TURKISH AMERICAN RELIGIOUS FOUNDATION
FUNERAL ASSISTANCE FUND PROCEDURES AND PRINCIPLES
Article 1: Purpose
(1) These Procedures and Principles have been prepared to determine the matters related to the operation of the TARF Funeral Assistance Fund.
(2) TARF Funeral Assistance Fund is a mutual aid fund established to ensure that the remains of those who meet the conditions of the Fund are washed, shrouded, transported to the burial place and buried according to Islamic methods, to facilitate the procedures, to guide and support the relatives of the deceased.
Article 2: Definitions and Abbreviations
(1) Mentioned in these Procedures and Principles;
a) “USA” means the United States of America,
b) “Active Member” means the member who is currently entitled to benefit from the Fund.
c) “Fund” means the TARF Funeral Assistance Fund,
d) “Fund Administration” means the committee assigned by the TARF Board of Directors to manage the Fund.
e) “Participation Share” means the amount determined according to the age category of the applicant for membership in the Fund.
f) “Passive Member” means a member who does not have the right to benefit from the Fund.
g) “TARF” means the Turkish American Religious Foundation,
h) “Annual Expense Share” means the amount calculated by dividing the Fund expenses in a calendar year by the number of members and to be paid by the members by the end of the following January.
Article 3: Registration Procedure
(1) Only United States of America (USA) citizens or Muslim individuals with a valid Green Card (permanent residence) are accepted to the Funeral Assistance Fund.
(2) Those who wish to participate in the Fund are obliged to fill out the Application Form online and pay the Participation Fee in the amount determined according to their age.
(3) The registration process begins with the deposit of the Participation Share and becomes final 90 days after the Participation Share is transferred to the Fund account.
(4) Those who die before this period expires, including their family members, are not eligible to benefit from the Fund. Any deposited Participation Shares will be refunded. In this case, the deceased's spouse or children must re-apply for membership to benefit from the Fund. Otherwise, they will lose their right to benefit from the Fund.
(5) The Fund Administration reserves the right to accept or reject participation applications and is not required to provide a reason for doing so. Participation Fees paid by individuals whose applications are rejected will be refunded.
(6) Being a fund member does not necessarily mean being a TARF member.
Article 4: Participation in the Fund
(1) Those wishing to participate in the Fund are classified according to the following categories. The Participation Fee that each category must pay to participate in the Fund is shown in the table below in US Dollars (USD):
Category | Age Range | Participation Share |
A | Those who are over 18 but under 25 years of age | 0 |
B | Those who are over 25 but under 35 years of age | 500 |
C | Those who are over 35 but under 45 years of age | 750 |
D | Those who are over 45 but under 55 years of age | 1000 |
TO | Those who are over 55 but under 65 years of age | 1500 |
F | Those over 65 years of age | 2000 |
Article 5: Family Members' Benefits from the Fund
(1) 90 days after completing the Application Form and paying the Participation Fee appropriate to your age;
(2) The applicant's spouse and children under the age of 18 residing in the United States are also eligible to benefit from the Fund. It is the applicant's responsibility to report the identity of their spouse and children to the Fund; family members who are not reported are not eligible to benefit from the Fund.
(3) Newborn babies are reported to the Fund Administration by their parents and they gain the right to benefit from the Fund.
(4) Babies born dead also benefit from the Fund.
(5) Children who are registered with the Fund through their parents and then turn 18, or who are under 18 but married, cannot benefit from this Fund through their parents under any circumstances. They must fill out a new form and register to benefit from the Fund.
(6) If a Fund member or a family member benefits from the Fund's services, the other family members must continue their membership for five years. Otherwise, all funeral expenses must be reimbursed to the Fund.
(7) If a Fund member divorces their officially married spouse, their spouse's right to benefit from Fund services ceases. A person who loses their right to Fund membership due to divorce is exempt from the entrance fee and waiting period if they apply for Fund membership with a divorce certificate within the same year. However, they must still pay the annual expense share for that year.
Article 6: Annual Expense Share
(1) Donors of the Funeral Assistance Fund are obliged to pay the annual expense share determined by dividing the funeral expenses incurred by the Fund within a calendar year (January 1 – December 31) equally by the number of registered donors on a family basis.
(2) Members must pay the Annual Expense Share, calculated at the beginning of each year, to the Fund by the end of January. The Annual Expense Share is automatically debited from the relevant bank account.
(3) Those who fail to pay their Annual Expense Share for that year by the end of January without a valid excuse are ineligible to benefit from the Fund, and their membership remains inactive until payment is made. At the end of that year, their relationship with the Fund is terminated. The Fund Administration is authorized to decide on the validity of the excuse.
(4) The Fund has the right to add new articles to the annual dues and rules if it deems necessary, in line with the expenses of previous years and the estimated expenses of the new year.
Article 7: What to Do in Case of Death
(1) Family members or donor relatives must first call the Death Notification Line at +1 301 364 7883 to create a death record.
(2) After family members give their approval and authorize the Fund, the transfer and burial procedures for the body begin. Funeral Assistance Fund officials monitor the provision of the necessary documents.
(3) If the body is sent to Türkiye, the relevant procedures will be carried out by Fund officials. The deceased's legal representatives are obligated to provide the necessary identification documents and information regarding the death to Fund officials for official procedures.
