iMortuary.com Offers "How-To" Series on the (Paperwork) Realities of Death

Funeral home directory and death planning resource website iMortuary.com will begin offering a series of "how-to" articles related to dealing with death in the twenty-first century. The series will run on their blog at http://www.imortuary.com/blog beginning today. The site, which has always offered information and links to the death care industry online, anticipates that this new resource will become a way for people to streamline the way they handle a loved one's affairs in the days and weeks following death-and to teach them to prepare ahead of time so that their own estate is organized and free of complications.

iMortuary.com has been successful in the past with their honest, online approach to the funeral industry and the modern consumer. In addition to regular blog updates, an interactive Twitter account, and a successful infographic that went viral in October of 2010, it is one of the only companies to rely on a primarily web-based presence to reach both funeral industry consumers and providers. This new series of articles will build on that platform to boost the availability of funeral resources online.

"We all know that when someone you love passes away, there are scores of emotions that have to be dealt with," says Minda Brusse, co-owner of iMortuary.com. "But what few people realize is that those emotions typically have to get pushed aside underneath a mountain of paperwork. Our approach is simple: reduce the burden of that paperwork. It's one of the best things we can do to make a difference in people's lives."

Much of the paperwork that follows in death's wake has to do with settling financial affairs, which is why iMortuary covers the topics of closing bank accounts, settling debts, paying bills, transferring stocks and bonds, claiming life insurance, handling Medicaid estate recovery, and settling real estate disputes. Additionally, as co-owner of iMortuary.com Matt Pressnall points out, "These days, everyone has Facebook accounts, email accounts, and automatic bill paying. When someone dies, these things don't just close themselves. And in many cases, it's actually harder to access someone's email account than it is to take control of their money. Fortunately we're here to tell you how to do both."

One common thread through all of the "how-to" articles is the importance of having an estate lawyer or attorney on hand to answer the legal questions that vary from state to state. Another thread deals with just how much easier the process can be if there is some estate or funeral planning in place.

"These days, you can name a beneficiary on your stocks. You can list all your online accounts and passwords in a will. You can even pay for the funeral ahead of time so that your family doesn't have to wait for probate to be able to afford a headstone," says Brusse. "A few minutes of advance planning can save your family months of worry and hardship."

Offered just in time to help keep those New Year's resolutions firmly in place, the iMortuary.com series is the first step in making death and death planning a little bit easier on the whole family. "Whether you're dealing with the sudden loss of a relative or getting ready to take better control of your financial planning, we have all the information you need in one accessible online location," adds Pressnall. "Death is never going to be easy, but it certainly doesn't have to be quite so hard."

Commentary and announcements regarding the series will be on iMortuary's Twitterfeed using the hashtag #whensomeonedies.

About iMortuary.com

iMortuary.com is one of the most visited funeral home and cemetery directories on the Internet with over 165,000 consumers each month; the company is based in Seattle, WA, and is one of the forerunners in bringing Internet opportunities and social media to the death care industry. Founded in 2007, the company is a proud member of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA). The company provides everything from directory information to funeral planning resources for consumers. Funeral homes and cemeteries can partner with iMortuary.com for enhanced directory listings, online funeral leads, and social media and SEO consulting services.

Minda Brusse will be presenting at the ICCFA's Sales Management and Marketing conference in January 2011 on the topic of "Getting Results with Online Leads." For more information, you can visit their site at www.imortuary.com.