely different. Wondering if there are any common cold or allergy symptoms? Yes, indeed there are. Here are a few symptoms that occur in both cases:- Watery eyes
- Nasal congestion
- A runny nose
- A sore throat
- Coughing
- Sneezing
A common cold may cause some other symptoms, but it is not accompanied by rashes on the skin or a sensation of itchy eyes. Over 50 million Americans experience allergies every single year. Some of the most common allergens in the country are tree grass and weed pollen. These are seasonal allergens and may be difficult to detect at times. Other year-round allergens include the following:
- Certain food items like eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, and milk
- Dust mite
- Animal saliva or dander (house pets like cats or dogs may cause this)
- Mold
If you are suffering from cold or allergy symptoms, visit a doctor immediately to figure out whether it is caused due to a cold or due to an allergen. It is best to determine what you are allergic to as soon as possible to avoid going through these episodes on a regular basis.
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The Best 401(k) Retirement Plan Practices
Read moreA 401(k) retirement plan is one of the best tools for working people and employees of a company for creating a secure retirement fund. For employees, the advantages are pretty obvious earnings and contributions to the 401(k) are tax deferred and secondly, employers tend to provide matching contributions to the 401(k) account (ranging from 0-100% of employee contributions). Listed below are the best practices for an employee’s 401(k) retirement planner:
Think about a Roth 401(k): Employees can invest taxed money in a Roth 401(k). Hence, those funds aren’t taxed when you withdraw them during retirement. If you’re beginning with a low salary which will rise later, it’s better to take the tax hit before than later. Alternately, if you expect your income to decline, a regular 401(k) will suit you better. The best thing will be if you have access to and can afford and contribute to both types, thus hedging your bets.
Sticking to the plan: It’s easy to create a long-term investment plan and change it frequently. However, the ideal asset allocation strategy is to choose a mix of funds and stick to the plan even if the market falters it will pay off in the long run.
Investment advice fees: Free investment advice never hurts. However, if you’re paying someone a percentage of your portfolio to guide you through the choices and the process, you should understand that if you’re a young investor with limited assets, it’s probably not worth it. Instead, go in for the free guidelines and online calculators that many companies offer, to start with.
Not touching the 401(k) before retirement: Dipping into the 401(k) nest egg is tempting, but do not so it. Not only will you end up paying taxes and extra fees, but you’ll also lose out on possibly compounded returns. Leave your 401(k) alone so that your profits can be reinvested, which will enable your nest egg to grow exponentially year after year.
Rolling over funds when quitting job: If you are quitting your job, it is very tempting to ask the employer to cut you a check for the 401(k) money, but it’ll cost you huge amounts in penalties and taxes. Instead, leave the account as it is to gain maximum from it. However, if you are asked to leave the company’s retirement plan altogether, roll the funds into the 401(k) at your new job or into an IRA. That way, your retirement nest egg continues to grow and is safe.