A Complete Guide to Your Cremation Options

Are you wondering if cremation is the right plan for you? Read here for a complete guide to your cremation options and decide if it’s the right choice.

Cremation is growing in popularity all across the US. Texas is no exception. According to the latest data, Texas has the third-highest percentage of cremations in the US, with 43.9% of people preferring it to traditional burials.

Why is cremation so popular? Cremation can be less expensive than a traditional funeral. And this method of honoring life is also becoming more acceptable among the world’s religions.

Yet, cremation is still relatively new. And many people do not understand their cremation options. That is why we created this complete guide to cremation in Texas.

Are you ready to learn more about this unique and respectful way of celebrating the life and death of your loved one? Then keep reading for everything you need to know.

How Does Cremation Work?

If you plan to have your or your loved one’s body cremated, you may wonder what to expect. In fact, questions about the cremation process are among the most common we receive. We hope this can help ease your mind.

Cremation takes place in a cremation chamber, where the temperature reaches 1400°F to 1800°F. Water cremation does not take place in a cremation chamber. We will discuss this cremation option more later.

The traditional cremation process takes between two and three hours. Once the process is complete, the funeral director removes the ashes and allows them to cool. Then, these ashes undergo processing into the final cremation remains.

Who Can Obtain a Cremation Authorization Document?

Many people do not know that they must obtain the proper authorization before having their loved one cremated.

In ideal situations, your loved one would have pre-authorized a cremation consent form. Otherwise, you or your loved one’s family must consent to the cremation and sign and notarize a Cremation Authorization.

If you are your loved one’s spouse, you alone can authorize the cremation. However, if both spouses have passed away, all of the children must consent to the cremation.

How Quickly Can You Cremate Your Loved One’s Remains?

It will probably take three or more days to get the proper cremation authorization documents in place. But even if your loved one pre-signed an authorization document, you will still have to wait for cremation.

Why? Because states impose mandatory wait periods for all cremations. In Texas, you must wait at least 48 hours before having your loved one cremated.

What Are Your Cremation Options?

Many people choose cremation because it is the least expensive option. Yet, depending on the type of cremation you choose, the cost can vary.

Here is what you need to know about your cremation options. And stick around because we are talking about the costs of these different options next.

Direct Cremation

Direct cremation is the least expensive option. It includes the cremation itself only. You will not be allowed a viewing, a cremation memorial, or funeral service.

Cremation With Scattering

This option allows you to pay for the cremation itself plus the scattering of your loved one’s remains.

The funeral home will take care of both of these processes for you, making it a great option for people who do not want to keep the remains.

Cremation With a Viewing or Visitation

If you want to formally say goodbye to your loved one before the cremation process begins, these are excellent options. The visitation is slightly more formal, allowing you to invite friends in addition to your family.

Cremation Memorial or Funeral Service

These options combine the benefits of cremation with more traditional services. You can choose to hold a funeral service before the cremation takes place. Or you and your family can hold a memorial service after the cremation process.

Donation Cremation

Donation cremation is even less expensive than direct cremation. That is because this type of service comes complimentary to people who donate their body parts to science.

Of course, you can only get this option if your loved one gave consent to donate his or her body to science before passing away.

Water Cremation

Water cremation is a recent advancement in cremation. It is also known as aquamation or alkaline cremation. Many people prefer it to traditional cremation because it is even less expensive and more environmentally friendly.

Unfortunately, water cremation is not legal in the state of Texas yet.

How Much Does Cremation Cost?

As we have mentioned, many people prefer cremation to traditional burials because it is less expensive. How much less expensive? The answer is that it depends based on:

The cremation option you choose
Any services you want to add on
The cost of the vessel in which you store your loved one’s remains
County fees

Other factors that drive up the cost of cremation include if your loved one was overweight. If the funeral home must remove implanted medical devices prior to cremation, this can also increase the total cost of cremation.

The Average Cremation Cost in Texas

On average, the cost to have a loved one cremated in Texas ranges from $795 to $1595. The cost increases with the number of services you add on as well as the vessel you choose to hold your loved one’s remains.

For example, the average cremation remains urn costs about $250. Adding on a viewing might cost you an additional $425. Requesting a memorial or funeral service might cost an added $500 or more.

Additionally, it is less expensive to have your loved one cremated in the city than it is in rural areas. City-area funeral homes have more resources. Plus, the county fee is usually less in urban areas than in the country.

What Can You Do With Your Loved One’s Remains?

People typically do one or two things with their loved one’s remains. You can store your loved one’s remains in a vessel, scatter your loved one’s remains, or both. Here is what you need to know about these options.

Storing Cremated Remains

The first option is to store your loved one’s remains in an urn or vessel. You can place the urn on display in your home. And you can bring the vessel with you if you move to a new city or state.

What is more, you can store your loved one’s remains in many different vessels. This is a great option if there are multiple family members who want to keep your loved one’s cremation ashes.

If you are afraid for the safety of your loved one’s remains, you could store the urn in a columbarium. Columbariums are memorial vaults within a cemetery where people store their loved one’s ashes. These can cost over $1,000.

Aside from the cost, the other downside to a cremation vault is that you can not take it with you if you move. Many people struggle to move away from the place where their family member’s remains are stored. So, keep this in mind.

Aside from urns and vaults, you can also store your loved one’s remains in lockets, glass art pieces, and other unique memorabilia that remind you of your loved one.

Scattering Cremated Remains

The second option is to scatter your loved one’s cremated remains. It is legal to scatter ashes in both public and private places, though there are limitations on each in Texas. You can also scatter ashes by sea and air in Texas.

You can only scatter ashes on private property if you or someone you know owns that property. You must have permission from the property owner for this type of scattering to be legal.

You must also request permission from the local ordinance if you want to scatter ashes on federally-owned property. Check your local regulations for rules surrounding scattering ashes in public places.

In the US, the Clean Water Act places restrictions on scattering ashes at sea. You must be at least three miles from shore to scatter ashes. Then, you must notify the Environmental Protection Agency within 30 days of the scattering.

There are not any laws regulating scattering ashes by air. As long as you do not drop the urn with the ashes, you can scatter your loved one’s remains by air anywhere and any time you prefer.

Lone Star Cremation in DFW

These cremation options offer a flexible way to say goodbye to your loved one. If you are struggling to afford the cost of a traditional burial, cremation is often the best choice.

Are you searching for cremation services in the Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex? We make it easy and affordable to lay your loved one to rest. Start your cremation arrangements online with Lone Star Cremation today!