Making proper funeral arrangements is not cheap; but few years down the line, it is going to be even more expensive and unless it is planned, a sudden death may throw the life of the surviving members into jeopardy. To make sure that the surviving members are not unduly harassed on the death of a family member, you must make pre-need funeral arrangements for each. It will at least make sure that you can grieve the death of your beloved in peace. 

For preneed funeral arrangements Guatemala boasts of quite a few funeral homes. It does not matter if you are a Guatemalan or a foreigner; you can rely upon them to make the funeral arrangements exactly in the way you had planned. Some of these homes are in business for years and their goodwill will never allow them to compromise on anything. Despite the raised cost, they will do everything within their capability to arrange the funeral in the way you had planned.

However, before we go on any further, let us be sure what preneed plans are. Now, preneed funeral arrangements are typically made with funeral homes and cemeteries. The benefit of such plans is that when the person dies, the surviving members will not have any arrangements to make. Everything from plots to caskets will have been chosen and paid for; so will be the funeral and burial. Consequently, the surviving members can actually concentrate on morning.

However, there is a con side too. Unless, the funeral home with which you have made the arrangements is reliable, your plans may just come to naught. However, you too have some responsibilities:

• Read the fine prints before you sign
• Find out what happens if the mortuary you have signed with goes out of business
• Find out if there is any scope for change of mind in the later stage
• Get an itemized list of everything that the money is going to cover
• Compare the cost with others
• While comparing costs keep the reliability of the establishments in mind
• Try to understand how is your money going to be invested; however know that this is not an investment plan for you, but just convenience

The best thing about such the preneed plans is this; you can have your funeral exactly the way you want to have it. If you want to be cremated, with such plan in force, nobody will be able to have you buried. A dying man's final request should always be followed and this is one of the ways you can make sure of it. However, the question is what if your desire changes later on. You see, the pre-need funeral plans have some con side too. Therefore, it is wiser to weigh every alternative before making any such arrangements. 

Now, what can be a viable alternative for such plans? One is that, you put the same amount of money in a separate fund and keep it earmarked for funeral arrangements. Indeed, if you can invest it properly, you may get a better return out of it. It is only that you must have the financial discipline not to touch it for any other purpose. Do you think you are capable of holding on to such funds even in the face of the worst financial crisis?  

The greatest advantage of the later mode of funeral arrangement is that, you have the scope for changes later on. As we all know, a dying man's final request should always be followed and if the dying person expresses some wish later in life, such a mode of arrangement can take care of it all. At the same, time, the greatest risk is that some crisis may crop up and you may use up the money and if you die, the survivors will have a hard time trying to arrange your funeral.

However, there is a third alternative too. You can buy preneed insurance coverage too. In such a case, the benefits will first go to the funeral homes to meet the cost of funeral and the rest will be deposited in the beneficiary’s account. Therefore, we see that there are quite a few options that will make sure that life for the survivors is not messed up by the death of a family member and at the same time, his last wish is followed too. Indeed, if you lead a planned life, nothing is impossible. 

Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerarias Guatemala and servicio funerario Guatemala, visit his site today.