31 guides
Burial & Cemeteries
Burial involves more separate purchases than most people expect: the plot, opening and closing the grave, a vault or liner, the casket and a headstone. These guides explain each one, what they cost, and the rules cemeteries set.
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Opening and Closing Grave Fees: Typical Costs in 2026What the opening and closing fee (the interment fee) covers, real 2025-2026 price examples, weekend and winter surcharges, and ways to lower it. 6 min readCasket Sizing Guide: Standard and Oversized DimensionsStandard casket dimensions, who needs an oversized casket, which widths exist, and how vault and cemetery rules affect the size you can use. 5 min readPerpetual Care Fees: What They Cover and What They CostWhat cemetery perpetual (endowment) care fees pay for, how much they cost, what state law requires, and why the word perpetual does not promise everything. 5 min read
Every burial guide
- Abandoned Cemeteries and Forgotten Graves: What to DoWho owns an abandoned cemetery, whether you can visit graves on private land, how to find a lost burial ground, and how to clean and report one safely.
- Above-Ground Burial: Mausoleums, Crypts and Niches ExplainedWhat above-ground burial means, how mausoleum crypts and niches differ, what they cost in 2026 with real price lists, and the questions to ask before you buy.
- Burial at Sea: EPA Rules, Full-Body and Ashes, and How to Plan ItHow burial at sea works in the US: the EPA's 3-nautical-mile and 600-foot rules, casket preparation, the 30-day report, Navy options and what is not allowed.
- Burial Options Explained: Types, Costs and How to ChooseThe main burial options in the US, from in-ground and direct burial to mausoleums, green burial, home burial and burial at sea, with costs, rules and FAQs.
- Burial Vaults Explained: What They Are, What They Cost, and Whether You Need OneWhat a burial vault is, how it differs from a grave liner, why cemeteries require one, what it costs, and your rights under the FTC Funeral Rule.
- Casket Retailers Compared: Costco, Titan, Overnight Caskets and Your Funeral HomeCompare where to buy a casket, including Costco, Titan Casket, Overnight Caskets and the funeral home, with prices, delivery, return rules and your FTC rights.
- Casket Sizing Guide: Standard and Oversized DimensionsStandard casket dimensions, who needs an oversized casket, which widths exist, and how vault and cemetery rules affect the size you can use.
- Find a Grave Guide: How to Find a Relative's GraveHow to use Find a Grave and other free tools to locate a relative's grave, request a headstone photo, correct a memorial and read worn stones safely.
- Grave Decoration Rules: What Cemeteries Allow and ProhibitWhat you can leave on a grave: rules for flowers, wreaths, plants and mementos, with VA national cemetery and city cemetery examples and how to check yours.
- Headstone Materials Compared: Granite, Marble and BronzeHow granite, marble and bronze headstones compare on weathering, care, weight and 2026 online prices, and what your cemetery may allow.
- Headstone Regulations: Cemetery Rules and Approval StepsWho sets headstone rules, whether you can buy a marker elsewhere, what the cemetery may charge and the steps to get your design approved and installed.
- How Deep Is a Grave? It's Not Always Six FeetHow deep graves really are in the US: no universal six-foot rule, state minimum soil cover, double-depth and green burial depths, and what to ask the cemetery.
- How Much Does a Headstone Cost? Grave Marker Prices in 2026What a headstone or grave marker costs in 2026, from flat granite markers to uprights, plus setting fees, add-ons and ways to pay less.
- How to Sell an Unused Grave Plot: Rules and StepsCan you sell an unused cemetery plot? How buyback and resale rules work, what to expect on price, which documents to gather and how to avoid scams.
- Municipal vs Private Cemetery: Differences, Typical Costs, and How to ChooseHow municipal and private cemeteries differ on ownership, price, residency rules and upkeep, with 2025-2026 fee examples and what to ask before you buy.
- Opening and Closing Grave Fees: Typical Costs in 2026What the opening and closing fee (the interment fee) covers, real 2025-2026 price examples, weekend and winter surcharges, and ways to lower it.
- Oversized Caskets: Sizes, Costs and What to Check FirstOversized casket widths from 28 to 44 inches, what they cost, and how vaults, cemeteries, cremation and the FTC Funeral Rule affect your choice.
- Perpetual Care Fees: What They Cover and What They CostWhat cemetery perpetual (endowment) care fees pay for, how much they cost, what state law requires, and why the word perpetual does not promise everything.
- Picture Caskets: Photo and Custom-Print Options and CostsHow picture caskets work, what to ask a maker before ordering, what themed caskets cost, and how the FTC Funeral Rule lets you buy one elsewhere.
- Rental Caskets: How They Work, What They Cost and Cheaper OptionsWhat a rental casket is, how the removable insert works, what it costs, whether embalming is required, and cheaper ways to have a viewing before cremation.
- Specialty Caskets: Themed, Personalized and Eco-Friendly OptionsThemed, printed, military, biodegradable and custom caskets explained: what they are, what to check with the cemetery or crematory, and your rights when buying.
- Sports Team Caskets: Themed Options, Costs and RulesHonor a lifelong fan with a sports-themed casket: printed designs, team colors, logo and trademark questions, and cremation and cemetery checks.
- Traditional Burial Explained: What It Is, How It Works, and Key TermsWhat a traditional burial includes, how it works step by step, what it costs, which parts the law requires and which are optional, plus key terms to know.
- Two People in One Grave: Double-Depth and Companion PlotsHow two people can share one grave: double-depth burial, ashes added to a casket grave, ownership of burial rights, and what to ask the cemetery.
- Types of Caskets: Materials, Styles and What They CostSteel, bronze, wood, fiberboard and biodegradable caskets compared, with price ranges, steel gauge explained and your rights under the FTC Funeral Rule.
- Types of Headstones and Grave Markers ExplainedUpright, flat, bevel, slant, bench and bronze grave markers compared, with materials, VA marker sizes and what your cemetery may allow.
- Visiting a Grave After Burial: Hours, Etiquette and RulesWhen you can visit a grave after a burial, what hours and rules to expect, how the grave changes in the first months, and how to clean a headstone safely.
- What Is Direct Burial? Meaning, What's Included and Your RightsDirect burial means burial soon after death with no embalming, viewing or funeral service. What it includes, what it costs and what the FTC Funeral Rule says.
- What to Put on a Headstone: Inscription Ideas and RulesWhat goes on a headstone: name, dates, epitaph and symbols. Inscription ideas, how much text fits, VA marker rules and when to order the stone.
- Wicker and Willow Caskets: Costs, Burial and Cremation RulesWhat wicker and willow caskets are made of, what they cost, when cemeteries and crematories accept them, and how to avoid plastic look-alikes.
- Winter Burial: Frozen Ground, Delays, Extra Costs and PlanningCan you bury someone in winter? How frozen ground and snow affect timing and cost, what to do if a burial must wait, and how to plan a cold-weather service.