Morbid subject , sorry .

My mother (93) has no life or burial insurance . She has decent savings and real estate . Pretty much figure I'll be the one to handle / be financially responsible for the final arrangements with no help from my siblings .

Is it even possible to take out a policy with me as the beneficiary ? Not doing this for profit ; just want to cover expenses .

My Dad prepaid for a grave plot and cremation fees. When he passed it only cost $500 fee to dig the grave. After this, my wife and I did the same, bouhgt plots and cremation, etc so our kids wont have any expense. If there is no way to talk to your Mom about thus now, all heirs should agree to split the cost from any proceeds.

I think it would cost more than the final arrangements.

Help her open a checking account with you as joint tenants with rights of survivorship. Put enough cash in to cover her final expenses - burial, outstanding debts, etc.

^this^

Does she have a will? A lack of is where a lot of the problems start

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that nightmares start when someone dies and leaves no will.

Unca Zeek, please feel free to write an essay on "How NOT to die in the state of Texas" and share some stories with the readers.

Believe me, there are some horror stories out there.

P.S. If you're 35 and living with a 'fiance', and said 'fiance' has two kids, and you have two kids (from different mothers and not your live-in) and you get taken out on your motorcycle by a hydroplaning young woman with an infant in the back seat, YOU'D BETTER HAVE A WILL

Right, Zeek ? ? ?

It does happen to even the invincible . . . . .

Good advice. My Dad had me as a joint owner of his checking account. So I was able to write checks to cover bills, remaining expenses etc.

Do preneed funeral arrangements. They do have policies for final expenses as well that I see advertised on tv all the time. Doing preneed will save you a lot of money and heartache.

Grandad passed two weeks ago. He had 10k funeral policy and he had already paid for cemetery when grandmother passed in 2011. We went to make arrangements for a very simple crypt side service with family and friends. At 97 there aren’t many friends left.
The service/funeral was over 16k. Nice but nothing extravagant. I was floored.
I will be cremated.

That's what we did. I had access to enough of moms money immediately for funeral, Bill's on her house, etc.. its very easy and took 20 minutes at the bank. I never came out of my pocket to handle any of her stuff. We had a couple other accounts set up the same. She had wanted each of the grandkids to get a certain amount. I gave them each a check after the funeral. Super easy

WOW! Where is he buried? Restland in Dallas?

GP off 1382

We have a family plot in Winfield and another at Monticello, The main concern is funeral expense ,

Yup , gonna get my ashes put into "mortar shells" and fired up on 7/4 or New Years .;

is the casket what cost so much ?

cremation is the deal
we have 2 spots at our church
to intern our ashes
our church will do the service gratis