Posts Tagged ‘cremation’

Who Should Pay for the Funeral?

No one can deny that funerals are expensive. When you factor in everything from the burial and gravesite to the memorial service itself, you could be looking at a total cost of anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000. (more…)

Breaking “Alternative” Funeral Plans to Your Family

You have gone through your funeral planning options. You have started a funeral pre-payment plan that makes sense for your lifestyle. Regardless of your age, health, or financial situation, you have removed a huge burden from your family by coming up with your own funeral arrangements—and putting them into action long before you leave this world. (more…)

Pros and Cons of Side-by-Side Burial Plots

Side-by-side burial plots (also known as companion plots) are gravesites and/or cremation niches that allow two people to be buried in close proximity to one another. Traditionally, these plots were designed for married couples who wished to be interred together. In our era of modern-day blended families, however, many of these plots go on to be used for children, extended relatives, and even close friends. (more…)

Baby Boomers and Funeral Plans

There is no mistaking that the Baby Boomer Generation has shaped much of our culture over the past fifty years or so—and that includes funeral planning. With almost 80 million individuals who share the same general values and outlooks, Baby Boomers have directed everything from the political landscape (they hold the most U.S. offices of any other generation right now) to the economy (they are the single largest economic group in the United States). Baby Boomers have more discretionary income than any other age group and are estimated to control 70 percent of the total net worth of American households. (more…)

Is a Burial Payment Plan a Good Idea?

When an individual dies without having taken advance funeral planning steps, the options for covering funeral costs are limited. You can pay out of pocket for the burial, look to life insurance policies for help, have the deceased’s estate cover the costs, or ask the entire family to chip in. Many funeral homes also provide a burial payment plan, in which you make regular installments to cover the cost of the funeral in the months (or years) that follow—much like taking out a short-term loan or buying a car on credit. (more…)

How Can I Be Buried with My Pet?

For many pet owners, the loss of a pet is as deeply upsetting as the loss of a friend or relative. Often serving as companions for decades, dogs and cats have a way of working themselves into our lives and into our hearts in a way that modern pet burial methods do not allow for. Pet cemeteries, pet cremations, and burial in the backyard might work for some individuals—but for others, nothing less than burial together will suffice. (more…)

Department of Health and Burial Assistance

Most states have a department dedicated to human and health services. Often known as a Department of Human Services, Department of Health Services, Department of Social and Health Services, or Department of Health and Welfare (just to name a few), these government-run organizations exist to provide social services and health care support to low-income families or families in crisis. (more…)

Funerals by Sea…and Air?

Funerals by sea are fairly common in this day and age. While your opportunities to send a body out to sea with a Viking funeral pyre or with a military farewell are not always possible, you can scatter ashes into the ocean (or lake) or opt to have cremated remains encased in a coral reef. (more…)

Planning a Funeral in Your Twenties

Early funeral planning is considered one of the best ways to save money and ensure that your death does not cause an undue burden on those you love. By setting aside funds, specifying your wishes, and/or purchasing a burial package, you can cover all the details of your funeral and get back to the task of living. (more…)

Pet Burial for Large Animals

There are countless resources available to assist families who have recently had to say goodbye to a beloved pet dog, cat, bird, or other small animal. From pet cemeteries to county animal control groups, you have the option to cremate your pet or bury them (either in a pet cemetery or even in your own backyard). (more…)