Why Do People Choose Cremation Over Burial? Your Questions, Answered

Have you ever wondered why someone chooses cremation over burial? More than 2.85 million people die each year in the United States. When someone passes away, there are a lot of decisions to make about how to honor their legacy. These include things like whether to have a funeral, celebration of life, or cremate their remains.

Cremation was very rare for the deceased decades ago but today over 53 percent of people choose cremation. Despite its increase in popularity in the recent past, many people still ask the question, ‘Why would someone pick cremation?’

Read on to learn why people choose cremation over burial. 

Staying Together

Should someone pick cremation or burial? A person may lean towards cremation because it lets them stay with family after their death.

During a funeral, someone’s body is in a casket and lowered into the ground. With cremation, someone’s ashes are in an urn and they can remain with family members.

From there, family members can decide where the best location for your urn is, so that they may honor your legacy.

Simplify Funeral Services

The time immediately following a loved one’s passing is filled with raw emotion and reflection on the deceased’s life. Sometimes, the time leading up to one’s death can be traumatic, and planning a funeral can be an overwhelming task.

When living family members know the deceased wanted to be cremated, this helps to simplify things for all involved. Cremation also allows a family to avoid going through the emotional roller coaster of planning a funeral ceremony.

An Affordable Option

When comparing funeral options to cremation, it also becomes clear that cremation is far more affordable. The average cost of funeral services in the United States is $6,500, while cremation typically costs one-third of that amount.

This cost savings can enable the deceased to provide more of a financial legacy for beneficiaries or other heirs after passing away. In addition to allowing family members to avoid trying to coordinate scheduling of funeral services with a church or other community center.

Spreading Ashes in Meaningful Places

Cremation allows the deceased to have their ashes spread in a meaningful place to them and their family. Beaches, oceans, and parks are some of the most common places where ashes are spread.

You don’t have to pick only one place to spread your loved one’s ashes. It’s not unusual for someone to request their ashes spread in different locations. 

Besides returning a loved one’s ashes to one of their cherished places on Earth, it can also be meaningful to living family members. That’s because the family can return to the area where ashes have been spread and have a part of their loved ones there with them.

Choosing Cremation When You Die

Choosing cremation when you die is a very personal decision and one that is your own. The idea of cremation may have been foreign to you in the past. Yet there are many compelling reasons to pick this option over a traditional burial.

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