Funeral planning

It’s easy for funeral costs to add additional stressors to the already stressful experience of losing a loved one. Whether you’re planning for the future or have recently lost someone, understanding your options and how much funerals cost is the first step to managing the process. The good news i

While burial used to be the most common method of disposition in the United States, cremation has been growing in popularity at a rapid rate, becoming more common than burial in 2015. If you’re deciding between burial and crema

The average funeral costs about $9,000, which can be an enormous burden on a family that’s just lost a loved one. However, if you’re looking for a more affordable funeral option, there are lots of ways to reduce your costs and still do something very meaningful. Here are 7 tips for a cheap funeral t

When a loved one is cremated, families can choose to bury the ashes, keep them in an urn or scatter them somewhere. While the act of scattering as

Many people think about how they want to impact the world while they are alive, but most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how they’ll impact the world after they’ve died. While cremation and traditional burial continue to be the leading disposition options in the United States, there

Alkaline hydrolysis (sometimes referred to as liquid cremation, biocremation, resomation or water cremation) is a manner of final disposition that involves dissolving a cadaver in a heated alkali solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH). The process mimics the body’s natural process of breaking down, b

What does it mean to donate your body to science? Donating your body to science, also referred to as whole body donation or anatomical gifting, is the process of donating your body to a scientific organization (such as a medical school) after you die. In many cases, this means that your corpse w

While never mandatory, it’s common to hold a reception after a funeral or memorial service to give guests a chance to talk with one another and express their feelings in a more casual environment. If you choose to host one, here are some tips and considerations to help with process. Start wi

As more Americans have become environmentally conscious, green burial has become a growing trend. Through traditional burial, it’s estimated that every year in the U.S. alone, we bury the equivalent of 4 million acres of forest in casket wood and 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde, a toxic chemical tha

When someone close to you passes away, it can feel impossible to get anything done, let alone plan a funeral or memorial service. While it won’t be easy, here’s a guide to help walk you through the process. What is a memorial service? A memorial service is very similar to a funeral, except

Planning a funeral can feel incredibly daunting. There are options to weigh, people to take into account and laws to follow -- and all of this gets more difficult when you’re experiencing grief. Here is a step-by-step guide to help simplify the funeral planning process and make sure you’re aware of

Also known as ‘sea burial’ or ‘full body burial at sea’, the process of burying someone at sea has become more common over the past few years. It has risen in interest among those focused on environmentally conscious burial, as well as ocean lovers who want a send off that feels emotionally signific

Cremation is the process of burning a deceased body and reducing it to ash and sometimes bone fragments. The ash, also called “cremains” or “cremated remains,” can then be buried, interred in a columbarium, scattered, or kept by the family in an urn as a memento. To cremate a body, a cremation oven

Celebrations of life are becoming more common as people look to honor and remember their loved ones in a positive and unique way. Here are 20 ways to pay tribute to life well lived. 1. Host an open mic Encourage guests to stand up and share their favorite stories and memories. This gives ev

A celebration of life is similar to a funeral or memorial service, but generally is less rooted in tradition and focuses on celebrating the life, impact and achievements of an individual, instead of mourning the loss of that person. A celebration of life can happen at any time after losing someon