The Costs Behind Cremation, and How it Works
Through the years, more people have discovered that cremation is a compassionate and environmentally-friendly way to handle a person’s end of life. It is also less expensive than embalming and burial. Families also appreciate the flexibility that comes with planning an end-of-life service when the deceased was directly cremated.
Now that you have chosen cremation for your loved one, let’s discuss the cremation cost in Alabama, and how it works.
What makes up the costs of cremation?
Every reputable funeral home should provide you with a detailed price list of their products and services. Most funeral homes offer several packages. It is essential that you read the details of what each package does (and does not) include.
Whatever package you choose, understand that the cremation process is more complicated than you would think. Besides paying for the cremation, you also need to cover the costs of transporting the body to the funeral home. You are also responsible for the cremation container, which Alabama state law requires. In addition, the funeral home will store the body until the staff obtains the necessary authorizations and paperwork. You also need to pay for the container (or urn) that the cremains are placed in before being returned to the family.
You may also choose to pay for the funeral home staff to take care of some of the essential logistics of losing a loved one. The funeral home professionals can order death certificates, file insurance claims, notify both the Social Security Administration and the State of Alabama about the death, and write and submit an obituary to local newspapers.
As you can see, when people pay for cremation, they are paying for more than they would realize.
Are cremations more expensive, depending on the time of year?
The price of cremation does not vary depending on the time of year, but it does differ from facility to facility. If you are pre-planning your own funeral, you may be able to cut costs by comparing how the cost of cremation in Birmingham, AL compares with east Alabama cremation services.
Also, comparison shopping can be completed after a loved one has died, but most families are distracted by the loss. During moments like this, families often are unable to focus on details such as cost.
What you get with an inexpensive cremation vs. a more expensive cremation
If you are given the opportunity to compare the costs from one funeral home to another, you may notice a cost discrepancy. This may cause you to wonder how cheap cremation in Alabama compares with more expensive services.
The most essential thing to realize is that federal regulations govern the cremation process. There should be no difference in the actual cremation of the body from one facility compared with another.
While the actual cremation does not differ, the services you receive from the funeral home may. This may be one cause for the wide variety of prices associated with the industry. This is most likely caused by the choices the family makes for end-of-life services.
Generally, the least expensive option is a direct cremation. After the family says their goodbyes at the site of the death, the funeral home staff transfers the body to the cremation center. After receiving the correct documentation, the staff performs the cremation.
Some families choose to have a visitation with an open casket before the cremation. In this case, the family must pay for the embalming, the preparation of the body for viewing, and a casket rental. This is in addition to the cost of the cremation.
There are other optional costs associated with a funeral. Generally, the more services you have, the more expensive the funeral will be. You may also choose to have memorial folders, flowers, and a guest book. As we mentioned earlier, you can also pay to have the funeral home staff take care of a bulk of the paperwork associated with the death of an individual.
If you are planning the services for a loved one, consult with the professionals at Alabama Funeral Homes and Cremation Centers. We offer six different packages for families who choose cremation.
Our compassionate staff understands what it is like to lose a loved one, and we will assist you in making the best choices to celebrate the life of the person you lost.
