Burial or Cremation: Understanding Your Options

Burial and cremation describe what happens to the body; they do not determine whether a family may hold a funeral, visitation, memorial service or celebration of life. Either option can include a religious or non-religious ceremony, music, readings, a gathering at the funeral home and a reception afterward. The most helpful starting point is to separate the method of disposition from the way you want people to gather and remember. Burial arrangements may include a casket, coordination with a cemetery, a graveside service, transportation and information about an outer burial container when a cemetery requires one. A family plot may already exist, or the cemetery may help the family select a space. The funeral home coordinates with the cemetery but should not imply ownership of it unless that is actually the case. Questions about headstones, markers and monuments can be considered separately from the service itself. Cremation can take place after a funeral service, after a visitation, or without a ceremony beforehand. Direct cremation is a simpler arrangement without a viewing or ceremony involving the body at the funeral home. Families may later hold a memorial service, bury an urn, place cremated remains in a permanent memorial location, keep them at home where permitted, or discuss lawful scattering options. An urn or other container can be selected according to the family's plans. Ask for itemized prices and take time to understand what is included. Under the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule, consumers may select only the funeral goods and services they want, with limited exceptions required by law, and a funeral home cannot require a casket for direct cremation. Costs and authorization requirements vary by provider, cemetery, crematory and state, so review the General Price List and written statement before making final decisions.