Pre-arranging & Pre-financing

Funerals Nearly 50 percent of all nursing home residents in Illinois today are or may soon become clients of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHSA). Failure to make arrangements before applying for IDHSA assistance is often an innocent oversight on the part of the individual or those who care for him or her but can result in depleted funds or unavailable resources at the time of need.

Advance planning can provide you with options that you might not have if you wait until your need is imminent and resources are insufficient to meet your preferences. You may legally deposit funds needed to provide the funeral arrangements you want.

You should first check with the funeral director of your choice and make your funeral arrangements well before applying for assistance for two reasons: 1) your funeral director can help you determine which arrangements might best suit your needs and 2) you might not be eligible for assistance yet. If you contact IDHSA before making pre-arrangements, your options might be more limited than what you would prefer.