There are actually lots of different kinds of cremation services in Grand Rapids, MI, all varying in cost and included services. If you’re looking for cremation services that are affordable, convenient and simple, direct cremations may be for you.

What is Direct Cremation

Direct cremation means the body is cremated right after death without any preceding ceremony. Some funeral homes offer direct cremation, as do many crematory services. Direct cremations can be cost a lot less than funerals or other cremations as they skip potentially expensive add-ons like caskets and embalming. There is no visitation, wake, or viewing with a direct cremation, so the body doesn’t need to be embalmed. Family, loved ones, or executors can also choose to have the body cremated in a simple container, rather than a traditional and more expensive casket, as there is no need for ornamentation for a viewing or service.

Direct cremation does allow for the bereaved to plan a memorial service at a later date after the cremation, allowing for scheduling flexibility so more people can attend. The longer timeline also allows the family extra time to make the service more creative and personal.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule has laws that protect your direct cremation rights such as:

• You are not required to purchase or use a casket
• The crematory or funeral home must furnish a wood box or alternate container for the direct cremation
• The funeral home or crematory must return the remains to you in an urn provided by yourself. If you do not provide an urn, they will return the remains to you in a basic container.

Most direct cremation packages include services other than the cremation itself, from transporting the body to the crematory to completing a death certificate form. You are free to choose a traditional funeral home or a crematory service for direct cremations. Funeral homes will fill out the death certificate and bring the body to the crematory, which is oftentimes onsite at the funeral home.

Don’t forget to make plans for the cremated remains. There are many options such as burying them in a crematory plot, columbarium, or pre-determined cemetery, or scattering them in a meaningful place. Do keep in mind, though, that there are added costs for internment like headstones, cemetery fees, grave markers, endowment or perpetual care, and columbarium or plot fees.

Direct cremation is a desirable option if you are looking to avoid costs such as preparing the body, casket, extensive transportation, or funeral services, or if you are looking for a simple way to honor the deceased. Do you want to learn more about direct cremations or about other kinds of Grand Rapids, MI cremation services? Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care is here to help. We offer expert advice and services from 3627 Linden Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49548 United States. Please stop by and meet us, or give us a call at (616) 452-3006 to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Why People Are Choosing Cremation?

More simple
Cremation eliminates the need for a more formal ground memorial service that includes a casket, viewings, and pall bearers, among other things. An urn is much smaller than a full-sized casket, making it much simpler to handle.

Cost
Overall, cremation is 40 percent less expensive than conventional field burial. Cremation eliminates the need for a grave or headstone, many families forego embalming, and cremation urns are usually less expensive than caskets, and so on.

More Flexible
There is still a lot of versatility when it comes to burying your loved one’s cremains. Some people want to disperse their loved ones’ ashes in special places. Other families can purchase multiple urns in order for multiple family members to keep their loved one close at all times.

Environmental
Although being a clear source of carbon emissions, cremation has certain environmental benefits over burial, depending on local custom. Eco-friendly cremations (also called eco-cremations or natural cremations) do not use any of the hazardous chemicals used in the embalming process. Cremation with scattering is also less costly since there is no need for a casket or a burial plot.

Less tradition, more personal
Although people still value family and religious values, there is a general movement away from traditionalism, or tradition for the sake of tradition. Instead, families tend to honor each person in their own special way.