When someone passes, you have options on how to proceed. If the person who passed did not have a preference, the family will get to decide how to honor them. There are generally two options: burial in a cemetery or cremation. 

What Is Cremation?

Cremation is often a process of disposing of a body after a funeral and visitation service has taken place. The body is placed into a cremation chamber where it is incinerated to ash. The ash remains are usually given back to the family for them to keep. After the family receives the urn or remains, the family can choose what to do next. Common things to do with the remains include:

• Keep the remains in an urn in your home
• Keep the remains in an urn at a cemetery
• Scatter the remains in a special place

Cremation Process

After the funeral and visitation happen, the body would be taken to the crematory. At this point, the body has already been embalmed if the family did not choose direct cremation. Before the body is placed into the cremation chamber, any medical devices that may still be in the body are removed. The body is then incinerated in extreme heat, which will take only a couple of hours. The remaining bone fragments are ground up into an ash-like substance and given back to the family in a container or urn. 

What Is Direct Cremation?

Direct cremation occurs when the family opts to skip the embalming, funeral, and visitation services and immediately cremate the body. This can occur due to the deceased's wishes or due to financial restrictions as it is the cheapest option.

Reasons Someone May Choose Cremation

Whether it was the decision of the deceased or of the family, there are a few reasons why someone may choose cremation over a traditional burial. 

Those reasons can include:

• They cannot afford a burial
• It's better for the environment
• Fear of being buried
• Deceased wants their ashes spread somewhere special to them

Cremation is growing in popularity as the cost is much lower than a burial. It is common that the deceased do not want to leave a financially burdening debt for the family after they pass and decide cremation is the best option for everyone. 

Cost of Cremation Services

The average cost of cremation services will vary depending on your location and who is providing the service. However, the average cost for a direct cremation is between $2,000 and $5,000, while the average cost of a regular cremation is between $4,000 and $7,000. 

For more information about cremation, reach out to a funeral home.