Arranging a low cost cremation in Connecticut

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Cremation Advisor

funeral-prices DFS Memorials now has an affordable cremation provider serving Connecticut. All State Cremation & Funeral Care can help you arrange the lowest cost cremation services in the state of Connecticut. A complete direct cremation is available for $1,400.

Peter and his team are available to assist you at your time of need. Call (203) 864-6010 with any questions you may have. They cover the whole state of Connecticut offering a low cost cremation.

Serving: Bridgeport – Hartford- New Haven – Stamford – Waterbury

How has the recession affected funeral planning?

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Cremation Advisor

Much as the media may try and tell us that the recession is over and we are now in “recovery”, the reality is that many Americans are far from recovery. In fact the recent economic downtown has left hundreds of thousands struggling now more than ever.

As a nation we are carrying debt of a gargantuan size, as of September 2012, the public debt stands at $11.27 trillion. Yes, folks, TRILLION and if you want to have some idea of just how gargantuan $11.27 trillion is – view this slideshow demonstration.

What does a trillion dollars look like?

This U.S. debt equates to $44,900 per person, or $91,500 per working person in the U.S. The debt that the Government, and every ordinary American, is carrying is still crippling. And I think many of us understand the expression these days of to “rob Peter to pay Paul”, and the art of credit card juggling.

The U.K recently reported that people are turning to credit cards and bank loans in an effort to meet funeral expenses, with funeral costs that have escalated 71% since 2004. The truth, whether we want to accept it nor not, is that financial hardship and changing attitudes mean that we are changing our death care choices. Although we have always had reservations about preneed funeral plans, especially as there are horror stories (even this week in the press) of trust funds being poorly invested and falling short on their returns. Today, we can see some apparent value in securing funds in a ‘safe’ funeral policy. The problem with our still unstable economy – is what really IS safe? Our senior population is booming, but twilight years can now be spent in investing life-savings in senior and health care, leaving little left for a dignified send-off.

Those families that can afford to walk into a funeral home with a blank check are few and far between. Those funeral homes that earn a reputation for adhering to up-selling will come unstuck. What people want today is clear and visible pricing for funerals – simplicity and affordability. And this is what DFS Memorials represents.

We deplore funeral home websites that spew content about their centuries of legacy and extended staff profiles of third and fourth generation funeral directors. Do they really think that this is what people today want to read? Do we really read extensively these days? People want to know they are dealing with real people and are going to get a realistic price quote. We admire the websites that are simple, to-the-point, and display prices in an easy-to-find and concise way. Transparency – clearly say who they are, what they offer and how much. Many funeral and cremation providers that understand the change in process, now clearly offer a range of simple packages.

DFS Memorials selects local, family-owned and operated funeral businesses for the network, funeral business that deliver a quality service at a low price to their immediate community. Helping to address the need for transparency. Signposting people who desire affordable funeral options to their nearest local provider – clearly displaying what is the basic price they can expect to pay for a direct cremation.

There are NO corporate funeral businesses in the DFS Memorials network – only Mom & Pop funeral homes. All members who join the network must have a physical location central to the area they serve, and be licensed. No “man-in-a-van” operations jumping on the direct cremation bandwagon.

Put simply we believe in the local and sustainability. We aim to help you find the best value cremation services working within your community.

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Cremated ashes remain unclaimed as Social Security becomes responsible for more unclaimed bodies

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Cremation Advisor

The cost of death care can be crippling when you are already on the breadline. More Americans are searching for help with funeral expenses from social security, and funeral directors are finding themselves supporting families with social security financial aid claims.

Who picks up the tab when no one has any money to pay? The costs are adding up, both for county Social Security departments, and for funeral providers. Most county welfare sections have some funds to defray funeral expenses for those on welfare and simply without any money to cover funeral costs. Costs vary depending on state and county, but can usually be around the $500 mark, payable to a local funeral establishment to conduct a basic disposition on behalf of the family concerned. The question is – who wants to handle these funerals?

Some funeral businesses are themselves already feeling the pinch, as they have to write off more debt to offset families who have been unable to pay in full for services provided.

Even the ‘lump-sum death payment’ paid out from Social Security for a person who has worked long enough to be covered is only $255. When you consider that an average funeral today costs $7,300 (NFDA), then this amount does nothing to cover typical funeral costs.

So local county social security departments are finding themselves handling more cases of unclaimed bodies. Someone may die in hospital or in a nursing home and no one comes forward to claim the body. The cheapest and most common method of dealing with these unclaimed bodies is for the county to arrange a direct cremation.

And just like this story about unclaimed cremated remains from Cleveland County Department of Social Services where they now have a shelf of unclaimed ashes, other counties are reporting building additional budget columbarium’s as ‘pauper graves’.

