When you’re looking for a local cremation service, there are many options. Many funeral homes now offer cremation services, either from their own crematorium or by outsourcing the service to a local provider. When choosing a funeral home, you want to make sure you understand their cremation pricing and package options. Many funeral homes will advertise their prices on their website or over the phone, but they often fail to disclose some fees which can lead to unexpected costs.
You can choose to have a memorial service before or after cremation, with or without the cremated remains present. This can be in a church or other house of worship, a funeral home, or your home. You can also have a graveside service, which is typically more simple and takes place at the grave site or columbarium. This is a great option for those who are not ready to have a full service.
Whether you have a memorial service before or after the cremation, you will need to choose an urn for the cremated remains. Urns can be purchased from the funeral home or a variety of online sites. It is important to choose a safe and secure urn, as the cremated remains are considered part of the deceased and can be stolen or lost.
Some people prefer to keep the cremains at home or have them scattered. Others purchase a keepsake or urn to display them or keep them close. If you choose to scatter the cremains, you can have a service with or without the urn present at a special location such as a beach, park, or even your backyard. You can also keep the urn and hold a small memorial service at a private gathering.
If you choose to have a service with the urn present, you will need to hire a licensed funeral director as soon as possible to liaise with the coroner and obtain the death certificate and cremation permit. A funeral home will then be able to arrange and supervise the removal of the body, transport it to the crematorium and to the cemetery if you chose a burial site.
In New York, embalming is not required by state law, but if you wish to have a public viewing or a funeral service prior to cremation, it may be necessary.
Some companies claim to provide local cremation services but they may not be a licensed funeral provider. These companies frequently use misleading language on their websites and during conversations with consumers to mislead them into purchasing funeral or cremation services they don’t need or want. If you are a consumer who has purchased a funeral or cremation service from one of these companies, you should contact the New York Department of Health to file a complaint. You can find the contact information on the Department’s website.