Perpetual Care: What It Means and What It Covers
Perpetual Care is a legal and financial arrangement designed to ensure the long-term, continuous maintenance and upkeep of cemetery grounds forever. It is a fundamental concept in the operation of virtually all established cemeteries.
The Perpetual Care Fund
- Funding: A mandatory percentage (stipulated by state law) of the initial purchase price of a plot, crypt, or niche is placed into a legally protected trust fund.
- Usage: The cemetery is only allowed to use the interest income generated by this invested principal to cover the costs of maintenance. The principal itself remains untouched to guarantee the fund’s longevity.
What Perpetual Care Typically Covers
Perpetual care covers the general, shared maintenance of the entire memorial park:
- Grounds Keeping: Mowing the grass, trimming trees, and general landscaping.
- Infrastructure: Maintaining roads, pathways, drainage systems, and fences.
- Common Areas: Upkeep of public features like fountains, chapels, and administration buildings.
- Grave Leveling: Repairing sinking or settling graves and ensuring the ground is flat for safety and mowing.
What It Does NOT Cover (Family Responsibility)
Families often misunderstand that perpetual care does not cover everything. The fund does not cover:
- Individual Monument Maintenance: It does not cover the cleaning, repair, restoration, or replacement of individual headstones, markers, or private mausoleums.
- Flowers/Decorations: It does not pay for or maintain individual flowers, plants, or seasonal decorations placed on a specific grave.
- Specific Landscaping: It does not cover specific requests for custom planting or care on a single plot.
Families should read the contract to understand the financial stability of the fund and what specific services are covered under their specific purchase agreement.