(4) The Fund Administration is not responsible for any problems or additional costs that may arise due to missing or incorrect documents. These costs will be covered by the relatives of the deceased.
Article 8: Services Provided by the Funeral Fund
(1) The following services are provided free of charge to those who are active members of the Fund:
a) Obtaining the death certificate
b) Preparation of documents required for burial
c) Washing the corpse and preparing for burial
d) Shrouding the body and providing a coffin
e) Transport of the body to the burial place by land or air
f) Performing the funeral prayer at the nearest mosque deemed appropriate by the Fund.
g) Funeral transfer procedures at Turkish foreign missions in the USA
h) Burial of the body
Article 9: Burial of Those Who Deceased in Türkiye or the United States
(1) Burial of the body in Türkiye:
a) In the event of the death of a person eligible to benefit from the Fund in Türkiye, the deceased's relatives will bury the deceased. If a copy of the death report is delivered to the Fund Administration within six months, a payment of $1,000 will be made to the deceased's legal heirs.
b) The Fund will provide transportation of the remains of those who die in the United States and are to be buried in Türkiye, in an international-standard coffin, by air to the nearest airport in Türkiye, and from there to the burial site in a vehicle provided by the Turkish Religious Foundation. Burials will take place at a gravesite provided by the deceased's relatives.
(2) Burial of the body in the USA:
a) The shrouding, coffining and religious procedures of the body are carried out by the Fund.
b) The deceased's legal representative will arrange for burial in the United States. A fee of $1,000 is required for babies under three months old, and up to $1,500 for all others, in exchange for an invoice.
c) The Fund handles the official formalities and air transportation of remains of those who die in Türkiye and are to be buried in the United States in an internationally standard coffin. A burial plot in the United States is provided by the deceased's relatives. In return for an invoice for a burial plot, the Fund pays families up to $1,000 for babies under three months old and up to $1,500 for all others.
(3) Burial of the body in a country other than Türkiye and the USA:
Funerals to be buried in a country other than Türkiye or the United States are transported by the Fund to an international airport in the relevant country. All subsequent procedures are covered by the relatives.
Article 10: Status of Those Who Deceased Outside of Türkiye and the USA
(1) If a person eligible to benefit from the Fund dies outside the United States or Turkey, the Fund will handle burials in countries where funeral aid funds affiliated with the Presidency of Religious Affairs are available. In such cases, the deceased's relatives are responsible for providing a burial site, and the Fund will not make any payments to the deceased's legal heirs.
(2) If the death occurs in a country where there is no funeral aid fund affiliated with the Presidency of Religious Affairs, the family will handle the burial. If a copy of the death report is delivered to the Fund Administration within six months, the deceased's legal heirs will receive a payment of up to USD 5,000 in exchange for an invoice.
(3) Those who die during the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimage are buried where they are. If a copy of the death report is delivered to the Fund Administration within six months, the deceased's legal heirs will be paid 1,000 USD.
(4) In case of death, expenses not reported within 6 months will be considered as donations to the Fund and will not be refunded.
Article 11: Important Notes
(1) The donor must notify the Fund Administration within 30 days of any change in contact information, change of marital status (marriage, divorce), birth, change of residence address, etc. Otherwise, the Fund is not responsible for any disruptions that may occur.
(2) The Fund's expenditure for a funeral is limited to a maximum of USD 10,000.
(3) In the event of the death of a person entitled to benefit from the Fund, funeral services are carried out by the Fund Administration or by a funeral home approved by the Fund Administration.
(4) The Fund Administration may request documentation from applicants proving that they do not have a critical or terminal illness. In such cases, the Fund Administration will make the final decision to accept the application for membership.
(5) Fon’dan ayrılmak isteyenlerin bu taleplerini Fon’a bildirmeleri gerekir. Ayrıldıktan sonra Fon’a tekrar katılmak isteyenler ilk giriş kurallarına tabidir. Fon’dan çıkarılan ya da kendileri ayrılmak isteyenlere ödedikleri Katılım Payı’nın %50’si iade edilir. Önceki yıllara ait ödenmiş Yıllık Masraf Payları iade edilmez.
(6) Procedures may differ in time depending on whether the death occurs at home, in a hospital or in a nursing home, or whether an autopsy report is required.
(7) The Fund does not guarantee that there will be no delays, accidents or disruptions in the arrival of the body in Türkiye.
(8) The Fund is not responsible for any disruptions that may arise from official authorities, airline companies, holidays and public holidays.
(9) If you have no family or live alone in the United States, you must complete and submit to the Fund Administrator a form authorizing the Fund Administrator to handle funeral arrangements.
(10) The Fund may provide assistance to associations or organizations operating within the framework of the principles set forth in the TARF regulations and may make investments to develop its own services and areas of activity. The Fund Administration is the decision-making authority for such assistance and investment decisions and for determining the amounts.
(11) The Fund has the right and authority to take necessary legal action against those who register under false pretenses to benefit from the services despite not meeting the requirements, and against those who act as intermediaries in this process. The Fund will not make payments to individuals who submit false pretenses; any payments already made will be refunded.
(12) These Procedures and Principles will be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, and the courts of the State of Maryland will have jurisdiction to resolve all disputes that may arise from the contract.
(13) In matters not expressly regulated in these Procedures and Principles, the Fund Administration has the final authority on all matters related to the management and operation of the Fund.