A person will live his life mostly by the way that he chooses. This means that important decisions after becoming an adult concerning his welfare are made by him. In death, will his decision still stand or will his family’s wishes be followed?

At a young age, a child’s welfare is decided upon by his parents. The parents are the ones who chose what the child will wear, where the child will go to school and other important decisions for the child. Once the child becomes a teenager, he is given more and more responsibilities and is allowed to make several important decisions about his welfare or well-being. In the US, when the person reaches the age of 18, he is legally responsible for his welfare and can make decisions for himself without consulting his parents for advice. At this age, this person may now move out and start a family of his own, find a job, and earn his living. This individual may or may not consult or ask advice from his parents to whatever decision he makes.

When a person knows that death is coming for him, this person will usually write a last will and testament indicating his last wishes on what to do with his properties and what to do with his body. However, there are times when the person’s last wishes are in conflict with what the family wants. Conflicts may arise in these forms:

Two Ways of Disposing of the Dead

For Roman Catholics, the traditional way to dispose of the dead is through the burial process. The body, after being embalmed, is laid in a coffin and is displayed either in the home or in a memorial building for visitation. This allows family members and friends of the deceased to pay their last respects. After the visitation, the body is then transferred to the church for final blessing before being transferred to the cemetery for burial. 

Nowadays, people are beginning to choose another way of disposing the dead through the cremation process. This process involves the burning and processing of the body until only fine ashes are left. These ashes are then placed inside an urn which may be placed inside the home of the family or be kept inside a columbarium. 
Conflicts regarding these two ways of disposing the dead may arise when the family wishes to have the dead buried in line with ancestors in a family memorial plot while the last wishes of the dead is for his/her body to be cremated. When this happens, whose wishes will be followed?

The Location 

Another conflict may arise even though the deceased and the family have the same wish on how to the body is to be disposed of. This conflict may arise from the decision on where the body is to be buried or where the ashes are to be kept. A married person who died may have a spouse who wants this person buried in a cemetery near their home. On the other hand, this person may have a family who values tradition and who would like the person buried in their ancestral burial lots. If this happens, who will be followed?
 
Conflicts such as the ones stated above may be prevented by having a last will and testament. A person who makes a will must also indicate his or her wishes for the disposal of his/her body upon death. The wishes should also include the person’s choice of burial or cremation. The will should also include the instructions on where the body is to be buried or to who will be responsible for keeping his/her ashes. If the person wishes that his/her ashes are to be scattered in a memorable place then this should also be indicated. Making prior arrangements such as preneed funeral arrangements Guatemala may make it more convenient for the surviving family of the dead. 

A person making a last will and testament should also assign an agent that will be responsible for making sure that his/her last wishes are fulfilled. Most states will make sure that if there is a last will and testaments with instructions for disposing the body; these instructions will be uphold just as long as they are sound. 

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