29 guides
Cremation
Cremation is now chosen for most deaths in the US. These guides explain the process, direct cremation versus cremation with a service, prices, and what you can legally do with the ashes.
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Gold Teeth and Cremation: What Happens and Your OptionsWhat happens to gold teeth and dental work in cremation, who can remove them first, what crematories do with recovered metal and the questions to ask. 4 min readWhat Happens to the Eyes During CremationWhat happens to the eyes in cremation, whether they are removed first, how cornea donation works and how it affects a viewing and the funeral. 3 min readAshes Into Reef Balls: How Memorial Reefs Work and CostHow a memorial reef works: cremated remains are mixed into a concrete reef ball and placed on the seafloor. Costs, the four-day process, permits and visiting. 6 min read
Every cremation guide
- Ashes Into Reef Balls: How Memorial Reefs Work and CostHow a memorial reef works: cremated remains are mixed into a concrete reef ball and placed on the seafloor. Costs, the four-day process, permits and visiting.
- Can Cremation Go Wrong? Mix-Ups, Safeguards and What to AskCan cremation go wrong? How crematories identify remains, whether ashes can be mixed, real cases of misconduct, and how to protect your family.
- Can You Be Cremated in Your Own Clothes?Yes, in most cases a person can be cremated in clothing the family chooses. What to avoid, what to ask the crematory and what happens to jewelry and shoes.
- Can You Be Present at a Cremation? What Witnessing InvolvesCan family watch a cremation? What a witnessed cremation is, what you see, how to arrange it, what state rules say and options if you would rather not.
- Can You Get DNA From Cremation Ashes?Can DNA be tested from cremated remains? Why cremation heat destroys it, what forensic research shows, why Ancestry kits won't work and what to try instead.
- Can You Scatter Ashes Anywhere? Rules by LocationCan you scatter ashes anywhere? Not quite. Rules for your own land, private property, national parks, state parks, beaches, lakes and the ocean in the US.
- Cremated With Jewelry: What Happens to Rings and WatchesCan a loved one be cremated wearing a ring or watch? Learn what happens to jewelry, how to keep or include it, and what to ask the crematory.
- Cremation Terminology: A Plain-English GlossaryPlain-English definitions of cremation terms, from direct cremation and retort to inurnment, niche and authorizing agent, checked against NFDA and CANA.
- Do Teeth Burn During Cremation? What Happens to ThemDo teeth burn away in cremation? What the heat does to enamel, fillings and crowns, why teeth end up in the ashes and whether you can keep one.
- Gold Teeth and Cremation: What Happens and Your OptionsWhat happens to gold teeth and dental work in cremation, who can remove them first, what crematories do with recovered metal and the questions to ask.
- How Hot Is a Cremation? Temperature and the Heat ProcessFlame cremation usually runs between 1,400 and 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. What the heat does, what is left, and why it matters for implants and jewelry.
- How to Ship Cremated Remains: USPS Rules and PackagingHow to mail cremated remains in the US: USPS Priority Mail Express only, the free BOX-CRE box, sift-proof packing, international rules and what to avoid.
- Pacemakers and Cremation: Removal, Safety and Who Does ItWhy a pacemaker is removed before cremation, who does it, whether the law requires it, and what to tell the funeral home about ICDs and other implants.
- Professional Ashes Scattering Services: What They Do, What to Ask, and the RulesWhat a professional ashes scattering service does, how witnessed and unwitnessed scatterings differ, the federal sea rules, and what to ask before you hire.
- Same-Day Cremation: Is It Possible and How Fast Can It Be?Can a body be cremated the same day? How waiting periods, the death certificate and authorization set the timeline, and what can speed things up.
- Scattering Ashes at Sea: Rules, Services and How It WorksHow to scatter ashes at sea in the US: the EPA's 3-nautical-mile rule and 30-day report, unattended and charter services, what containers are allowed and steps.
- Scattering Ashes by Airplane: Rules, Process and CostsHow scattering ashes by airplane works in the US: FAA and EPA rules, ocean and national park limits, witnessed or unwitnessed flights, shipping and what to ask.
- Scattering Ashes Guide: Rules, Methods and PlanningHow to scatter ashes in the US: who sets the rules, national park and ocean requirements, what ashes look like, scattering methods and planning the day.
- Scattering Gardens for Ashes: How They Work and What to AskWhat a cemetery scattering garden is, how ashes are scattered there, what to ask about fees, markers and timing, and how it compares with other options.
- Scattering Tubes: Sizes, Materials and How to Use OneWhat a scattering tube is, what size you need, how it differs from an urn, and the rules for flying, mailing and using one on land or at sea.
- Tattoos and Cremation: What Happens to the InkWhat happens to tattoos in cremation, whether ink shows up in the ashes, what keeping a tattoo involves and what to know before using ashes in tattoo ink.
- Weekend Cremation: What Can Happen on a Saturday or SundayCan a cremation happen on a weekend? What can start right away, why the cremation itself often waits until Monday, and how to ask about fees.
- What Happens During Cremation: Step by StepHow flame cremation works from authorization to ashes: the paperwork, the chamber, how identification is tracked, how long it takes and what you can ask for.
- What Happens to the Body Before CremationHow a body is cared for between death and cremation: transport, cold storage, identification, paperwork, medical devices, jewelry, clothing and the container.
- What Happens to the Eyes During CremationWhat happens to the eyes in cremation, whether they are removed first, how cornea donation works and how it affects a viewing and the funeral.
- What Happens to Uncollected Ashes at a Funeral Home?What happens when cremated remains are never picked up: holding periods set by state law, how unclaimed ashes are laid to rest, and how to claim or ship them.
- What Is Direct Cremation? Cost, Process and What's IncludedDirect cremation means the body is cremated without a viewing or funeral first. See what's included, what it costs, how it works and your rights.
- What to Do With Ashes: Options for Cremated RemainsIdeas and rules for what to do with cremated remains: keep them at home, bury, place in a niche, scatter, divide, make jewelry, and when you can decide.
- Why Cremation Is Growing in Popularity in the USAbout 63% of Americans who die are now cremated. Why: lower cost, flexibility, mobility and less land use, plus what the figures and faiths say.