Cremation rates have been on the rise in the United States for many years, and it's predicted that nearly 75 percent of Americans will choose cremation instead of a traditional burial by 2035, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. Cremation has many advantages that help its increasing popularity.
Cost
One of the biggest reasons cremation becomes more popular every year is the cost. The costs for a traditional funeral and burial can creep up to $7,000 or more very quickly due to all the services and products used to prepare, display, transport, and bury the deceased person's body.
Cremation costs significantly less than a traditional ground burial, though costs can still be significant for families that want a viewing and full funeral services, including an on-site service at the cemetery or another location where the deceased's family members want to spread their loved one's ashes.
Direct cremation is one of the least expensive ways to handle the death of a loved one. For a direct cremation, the body is given directly to a crematory rather than to a funeral home to hold memorial services. It is cremated right after death, usually in a special cardboard container rather than an expensive casket.
Easy Planning
Many people don't want to leave their loved ones with many difficult decisions to make after their death. When people choose cremation when they're still living, it gives their friends and family members time to come to terms with the idea if they had never considered cremation before.
Some people plan their death services completely, including any memorial services they would like held, to minimize the planning a loved one will have to do later. People who choose direct cremation only need to choose a crematory and an urn, and some crematories and funeral homes allow clients to prepay for services.
Saving Space
Many cemeteries are filling up, which leads to higher prices for grave plots and difficulty finding space in certain cemeteries. Cremation saves the large piece of land needed for a traditional burial. If loved ones still want a grave to visit, some people choose to bury urns containing cremains in family burial plots.
More Memorial Service Options
Cremation is also a good option for people who have close friends and family members scattered over a large geographical area. Once a body is cremated, the family can hold memorial services at any time, which allows those who live far away additional time to make plans, take time off work, and save money on travel expenses.
Families can hold services at any location that was special to the deceased person rather than being limited to a funeral home where a casket and body can be held. Loved ones can take a part of the cremains with them, allowing many different people to keep a piece of the deceased.
To learn more about cremation, contact a crematory in your area.
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