It is tragic that the economic downturn is leaving so many without the simple dignity of looking after their lost loved ones. Some are turning to body donation in a desperate attempt to obtain that promised “free cremation” otherwise called a “no cost cremation”. But as with anything else in life…..nothing is ever free! The body donation programs are selective about what donors they can accept, especially if the practicalities of an application have not already been arranged. Overweight donors are generally not accepted – ruling out about 40% of the population. And that ‘free’ cremation may mean a wait to get the cremated remains returned. I have even heard instances of up to a year after the death occurred.

More budget and low cost cremation providers are emerging to meet the need for cheap funerals, but this still means that a family needs between $500 and $1400 in most areas to meet these basic cremation costs.

For those that can, finding a low cost cremation provider locally, and setting aside the funds for a direct cremation in a POD or Totten account, is probably to very good way to make sure you are assured of a basic send-off when the time comes.

If you want to know where your nearest low cost cremation provider is – contact us immediately.

Low cost cremations in Los Angeles

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Cremation Advisor

If you are looking for a simple and low cost cremation in the Greater Los Angeles area, our DFS Memorials provider can provide you with a basic direct cremation for only $750 in LA.

You will find it hard to beat this price in the Los Angeles area. DFS Memorials provides an exceptional service at a low cost price – serving all Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties.

Cremation is now a popular end-of-life disposition choice, especially on the West coast, and over half of all funerals in Los Angeles are cremations. Prices for a cremation do vary considerably, and the market for low cost and affordable cremations is competitive.

When comparing cremation prices between cremation providers in LA do ensure you are comparing like for like. Some cremation providers quote a price for a direct cremation in LA but may exclude certain fees. The chart below gives you an overview of how the prices for a low cost direct cremation can vary between funeral providers in Los Angeles.

The additional charges you could incur, or opt for, when arranging a low cost cremation in Los Angeles are listed below, and the charges for these will vary between providers:

An ID viewing or ‘private goodbye’
Witnessing the cremation
Removing medical implants prior to cremation
Cremation surcharge if deceased weighs over 250 lbs

A death certificate in Los Angeles is obtained from the registrar for a fee of $14.00. Your cremation provider will usually do this as part of their professional service. Additional copies of the death certificate can be obtained from the local Office of Vital Records at 12400 Imperial Highway, Room 1002, Norwalk, CA 90650. Cremation permits can vary by county, in Los Angeles county the permit fee is $11.00. The state of California cremation registration fee charged by the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau for every cremation is $8.50.

If the coroner has collected the body from the place of death, you will need to pay the transportation fee. These fees vary depending upon which county you are in. This fee can significantly add to your overall basic cremation cost, so you need to be aware of this. Your funeral director will need to pay this fee to collect the body from the coroner’s facility. These fees are:

Los Angeles County $200 – Riverside County $320 – San Bernardino County $250 -Orange County $318 – Ventura County CALL

Before a cremation can be performed the authorizing agent, or next of kin, must complete a ‘Declaration for Disposition of Cremated Remains form’. Your cremation provider will help you do this, or you can download the form at the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.

Call David Estephan on (323) 798-9055 with any questions you may have about direct cremation services in LA.

License #FDR-1500 FD-1770

Anaheim, Burbank, Corona, Costa Mesa, Downey, El Monte, Fontana, Fullerton, Glendale, Huntington Beach, Inglewood, Irvine, Lancaster, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Norwalk,Ontario, Orange, Oxnard, Palmdale, Pasadena, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Ventura, West Covina

No cost cremation – the new cheap cremation trend!

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Cremation Advisor

I keep coming across this term again and again these days on funeral home web sites. In the last year the term “no cost cremation” has cemented itself into the death care industry. It is one of those terms that ‘does what it says on the tin’…a means of cremating where there is no direct charge for the cremation services.

Why is this? Firstly, let’s get this straight – there is no free cremation. No one will provide you with free cremation services, they want something in return, and in this case it is your body tissues and/or organs.

Whole body donation is big business in the U.S., and the state of the economy, and the high $ paid by medical institutes for samples and cadavers, is driving this industry.

Many funeral homes will now offer a no cost cremation as they affiliate with anatomical donation programs. In some cases funeral directors do this to provide a much-needed service to those in their communities who simply have no money to pay for funeral expenses. However, in some areas fees are being paid to funeral homes who refer clients to body donation programs.

I have listed below some of the national anatomical donation companies that I am aware of:

Biogift, Science Care, LifeLegacy, Lifequest Anatomical, & Research for Life

Most local medical Universities will also accept donations on a local level, although it is my understanding that it can take some time to get the cremated remains returned.

If you want a minimal fuss disposition at the best price possible, then you should consult your nearest DFS Memorials cremation provider, who can provide a direct cremation for between $495 and $1,395.