Savvy Senior

Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,
I would like to arrange a simple cremation that doesn’t cost me, or my family, a lot of money. Can you offer any tips that can help me with this?
Still Kicking

Dear Kicking,
If you’re looking for a simple and affordable way to go, cremation is an excellent choice, and one that’s become exceedingly popular in the United States. About 60 percent of Americans are now choosing cremation over a traditional burial, versus only around 20 percent in the mid-1990s.
Why the big shift? Price is a key reason. A basic cremation can cost as little as $700 to $1,200, depending on your location and provider, versus $7,500 or more for a traditional funeral and cemetery burial. Geography is another factor, as many families are spread across the country, making future gravesite visits less common.
Here are a few tips to help you arrange your cremation and ensure you get a good deal.

Shop Around
You can arrange a cremation through a funeral home or a cremation-only business, but it’s wise to shop around because prices vary widely. It’s not unusual for one funeral home to charge $1,000, while another charges $4,000 or more for the same service.
Call five or six funeral homes or cremation-only businesses in your area and ask them how much they charge for a “direct cremation,” which is the most affordable option there is. With direct cremation, there’s no embalming, viewing or memorial service. It only includes the essentials: transportation of the body; required paperwork such as death certificates; the cremation itself; and return of the ashes to the family, usually within a week.
If you want a viewing, memorial service or anything beyond what a direct cremation provides, ask the funeral home for an itemized price list so you know exactly what you’re paying for. All funeral providers are required by law to provide this.
To locate nearby funeral homes, Google “cremation” or “funeral” followed by your city and state. You can also shop and compare prices from funeral homes in your area at Funeralocity.com.

Cheaper Urns
The urn is another item that can drive up your cremation costs. Funeral home urns usually cost around $100 to $350, but you aren’t required to get one.
After cremation, your family will receive your ashes in a thick plastic bag inside a cardboard box. This is all they need if you intend to have your ashes scattered, but if your family wants something to display, Amazon.com and Walmart.com both sell a wide variety of urns for under $50.

Green Cremation
If you’re an environmentally conscious person, there’s also a green cremation option you should know about called “alkaline hydrolysis” that chemically dissolve the body. This is a gentler, more eco-friendly process than traditional cremation, which uses combustion. It’s legal in more than 20 states, and costs around $2,000 to $3,500. Google search “alkaline hydrolysis” followed by your city or state to find for a provider.

Free Cremation
If you’re interested in a free final farewell, you may want to consider donating your body to a university medical facility. After using your body for medical research or surgical practice they will cremate your remains for free, and either bury or scatter your ashes in a local cemetery or return them to your family, usually within a year.
To find a medical school near you that accepts body donations, the University of Florida offers an online directory at Anatbd.acb.med.ufl.edu/usprograms.
Whatever arrangements you end up making, make sure you tell your family your wishes so they will know what to do and who to call after your death. Also, if you have a written agreement with any funeral/cremation provider, give them a copy to let them know if you’ve prepaid or not.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.