Today, more funeral consumers are requesting simple cremation services. This trend is said to be driven by several cultural changes – economic, environmental, people migration, declining religiosity, and baby boomers.
Whatever the reason, cremation is changing our perspectives on funeral options and end-of-life alternatives. This short guide aims to provide you with an overview of how to arrange a simple, low-cost cremation in Portland, Oregon.
Economic reasons for choosing cremation
Deciding whether to bury or cremate is very much a personal choice. For some families, the decision is dictated by the budget they have for a funeral. A cremation service will cost much less than a traditional burial funeral.
On average a cremation service is going to save you at least 40% on the cost of a burial, sometimes you can save as much as 60% on the cost of a burial service. More families are leaning towards cremation as it does offer greater flexibility.
The funeral service does not have to go ahead immediately. A cremation can be performed, and then a service can be held at a later date convenient to the family.
The economy has had a big impact on how we manage death care today. Many families simply cannot, or do not, want to spend unnecessarily on funeral costs. A cremation provides a simple, efficient, and economical means to conduct a disposition.
What is the cost of a direct cremation in Portland?
Firstly, it is important to state that cremation prices in Portland DO vary quite considerably between funeral homes and depending on what type of cremation service you opt for. Not all funeral homes have their own crematory but will use the services of a local crematory.
Portland has become very competitive for affordable cremation services and you will find a number of cremation providers offering direct cremation packages in Portland for between $795 – $3,000.
A basic cremation can be conducted in Portland for a low cost of $795. This is what is known as a “direct cremation”. No services are performed, the deceased is collected, transported to the funeral facility, prepared for cremation and the cremation is conducted.
The cremated remains are returned to the family in a temporary plastic urn.
Call DFS Memorials now at (503) 404-3992 to arrange a low-cost direct cremation in Portland for $795
What type of cremation services are available?
You can select from a range of cremation services and packages. These will start with a basic cremation without any additional services, which is the cheapest type of cremation package. You can have a full-service funeral that is followed by the cremation, a cremation followed by a memorial service, or just a viewing followed by a cremation. The change in the funeral industry today is the move towards ‘personalization’ and making a funeral service that fits the needs of the family, whatever they are.
How do I know that the cremated remains I get back are my loved one’s remains?
This is probably the most common cremation question we are asked. Strict laws govern the cremation of human remains, and identity checks have to be made along the way. The cremation retort has to be completely cleared following a cremation, and only one cremation can be performed at a time.
The remains are cleared into a machine that filters out any metal parts (tooth fillings, hip replacements, etc.) and then ground into the fine ‘dust’ that is returned as cremation ashes.
Understanding the legal requirements for cremation in Portland
As mentioned above, there are laws in place regarding the cremation of human remains. A cremation cannot be performed until a cremation permit is issued by the medical examiner’s office.
The legal next of kin must sign a Cremation Authorization Form, and there is a mandatory legal waiting period in Oregon of 24 hours after death before a cremation can go ahead.
However, it usually takes about 3 days to make all the necessary arrangements and complete the paperwork anyway. An expedited service can be arranged if required.
It is not necessary to embalm a body for cremation, and refrigerated storage is used to preserve the body until the cremation is performed. The funeral home will generally store the body for up to 5 days in refrigerated storage at no extra charge. If the cremation does not go ahead within 5 days, an additional fee for storage may be incurred.
What can we do with the cremated remains?
Cremation offers some greater flexibility in what you can do with the cremated remains once you have them returned. You can, of course, inter them in a grave plot or niche.
However, you can choose to store them in an urn at home or scatter the cremated remains.
There are also options such as having cremation artifacts made from cremated remains, such as cremation diamonds, glass jewelry, birdbaths, and paintings.
Preplanning an affordable direct cremation service in Portland
If you wish to preplan a simple cremation, you can lock in a low-cost cremation price in Portland. This may depend upon your age at the time of setting up a prepaid cremation plan. A cremation plan can be set up using an insurance policy where the funds are put into a trust.
You can also opt to preplan your cremation service without prepaying. This ensures that your surviving family can proceed with arrangements at the time of need without having to worry about completing the paperwork or making difficult decisions.
The money to pay for the cremation can be put aside in a POD account (Payable on Death), which your beneficiary can draw out upon death immediately without probate.
Can an overweight body be cremated?
A standard cremation at the inclusive cremation cost of $795 is for a person who weighed up to 300 pounds. Over this weight, there is an additional charge as additional work is required to prepare the body, reinforce the cremation container and extra gas usage. The additional amount will depend upon the weight of the deceased.
The deceased had no life insurance – is there any help with cremation costs?
It is sadly a reality that more folks are passing without leaving the means to pay for their funeral. If you are faced with this situation, you need to explore what help may be available to you. Social Security pays out a $255 lump sum death benefit (if you qualify), and your funeral director can assist you with this.
DFS Memorial’s low-cost cremation services are available to all residents of Multnomah County, Washington County, Clackamas County, Cascadia County, and Willamette Valley.
This package at $795 is available when the deceased is held in morgue facilities, either at the Medical Examiners or at a hospital morgue. Additional fees may apply for a residential or nursing home collection.
