PRE-PLANNING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS En Espanol

Can I pre-pay for a funeral or cemetery property?
Yes, Marshall's has different funding options that will help minimize the financial strain a family can experience when faced with funeral expenses.

How does the process work?
You pay for the selected products or services in advance. You may pay in installments or in full. The monies are held in a Trust in the person's name which is reinvested into the trust and allows the trust to keep pace with inflation.

What if I move to another state?
You can change your trust to another funeral home if you move.

Why should I plan ahead?
There are many reasons to prearrange and prefund your funeral. Some important factors to consider when making this decision are listed below.

Regarded as an Exempt Asset… When you apply for Medicaid, SSI Benefits, Federal Bankruptcy, or apply for Nursing Home care.
It’s Transferable… If you should move out of state, or simply choose another funeral home, your Advance Funeral Plan can transfer with you.
Your cost will not increase… When you plan and fund your funeral in advance, it is purchased at today’s prices. Your family will not experience the rising costs of inflation.
Optional Payment Plans… single and Multi-year payment plans are available. If death should occur before the payments are completed, the funeral plan may be paid in full, depending on the plan.
A Program for Everyone… Based on your overall health condition, your Advance Planning Professional at Marshall’s Funeral Home has a plan that will work for you.
Consumer Friendly… After your funeral, if excess monies remain they may be returned to your beneficiaries tax-free.
Protects your loved ones… By planning and funding your funeral in advance, your family will experience less stress and avoid spending too much.
Peace of mind… By knowing that your funeral is taken care of. You will receive the funeral you arranged, at the price you agreed to.
30-day Free Look… If you should change your mind, you have 30 days to cancel and receive a full refund.
Solid Program, Solid Decision… Advance Funeral Planning is endorsed by lawyers, trust officers, and financial planners as an effective way to provide for funeral expenses and preserve your assets for your beneficiaries.

What kind of documents should I keep on hand?

There are several critical documents that everyone should have:

a power of attorney
a health initiative power of attorney
a living will
an inventory of assets and liabilities
a will

The power of attorney designates a trusted individual to oversee your business and financial affairs in the event of your physical or mental disability.

A health-care power of attorney authorizes an individual to make health-care decisions for you. It's often prepared along with a living will, also called an "advance directive," which specifies whether you want extraordinary measures to be used to keep you alive should you become terminally ill or permanently unconscious. If you prepare a living will, you can express your wishes concerning such a situation.

An inventory of assets and liabilities - give a trusted friend a list of your assets and liabilities, i.e., real property, bank accounts, personal effects, investments, insurance policies, outstanding debt, and credit card accounts. Provide the names and phone numbers of your attorney, accountant, broker, and other financial advisors.

A will - prepare an up-to-date will and/or trust. Without a will, the State may parcel out your assets to family members in a way drastically different from what you have done. (Source: Federated Funeral Directors of America, 1995).

With the growing cost of funeral expense today, why do some people fail to make the pre-arrangements and what categories do they characteristically fall into?

There are several:

People who do not know where to go for this advice and guidance.
People who refuse to accept death, or who have never had the experience of making funeral arrangements, or who have burdened someone else with this sad and unhappy task, who often make the unloving remarks, "That's okay, my wife will take care of it." The fact is that the wife does not take care of it, THE WIDOW DOES.
People who think they cannot afford to make pre-need arrangements because they lack the funds or the credit required to finance the pre-need plans. They do not take into consideration that just as the cost of living has increased,
People who simply do not care what happens to them or their families once they die. They feel that the emotional and financial strain of a funeral and burial upon their relatives is of no importance to them while they are alive. They make such excuses as "I won't worry about it because I won't be here." or "Frankly, I couldn't care less, I'm going to live forever."
I can only hope that common sense will prevail where love and responsibility and respect for family have not. We must realize that making plans for your final needs before your death is one of the most important ways to provide peace of mind for your family because it reduces their anxiety, pain and expense.