Memorial Merits helps families preserve memories and plan ahead with compassion. The Legacy Journal is a guided keepsake created to capture the stories, values, and wisdom of a life well lived.
Guidance, comfort, and information when it matters most.
Memorial Merits provides educational resources for every stage of end-of-life planning, from Legacy & Estate Planning and Funeral Planning to Grief Support Solutions. Our comprehensive guides help you understand your options, compare different approaches, and make informed decisions during difficult times with transparent information and compassionate support every step of the way.
Learn how to get the most from Memorial Merits by watching our instructional video above, or browse our categories and help below.
Explore a vast library of free downloads designed to help you through grief, funeral planning, and legacy preparation. From printable checklists and reflection pages to soothing audio and the Solace AI companion, everything here is made to support you with clarity, comfort, and care.
When someone passes on, you’re forced to navigate dozens of unfamiliar decisions – casket costs, legal forms, funeral arrangements – all while in the deepest pain of your life. You’ve never done this before. You don’t know what’s normal. And funeral homes know it. Memorial Merits gives you clear, step-by-step guidance to protect yourself from exploitation and handle everything confidently – so you can focus on what matters: honoring your loved one and being with family. We handle the chaos. You handle the grief.
Organize your wishes, protect your loved ones, and leave a legacy that speaks for you. Our best-selling journal includes a digital bonus pack for planning, memory keeping, and peace of mind.
Compare features, pricing, and styles to choose the perfect casket or urn for your loved one. Make confident, informed decisions without the pressure of a funeral home.
Memorial Merits is committed to being your trusted companion through the entire end-of-life journey. Whether you’re planning ahead for yourself or navigating the loss of a loved one, Memorial Merits provides comprehensive resources that cover everything from funeral guidance and legal help to emotional support and financial clarity.
You’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. Let Memorial Merits help – whenever and however you need.
Founded by Gabriel Killian, U.S. Navy veteran, after losing his father unexpectedly in 2019. Read the full story →
Memorial Merits: A Compassionate Guide
Memorial Merits serves as a beacon of support and information for those navigating the complexities of farewells and memorials. Founded by Gabriel Killian after experiencing unexpected loss, Memorial Merits understands the profound impact of losing a loved one and strives to offer solace and practical assistance during these pivotal moments.
Comprehensive Funeral Planning and Grief Support Resources
Memorial Merits provides an extensive range of resources tailored to the needs of the bereaved. From in-depth reviews of caskets and urns to ensure you find the right choice for your loved one, to comprehensive guides on funeral planning and check-off lists, the goal is to simplify these processes during times of emotional strain.
Respectful Choices
Recognizing the emotional vulnerabilities that come with these times, Memorial Merits is committed to presenting cost-conscious options that respect both your feelings and finances. These resources are designed to guard against the pressures of overspending, offering dignified, affordable choices without compromising on the significance of your tribute.
Heartfelt Communication
Memorial Merits delves into sensitive topics with gentleness, offering articles on coping with loss, alongside resources for grief counseling and support. The platform also provides a unique space for you to pen heartfelt letters to your departed loved ones or create personal memorials, helping you express feelings that words often struggle to capture fully.
Funeral Caskets, Urns and Pet Caskets and Urns
Memorial Merits understands that selecting the right casket or urn is an important and personal decision. That’s why the site offers comprehensive reviews and transparent pricing comparisons for high-quality caskets and urns, including options for pets. Whether you are looking for something traditional or seeking an eco-friendly alternative, these insights and product recommendations guide you through the process, helping you find the perfect tribute for your loved one without funeral home markup.
Free Obituary Submissions and Memorialization
Memorial Merits is proud to offer a free obituary submission and digital memorial service that allows you to create a lasting tribute to your loved one. Customize your memorial with photos, event details, and even a virtual guestbook and text/email notifications, all while providing friends and family the opportunity to contribute their own memories. Even send flowers or plant a tree in a loved ones name. The free obituary service is designed to be easy to use, with features that honor and celebrate the life of your loved one in a meaningful and personalized way.
Empathetic Journey
Memorial Merits is more than just a website; it’s a community where empathy and guidance light the path through grief. Whether you’re in the early stages of planning, seeking emotional support, or looking for a way to honor a loved one’s legacy, Memorial Merits is here to assist you every step of the way.
Informed Decisions
Understanding the practical aspects of loss, Memorial Merits offers insights into life insurance and other funerary resources, ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions. Whether it is funeral planning, life insurance, legal support or dealing with deep inner grief, the goal is to give you the best and most-concise resources in your time of need.
Most executors think their legal responsibility ends when the estate closes. The truth is far more unsettling. Personal liability for fiduciary breaches, unpaid taxes, and creditor violations can follow you for years after probate ends, turning an act of service into financial devastation.
Most executors never take compensation because families don’t discuss it beforehand. Understanding your legal right to executor fees, state-specific payment structures, and tax implications protects both you and the estate from resentment and financial mistakes.
Being named executor isn’t a simple honor—it’s accepting personal financial liability, 100-500 hours of legal work over 6-18 months, and responsibilities that can cost you tens of thousands from your own pocket if mistakes are made. Before you say yes, understand what you’re actually signing up for, how to protect yourself from liability, and whether the compensation justifies the risk.
Most estate planning attorneys say they “do special needs trusts,” but few truly understand SSI and Medicaid rules. Here’s how to identify attorneys with real expertise and avoid the ones who will destroy your child’s benefits while charging you thousands.
Well-meaning family members who leave inheritance directly to your special needs child will destroy their SSI and Medicaid benefits. A $5,000 gift can cost $500,000 in lifetime support. Here’s how to have the difficult conversations that protect your child’s future and teach family members how their generosity can actually help.
A $5,000 inheritance can destroy $500,000 in lifetime benefits. Special needs trusts protect government benefits while providing quality-of-life support for decades. Understanding first-party vs. third-party trusts, permitted expenses, and benefit interactions is critical to getting this right.
Explore Grief Support, Funeral Planning, and Legacy Resources
Browse our categories below to find guides, tools, and support for every stage of grief, planning, and legacy preservation.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.