Dear Savvy Senior: Can you help us with some questions about cremation? My husband and I are both in our late 70s and have been thinking about seeing one of our local undertakers to make our funeral arrangements but want to first find out about cremation.
We understand cremation costs less than a standard burial, but does it also cost us our option to have a funeral or a memorial?
? Not Dead Yet
Dear Not: Cremation can actually offer you more options than a standard funeral and cemetery burial can at a price that can save you thousands.
Here's what you should know:
A popular avenue
Cremation has been around for thousands of years, dating all the way back to the early Stone Age, around 3,000 B.C.
Over the past 30 years the cremation rate in the United States has increased dramatically, jumping from 6 percent in 1975 to more that 30 percent today, and by 2025 that number is expected to reach nearly 43 percent.
In England and Japan, where cemetery space is at a premium, the cremation rate is over 70 and 90 percent.
Growing trend
There are various reasons for the increased rate in cremation in the U.S. (environmentally friendly, it uses less land, personal preference), but the biggest reason is money.
Cremation costs about a third ? depending on products and services ? of what an average funeral and cemetery burial would bring, which is around $6,500.
You should also know almost all religions accept the practice of cremation, except Jewish Orthodox, Islamic, Eastern Orthodox and a few fundamentalist Christian faiths.
More options
Many people think cremation limits your funeral options, but it actually gives you more choices. With cremation, you can still have a funeral or memorial service of your choice, either with the body before cremation or without the body after cremation.
And, after the cremation process there are options on what to do with the remains, including scattering, being kept by the family, placed in a mausoleum or columbarium niche, or buried in a cemetery plot or on your own property depending on local ordinances.
Personal memorials can also vary, but could include an urn, plaque, headstone, a simple marker or nothing at all.?
Savvy tip: If you're having a viewing or a funeral service before cremation and want a casket, ask the funeral home if you can rent one for a small fee.
Preplanning
To assure your final wishes are honored and to prevent your loved ones from having to make decisions and arrangements at the time of your death, you should choose a cremation provider (most funeral homes provide cremation services) and prearrange your cremation and funeral or memorial service.
The prearrangements should also be noted in your will and advance directive (if you have one), and be sure to tell your family and clergy.
Also note that preplanning doesn't have to include prepaying, so be very careful before you put any money down. To help you locate a cremation provider in your area, look in your local yellow pages under "cremation" or "funeral" or visit www.cremation.com.
Savvy resource
Funeral Consumers Alliance ? A nonprofit consumer protection organization that provides free publications on cremation and funeral planning, and can answer all your cremation questions.
They can also put you in touch with your area memorial society, which offers consumer information and referrals to local cremation providers. Call (800) 765-0107 or visit www.funerals.org.?
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to NBC's Today Show and author of "The Savvy Senior" book.
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Everything to know about cremation
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