When you start planning a funeral — whether it’s preneed or at-need — one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to choose burial or cremation. Burial and cremation are the two most common choices. Personal values and beliefs often shape this choice, however, emotional, financial and cultural considerations also play an important role. Let's explore and compare the differences and key considerations to help you choose with confidence.
Burial involves placing the body in the ground, usually in a cemetery or other designated burial location. The body is typically enclosed in a box used for viewing called a casket (sometimes called a coffin). The casket is lowered into a burial vault, which is a lined and sealed outer receptacle that houses the casket, protecting it from damage.
A traditional burial takes place inside a cemetery plot, which is essentially a small piece of land. However, when you purchase a cemetery plot, you aren’t actually taking ownership of a tiny piece of real estate. The cemetery's physical property remains in the hands of the landowner. Instead, you’re buying the right to bury someone in the dedicated space you reserved.
Families often choose cemetery burial for a permanent, physical location they can visit to remember their loved one and the opportunity for a more traditional and familiar type of funeral service.
The burial process generally includes:
Cremation uses high heat to reduce the body to ashes, which are stored in a container called an urn. The remains may then be buried, kept or scattered in a meaningful location.
Because the process does not require immediate burial, families have the flexibility of having a memorial, celebration of life or scattering of the cremated remains later—allowing more time for personal reflection, coordination of details or for loved ones to travel from afar.
When people think of cremation, they often imagine direct cremation — a process in which the deceased is cremated without a viewing or service beforehand. While this is an option, these days it’s just one of several ways cremation can be incorporated into a meaningful funeral plan. Below are a few options if you choose cremation:
Understanding the full range of cremation options ensures families can choose the option that best reflects their values, traditions and budget — whether that’s direct cremation, cremation with a service or cremation and a permanent place of remembrance.
While additional steps such as embalming, cosmetology and the selection of a rental casket may be necessary for a viewing or ceremony, the basic cremation process generally includes:
Cremation costs are often lower than burial because there are fewer physical products involved, though urns, memorial services or any type of keepsake, like cremation jewelry, can add to the total costs.
Additional details and expenses families may want to consider:
The sheer number of details and expenses to manage—often within a short time window—can seem daunting. Funeral concierge services like the best-in-class Sequoia Funeral Concierge Service add-on offered by Deborah Wilson of Legacy of Love can introduce a detail-oriented advocate to assist. Your funeral concierge can communicate with the funeral home on your behalf, manage all logistics, review cost of services to avoid overpaying, and offer industry discounts available to them.
Cultural beliefs, religious traditions and personal preferences all deeply impact the choice of final disposition.
Some families place great importance on having a physical location where loved ones can visit, reflect and find comfort in a tangible place of remembrance. It also serves as a permanent and lasting marker of a person’s life — creating a connection across future generations.
Cultural and religious traditions often provide clear guidelines or expectations about how to honor the deceased, and these customs can strongly influence a family’s decision. Some faiths have specific rites regarding burial or prohibit certain practices, while others don’t outline certain practices or preferences. On the other hand, a growing demographic in the United States called the “nones” seek non-religious services focused on celebrating the impact of a loved one’s life.
A person’s lifestyle and fundamental values also come into play. Perhaps someone lived a simple, environmentally conscious life, which may make options such as cremation or natural burial more appealing. Others may prioritize tradition or symbolism, favoring a more formal burial with a gravesite.
Cost can be a major factor for many families when making the decision between burial, cremation, or other options. The latest industry data estimates the median cost for a funeral is $8,300. Costs for cremations can range from $2,000 to $7,000, while costs for burial typically range from $7,000 - $12,000.
A funeral with a burial has a median cost of $9,995, while median costs for a cremation with funeral are 37% less coming in at $6,280.
Understanding the various expenses involved is important. Legacy of Love counselor Deborah Wilson can answer your questions and collaborate with you as you move through the planning process. We can help you understand your options and support you in personalizing a plan that feels right for your unique needs and wishes.
Burial costs generally include multiple components:
Burial is often selected along with a funeral or memorial service and the cost of all these things can add up quickly.
Cremation costs typically include the cremation process and the purchase of an urn to hold the cremated remains. If a funeral or memorial service is desired — or even burial of the ashes — those additional expenses should also be considered. However, because some of these elements are optional or not necessary at all, cremation often provides more flexible and potentially lower-cost alternatives.
Regardless of your budget, you can still plan a meaningful and affordable service to honor your life or that of your loved one. As you develop your Legacy of Love funeral plan from the comfort of your own home, you can comparison shop the packages and options offered by your local funeral homes. Your end product is a funeral cost estimate so you can compare your options and make a fully informed decision.
Preplanning Your Funeral
Preplanning your funeral is another way to ensure your final wishes are met, providing you with peace of mind that you’re helping eliminate the financial and emotional burden on your loved ones. Consumer advocate Clark Howard urges his listeners to funeral plan now to save "big bucks" later. Personal finance experts Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman also encourage their audience to plan their funeral. Industry data also shows that people who do not plan a funeral can spend 20% - 40% more than those who do plan. Unsure about why you should preplan your funeral or nervous about talking to your family about preneed? Rest assured, it’s normal to feel hesitant. Legacy of Love offers a funeral planning checklist you can review while deciding on your first steps.
In recent years, green burials and eco-friendly cremation options, such as water cremation (alkaline hydrolysis), have grown in popularity as families consider the environmental footprint of disposition. These alternatives focus on reducing chemical use, conserving natural resources and minimizing carbon emissions. Keep in mind that other methods of final disposition exist like: donation to science, natural organic reduction, or entombment.
Green burials, for example, avoid embalming and use biodegradable caskets or shrouds, allowing the body to return naturally to the earth. Legacy of Love Vice-President Kelly Andreason recently spoke with the Global Green Burial Alliance about this "green burial" option. Eco-friendly cremation methods offer families meaningful choices that align with their environmental values while honoring their loved ones.
Timing of services is an important consideration for families during a difficult time. Coordinating and sharing details for a funeral service that often takes place within just a few days of a loved one’s passing can be challenging. Many family members and close friends may need to travel from out of town, which requires quick communication and planning to ensure everyone can attend if they wish. Balancing the desire for a timely farewell with the need to accommodate travel schedules and personal circumstances can add complexity to the process.
Most typical burials take place within one week of death, providing less flexibility for the timing of the funeral or memorial service. Cremation often provides more flexibility for families to plan meaningful memorials at a later date. After choosing cremation, many families find comfort in having the option to hold a later burial or interment ceremony.
Ultimately, at the heart of every decision you make is honoring the impact your loved one had on others in a way that feels meaningful and true to their life and values. It’s about finding comfort in tradition or embracing new ways to remember them, all while supporting each other as you navigate this difficult time. Whichever path you choose, the love and intention behind it that will help bring you peace and comfort when remembering your loved one.
Want to consult further about comparing burial vs cremation? Call 510-355-5455 or fill out our online form and we'll respond right away.
