Death is a challenging situation to come to terms with. However, it is always best to be prepared for all eventualities.
So, as a resident of Connecticut, if you elect to have yourself cremated after your death, you may be wondering what the average cost of cremation in Connecticut is.
The answer to that varies from the funeral home to the funeral home, but Connecticut’s average cremation costs are $2200.
However, more straightforward cremation plans may offer plans costing $1500 on average.
Why You Should Choose Cremation Instead Of Traditional Burial
Statistics show that cremations are becoming the U.S.’s service and, by extension, Connecticut. But why are more people electing to have a cremation instead of a burial?
Does the low average cost of a cremation in Connecticut have anything to do with it? Let’s delve deeper into the issue.
Greater Affordability
It is cost-effective. While a traditional burial in Connecticut can cost as much as $12,000, a cremation can seem like a much better option at almost $2200.
This step allows you to say goodbye to your deceased loved one respectfully
Claustrophobia
People who have claustrophobia can ease their anxieties related to burials by opting for cremation in their wills.
Flexible Periods
A service can be held weeks or even years after the death as ashes do not decompose the way actual bodies do.
While deciding between a cremation and an old-fashioned burial may be difficult, exploring one’s options fully helps make the decision easier.
Other things that may influence one’s decision
While those mentioned above are the main reasons one may choose cremation over burial, some other factors may influence the choice between cremation or burial. What are they?
Lax religious practices
Before, most people would opt for a traditional burial based on conventional or religious beliefs; more people choose the middle ground and decide to have a cremation instead of a burial.
Environmentally-friendly
Whereas a burial has traditionally been the internment of choice for most people, most environmentally-conscious individuals are now opting for cremation as the urn doesn’t take up much space, is easy to transport, and does not need caskets.
Urn storage
While nothing can bring a dead loved one back, having their last remains in an urn close by can serve to bring closure to the mourners and give them the strength to say goodbye.
You can scatter ashes anywhere.
Often, a deceased will detail what needs to be done with the body after they have passed on. This exercise may include a special place where you may scatter their ashes.
Most of the reasons, combined with other factors, tell us why the cremation rates are so high in the U.S. today, whereas traditional burial was the preferred mode of internment before.
Breakdown Of Costs Of Burials And Cremations
While funeral services are slightly more expensive in Connecticut than elsewhere, the cremation services prove pretty cheap.
For the full breakdown of all the costs, make yourself a coffee cup and settle in to read all about the average costs of cremations vs. the average costs of burials.
Cremation
While one can have a viewing ceremony before the cremation, it can also be foregone to have a much cheaper service.
One works directly with a crematorium instead of a funeral home. When done directly at a crematorium, the average cost of a Connecticut funeral is around $600.
Traditional Burial
While the fee for a regular service may be anywhere from $2000 to $2500, additional costs may add up to much more from transport and preparing the body for $500 to embalming and renting out the funeral home to $700- $900 respectively.
Other things, such as a funeral hearse, may cost you up to $300, making the traditional burial a costly affair indeed.
While it is an independent choice, cremation seems like the more sensible option when one compares the prices.
What To Do When One Is Unable To Cover the Funeral Expenses Of A Loved One
Death is an extremely tough thing to go through. However, much tougher is a family’s low economic status that prevents them from sending off their loved one in a dignified manner.
So, what is one to do if they are simply not able to cover the funeral costs of a family member? Let’s explore some options.
Crowdfund the money
Make a GoFundMe for your loved one, ask everyone you know to chip in and share on their social media websites.
You will soon have enough of a collection to comfortably fund a funeral that excellently celebrates the deceased’s life and keeps their memory alive a little longer.
Call up The Department Of Social Services.
As mentioned above, the Department of Social Services pays a set amount of money to the deceased’s family to allow them to make appropriate funeral arrangements.
This one is a good option for those families for whom crowdfunding does not work or is not a viable option due to any number of reasons.
Choose a direct cremation over an extended service and wake or a traditional burial.
By choosing a quiet direct cremation with no additional services, one can save up on many of the prices mentioned above.
Make sure that the funeral home is not deceiving you.
While most funeral homes have transparent operations, some may charge you for services you did not ask for, making your bill go through the roof. By asking them to send you an itemized list of all the charges, you can make sure that they are not charging you for extra services.
Any of these options may help you out when you are stuck in a difficult situation, such as the one detailed above.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cremation Costs In Connecticut
Is the cost of funerals higher in Connecticut than in other states?
Research shows that the average cost of funerals in Connecticut is higher than in some other states.
What happens when a deceased has no money to pay for the funeral expenses?
When the deceased does not leave behind any significant assets to charge the funeral costs, the U.S. Department of Social Services pays the funeral costs up to $1200.
What if the funeral expenses go above the $1200 limit?
If a family chooses to have a service that costs more than this $1200, they will have to pay the difference themselves. If someone outside the family is arranging the funeral, the same rules apply to them.
Will the Department of Social Security pay for whatever one chooses to have?
If a person dies with no significant money to their name, the Department of Social Security pays $1200 for their funeral services. The internment mode depends entirely on the family and the deceased themselves and covered by the DSS.
Conclusion
While funerals are extremely tough to arrange, you can manage them well if they do adequate research beforehand.
For example, knowing the average cost of cremation in Connecticut and the average cost of a traditional burial allows you to decide based on facts and serve to help you choose what is best for the deceased and their family.