Direct cremation offers families in Long Island a simple and affordable alternative to the costs associated with a traditional funeral.
This guide should help you understand your options for a cremation service in Nassau County, how choosing cremation can help you save on funeral costs, and answer some other frequently asked questions about cremation.
If you need a low-cost cremation service immediately, call your local DFS Memorials provider at (516) 406-8141. Direct cremation service packages start at $495 in Long Island.
Why choose a cremation service?
The primary reason more families are opting for a cremation service is cost. A cremation service costs significantly less than a traditional burial.
There is no requirement for embalming, and a casket, burial vault, and cemetery plot are not needed. All of these reduce the overall cost of a funeral by at least half, if not two-thirds.
In addition, a cremation service offers greater flexibility: the service does not have to be held immediately, and remains can be transported back to a different state if necessary.
Can you still have a funeral service if you choose cremation?
Yes, a cremation funeral is just the same as a traditional funeral. Only the deceased is cremated following the service instead of being interred. If you opt to have a cremation conducted immediately, you can have a service after the cremation with the cremation urn present. This is known as a Cremation Memorial.
If you opt for a direct cremation in Long Island, you can choose to arrange your own memorial service after the cremated remains are returned to the family.
A direct cremation service is a cremation that does not include a ceremony. The funeral services provider simply conducts everything to take care of the cremation disposition and then returns your loved one’s ashes directly to you.
To learn more, visit our Guide to Cremation – The Process, Service Options, Legal Requirements, and Cremation Costs.
What does a cremation cost?
This is not a simple question to answer. The first thing to say is that the cost of a cremation will vary. Prices will vary by cremation provider, the type of cremation service option you select, and prices can even vary by location.
In the state of NY, a funeral service provider is not allowed to operate a crematory, so the crematory fee is always considered a ‘third-party’ fee. It will be added to your funeral home’s cremation charge.
To give you an idea of cremation costs, the average cost for a direct cremation in Nassau County will range from $495 to $2,800, depending on the funeral home you choose.
What legally do you need to know about direct cremation in Long Island?
For a cremation to be legally conducted, it must be authorized by the immediate next of kin. The funeral director will ask the next of kin to sign a Cremation Authorization Form.
There is generally a 24-72 hour wait period after the death occurs before the cremation can go ahead, although this is mandated differently in different states.
The funeral director must obtain permission to cremate from the county coroner and obtain a cremation permit. Once the waiting period has expired, the cremation authorization form is correctly signed and notarized by the next of kin, and the coroner has issued the cremation permit, the cremation can be scheduled.
It will usually take 7-10 days to arrange a cremation, and the deceased will be sheltered in the funeral home or crematory in refrigerated storage. Completing all the legal paperwork can take a little longer if there are delays.
If the immediate next of kin are siblings (with more than one sibling), then all siblings must sign the authorization form for the cremation to proceed.
This tends to be one of the main reasons cremation is delayed, as there is a disagreement between siblings over authorizing the cremation.
What can you do with the cremated remains?
There is a whole realm of options for memorializing cremated remains. You can, of course, inter the remains in a cemetery plot or cremation niche…. similar to a burial interment.
Other options include keeping the cremation urn at home, scattering the ashes, or creating a cremation tribute from some of the remains.
DFS Memorials offers an optional sea scattering with a direct cremation service for an additional $290.00.
A benefit of cremation is that you do not need to make an immediate decision about the final disposition. Sometimes, it can be easier to hold onto the urn for a while, allowing you time to reflect and consider the most befitting disposition.
Is there any financial help for families who cannot afford a funeral?
Sadly, there is little financial support for those families who find themselves in the unfortunate position of losing a loved one and having no funds for a funeral. What may be available varies so much by area.
You would need to consult with the Nassau County Social Services department. Therefore, a direct cremation can offer a simple and affordable solution for handling the unexpected disposition of a family member if finances are a concern.
A dignified direct cremation can be conducted for around $1,000 (with all fees included), and then the family can arrange to hold their own memorial service.
If the deceased qualifies, the $255 lump-sum Social Services death benefit payment can help with the cremation cost.
If you need further assistance, check our DFS Memorials Cremation Blog for more articles on cremation. If you need to arrange a simple and affordable direct cremation in Long Island, contact DFS Memorials at (516) 406-8141.
I have been researching and writing about the death care industry for the past fifteen years. End-of-life services and experiences are topics most people avoid thinking about until they must face them. My work provides comprehensive and independent resources for families, explaining the workings of the funeral industry, the laws governing funeral practices, and the death care trends that impact consumers. With a BA in Cultural Studies, I bring a unique perspective to analyzing cultural death care rituals, complemented by a career background in Business Management. The death care industry is undergoing significant changes, which I find fascinating. The shift towards cremation services and the emergence of sustainable alternatives like aquamation and human composting are of particular interest. I am also intrigued by how technology is reshaping the funeral planning process and experience. I write for US Funerals Online and DFS Memorials LLC, and contribute to various forums and publications within the death care industry.
