If you\u2019ve never planned a funeral before, you might feel overwhelmed and not sure where to begin or what questions to ask. If so, you are not alone.<\/p>\n
Many people\u00a0assume a \u201ctraditional\u201d funeral that includes\u00a0embalming, a fancy casket, a viewing, funeral service, procession and burial is \u201cnormal.\u201d If this is you, you might be surprised to learn that this type of funeral is actually a relatively recent commercial invention that is rarely practiced outside the US and Canada and has no roots in Christianity, Judaism, Islam or any other religion.<\/p>\n
If you are doing what your family or\u00a0religious group \u201calways\u201d does, remember that you have the right to honor your dead in almost any way that is meaningful to you. Your personal philosophy, taste and budget should guide your choice, and remember that no religion or\u00a0belief system encourages burdensome spending.<\/p>\n
($<\/strong><\/span> = money saving tip)<\/p>\n Save time and money by learning about and deciding what you want. Cremation rates are rising rapidly and now over 50% of Americans are cremated. Several states are over 70%, closing in on England 90%, India 85% and Japan 99%. Most religious groups permit cremation. Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindus mandate it. Since Vatican II Council in 1964, the Code of Canon Law allows Catholics to be cremated. Eastern Orthodox Christians, Orthodox Jews, Muslims, Baha\u2019i, and some conservative Christians oppose it.<\/p>\n $<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>Direct Cremation (no embalming, no formal viewing, service after cremation) is the least expensive option (other than donation). Cremation with some additional funeral home services is still\u00a0generally\u00a0less expensive than full body burial. Cemetery plots for cremated remains are\u00a0less expensive than those for bodies.<\/p>\n Cremation offers flexibility in terms of timing and location of funeral\/memorial services. Without\u00a0the time pressure associated with\u00a0the presence\u00a0of the body,\u00a0family and friends can plan a meaningful service and hold it at a time and place convenient for all to attend.\u00a0$<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>Without the body present, there is no need to pay a funeral director for use of their\u00a0space \u2013 you can have the memorial service anywhere.<\/p>\n Cremated remains can be kept, scattered or buried in a cemetery. They are portable and can be divided (ex: some scattered and some buried, some buried with first spouse and some with the second, divided among children, etc.).<\/p>\n 2015 was the first year fewer than half of Americans choose burial – 45%.<\/p>\n $<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>Immediate Burial is the least expensive burial option, but it is what it sounds like; the funeral director picks up the body and arranges for burial at a time convenient for them. However, many funeral directors are willing to\u00a0negotiate a reasonable extra charge to have a graveside service and\/or for family to be present for the burial.<\/p>\n Burial can be in the ground (some cemeteries offer double depth so two bodies can be in one grave) or in above ground mausoleums. Prices vary greatly between\u00a0cemeteries.\u00a0In addition to the cost of the space, cemeteries charge grave opening and closing fees.<\/p>\n Green Burial<\/a>\u00a0is rising in popularity as an environmentally friendly alternative to \u201ctraditional\u201d burial.<\/p>\n You can donate organs and tissue (see\u00a0Organ and Body Donation<\/a>) but this sort of donation\u00a0takes place within the first few hours after death and you still have\u00a0to decide about body disposition, services, etc.<\/p>\n $ <\/strong><\/span>The least expensive option: You can donate your entire body to a medical school or a not-for-profit research organization<\/a>.<\/p>\n It is rarely required by law. While there are situations where it can be useful (e.g. a long time between death and viewing, an accident), in Pennsylvania it is not required when burial, cremation or refrigeration (or cooling if at home) take place within 24 hours.<\/p>\n Though there is no law prohibiting viewing without embalming, funeral directors\u00a0can make their own rules. If you want\u00a0a viewing but no embalming, shop around to find a funeral director who is familiar and comfortable with that.<\/p>\n An FCA pamphlet:\u00a0Facts About Embalming<\/a><\/p>\n Public or private (family and close friends)? At the place of death, at home, at a religious institution or a funeral home?<\/p>\n $<\/strong><\/span> If the person dies at home, consider keeping them there for a few hours or a day and let family and friends come say goodbye in this natural, comfortable setting. Nursing home or hospital? You usually have a few hours to do the same. Ask your religious institution if you can hold a viewing there.<\/p>\n If you want the body embalmed and\/or don\u2019t want to keep the body home for a viewing, you will need\u00a0to use a funeral home and should choose one that is physically convenient and appealing to you. Visit several, talk with the funeral directors, and choose an honest, flexible one that will honor your choices with caring and dignity.<\/p>\n $<\/strong><\/span> If you are interested in simpler and less expensive options, have a single viewing directly prior to the service.<\/p>\n If you want the body present at a funeral service you can have the service at home, at a funeral home, or a religious institution. If you are a member of a religious institution, it is likely to be free. If you have no affiliation, ask your local Unitarian Universalist or Quaker group what they charge for use of their generally religiously-neutral spaces. It could cost less than a funeral home and is likely to be a nicer environment.<\/p>\n $<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>An extremely personal and the least expensive option is to have a home funeral<\/a>.<\/p>\n $<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Another option is to have the service\u00a0graveside. Graveside services are often the most personal and touching and have the added advantage of being\u00a0simpler and less expensive.<\/p>\n $<\/strong><\/span> If you want a memorial service after burial or cremation has taken place, there is no need to pay to have it at a funeral home. Hold the service at a religious institution, home, park, club, hotel, or community center.<\/p>\n Before I Go You, Should Know<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>The Funeral Consumers Alliance’s comprehensive end-of-life planner<\/p>\n
\nKnow the answers to these questions before<\/span> you call or visit a funeral home.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n1. What To Do With the Body<\/h3>\n
Cremation?<\/h4>\n
Burial?<\/span><\/h4>\n
Donation?<\/h4>\n
2. What To Do About Ceremony<\/h3>\n
Embalming?<\/h4>\n
Viewing?<\/h4>\n
Body present at funeral service?<\/h4>\n
A memorial service after the body is buried or cremated?<\/h4>\n
Planning Tools<\/h3>\n