Burial Vs. Cremation: Understanding Your Options
Posted on: 23 February 2022
Pre-planning your funeral and final expenses is one of the kindest things you can do for your loved ones. One of the biggest decisions you'll need to make is whether you want your body to be buried or cremated after your death.
Burial
A traditional burial with the body in a casket buried in a cemetery is the default option many people think of when they think about planning for their deaths.
Most people who opt for a traditional burial plan a funeral service or wake with an open or closed casket before their body will be transported to the cemetery for final burial.
Pros
One of the biggest reasons people choose a traditional burial is familiarity. In many cultures, including U.S. culture, a memorial service of some sort followed by a burial or a service at the grave site is a familiar cultural touchstone, so it brings comfort to mourners.
Burial also gives family members and friends left behind a place to visit to mourn. A physical grave site can provide a sense of togetherness, and some families have large family burial plots that contain the graves of everyone in the family.
Cons
One of the biggest disadvantages of a traditional burial is the cost. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with burial and viewing in 2021 was $7,848 with the median cost rising to $9,420 if a burial vault is needed.
It is getting harder to find burial space in many areas, particularly urban areas. Some people who want a traditional burial may not be able to be buried at a cemetery near them if there isn't available space.
Traditional burials are also less environmentally-friendly than cremation due to introducing environmental contaminants into the ground, including the casket.
Cremation
Cremation is growing in popularity with more people choosing it over burial every year. The cremation process involves the body being exposed to flames until it is reduced to tiny bone fragments that look and feel like ash.
Pros
One of the biggest reasons many people opt for cremation is the ease of planning their final expenses. Cremation doesn't involve embalming the body or arranging transport to a cemetery, so it simplifies the planning process.
Cremation is also much more inexpensive than burial, even with a small memorial service before or after the cremation.
Cons
Cremation isn't typically paired with a traditional funeral, which can make it more difficult for loved ones to find closure and get through the grieving process.
Some people have difficulty accepting cremation from a religious or spiritual perspective, and some family members might not be comfortable with the cremation of a loved one.
Cremation can also limit which cemeteries will accept your remains if you opt to have your cremains buried.
The choice between burial and cremation can be a difficult one that comes with a lot of emotions or even family tension. A funeral director can help with any questions you have about either process to come to the best decision for you.
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