5 Things to Know When Planning a Cremation
Published December 15, 2021 | Updated July 17, 2024
According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial in 2023 was $8,300. That’s more than the $5,400 - $8,000 most Americans have in savings according to the Federal Reserve. To make matters worse, the accrued cost of funeral services, the cemetery plot, and additional final expenses are on the rise each year (a nearly 7% increase since 2016 alone). With cremation and cremation services often costing a fraction of the price of burial arrangements, more families are leaving tradition behind in favor of an ashes to ashes journey onward.
While certainly more economical, cremation pricing varies significantly depending on the crematorium and funeral home. Average costs range from $2,195 to $6,971 depending on services involved (e.g. a viewing). Much of the cost savings with cremation come from not having to prepare the body for burial nor purchase a cemetery site. When compared to visiting a burial site, some families find more peace in either 1) scattering a loved one’s ashes in a meaningful location where lawfully allowed, 2) keeping a loved one’s urn at home, or 3) dividing a loved one’s ashes among family members for safe-keeping in jewelry or other precious momentos.
If cremation seems like the path for you or a loved one, how can you stay informed and plan well? Cremation planning involves discussing options with friends and family, educating oneself on the types of cremation available, consulting a funeral professional, and making arrangements to cover the expenses.
Here are 5 things to know when making cremation arrangements:
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Where is your loved one being transported and held? Prior to cremation, loved ones will need to be transported to a funeral home and maintained while the cremation is being coordinated. Know that when a deceased is transported to a funeral home, families may be required to pay a release fee to change funeral homes or crematoriums. Documenting cremation intentions is crucial to ensure that your wishes are followed and unnecessary costs are avoided like prolonged refrigeration fees.
- Pro Tip: Understand pricing and services involved before coordinating transportation of a loved one to a funeral home or crematorium. Funeral Advantage policies provided through Heritage Associates come with a free membership to the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society (FCGS), where funeral experts are trained to help beneficiaries on the worst day with price comparison shopping and negotiation, especially before transport. In fact, our FCGS team is often the first call for families after emergency services. The cremation planning process includes discussing the decision with family, exploring cremation options, negotiating pricing, funding the cremation, arranging transportation of remains, and coordinating the arrangements, including a memorial service or viewing (if applicable).
- Pro Tip: Understand pricing and services involved before coordinating transportation of a loved one to a funeral home or crematorium. Funeral Advantage policies provided through Heritage Associates come with a free membership to the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society (FCGS), where funeral experts are trained to help beneficiaries on the worst day with price comparison shopping and negotiation, especially before transport. In fact, our FCGS team is often the first call for families after emergency services. The cremation planning process includes discussing the decision with family, exploring cremation options, negotiating pricing, funding the cremation, arranging transportation of remains, and coordinating the arrangements, including a memorial service or viewing (if applicable).
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Are you planning a wake or viewing? If you are planning a wake or viewing prior to cremation, recognize that there will be fees associated with preservation, preparation (i.e. makeup), and the casket. This can be part of a traditional funeral service.
- Pro Tip: You do not have to pay full price for a casket that will only be used once. Caskets are available for one-time use, often for significantly less, and most funeral homes keep rentable caskets in inventory. Direct cremation is also an option, which is the simplest and most affordable type of cremation. Direct cremation involves no viewing or wake. With direct cremation, the cremation process is conducted shortly (“directly”) after passing.
- Pro Tip: You do not have to pay full price for a casket that will only be used once. Caskets are available for one-time use, often for significantly less, and most funeral homes keep rentable caskets in inventory. Direct cremation is also an option, which is the simplest and most affordable type of cremation. Direct cremation involves no viewing or wake. With direct cremation, the cremation process is conducted shortly (“directly”) after passing.
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Are you planning a Church Service, Mass, or Celebration of Life? Services are held after the death of a loved one and can be conducted prior to the cremation, particularly in the case of a wake or open casket viewing, or after cremation has occurred. They allow family and friends to congregate, share beloved memories, and process their grief together. While funeral homes don’t necessarily need to play a role in remembrances, consider that pricing for these potential services often involves facility rental fees, paying clergy, flower arrangements, compensating musicians, printing pamphlets, and a catering tab (if desired).
- Pro Tip: Some policyholders add additional funds to their final expense policies for the purpose of covering catering and other special wishes. Some even forgo any sort of formal event in favor of a celebration of life gathering among friends and family. Guests typically bring flowers, music can be as simple as playing the departed’s favorite record, and guests find solace in being around family and friends in a comfortable, familiar environment. Cremation service arrangements can be made easier with the help of funeral professionals like the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society, which is included at no additional charge on Funeral Advantage policies provided by Heritage Associates.
- Pro Tip: Some policyholders add additional funds to their final expense policies for the purpose of covering catering and other special wishes. Some even forgo any sort of formal event in favor of a celebration of life gathering among friends and family. Guests typically bring flowers, music can be as simple as playing the departed’s favorite record, and guests find solace in being around family and friends in a comfortable, familiar environment. Cremation service arrangements can be made easier with the help of funeral professionals like the Funeral Consumer Guardian Society, which is included at no additional charge on Funeral Advantage policies provided by Heritage Associates.
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What do you want to do with your loved one’s ashes? Cremated remains come in all shapes, sizes, materials, and costs. You have the right and the capacity to choose whichever container is best for your loved one. Is the desire for ashes to be buried (interred) or scattered? If interred, a cemetery plot or a family plot will need to be utilized. Keepsake urns are also an option to consider.
- Pro Tip: Funeral homes may be tempted to convince you to purchase an expensive urn directly from them. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must allow you to use whatever crematory container you wish, whether it be a ornate urn or a basic cardboard box. You may also choose to purchase keepsake urns to honor your loved one by storing cremains in a necklace or jewelry.
- Pro Tip: Funeral homes may be tempted to convince you to purchase an expensive urn directly from them. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must allow you to use whatever crematory container you wish, whether it be a ornate urn or a basic cardboard box. You may also choose to purchase keepsake urns to honor your loved one by storing cremains in a necklace or jewelry.
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How will you pay for the cremation? Families can pay for cremation services using savings from the estate or more commonly, life insurance. Life insurance easily sidesteps the probate process, but the policy proceeds are generally not accessible until after the death certificate has been processed. To ensure the cremation bill will be covered, many funeral homes will take assignment of a life insurance policy, giving the funeral home certain access rights to the policy. Consulting a trusted funeral professional or funeral director can help navigate these decisions.
- Pro Tip: Do not assign a life insurance policy prematurely or allow a funeral home to fish for policy information until the price of cremation services has been negotiated and agreed upon. Once a funeral home has access to the policy, they could be inclined to charge more than necessary given knowledge of the policy’s payout benefit. Funeral Advantage policies offered by Heritage Associates (in force for at least 2 years), can pay within 24 hours without the death certificate or needing to assign the policy to a funeral home. Cremation planning is essential, and consulting funeral professionals can provide valuable guidance.
Consider qualifying for final expense life insurance coverage today! Insure peace of mind by applying for up to $20,000 in immediate coverage with no medical exam required.
Sources for this article include the NFDA and Federal Reserve.