Direct cremation services through the DFS Memorials network

Direct cremation, plainly explained

Direct cremation is the simplest, most affordable way to handle the cremation of a loved one. There’s no funeral service at the funeral home, no viewing, no embalming, and no rental casket. A licensed provider collects the body, files the required paperwork, performs the cremation at a licensed crematory, and returns the ashes to the family — typically within 7 to 14 days.

Through the DFS Memorials network, direct cremation starts at $795, with typical national packages ranging from $795 to $1,495 depending on your region. In some markets — Pricing always varies by region, so we recommend visiting your local area page where the DFS provider’s price is clearly displayed along with their phone number.  If you have any questions, they will be happy to assist you.

What families gain from direct cremation isn’t just cost savings. It’s the freedom to hold a memorial whenever, wherever, and however they choose — at home, outdoors, weeks or months later, with the people who actually need to be there. The disposition of the body is separated from the act of remembering, and both can be done well.

This is the section on direct cremation to prevent confusion later. Direct cremation is a specific product with a specific scope. Understanding exactly what you’re buying — and what you’re not — is the single most important step in making the right choice for your family.

What every DFS direct cremation package includes

1. Collection of the deceased from the place of death (hospital, hospice, nursing home, or private residence within the provider’s service area).
2. All required paperwork and permits — death certificate filing, cremation authorization, and the cremation permit issued by the local authority.
3. Transportation of the deceased to the crematory.
4. The cremation itself, performed at a licensed crematory by trained operators.
5. A basic temporary urn (typically a cardboard or plastic container) for the return of the cremated remains.
6. Return of the ashes to the family — usually within 7 to 14 days of collection.

What direct cremation does NOT include

• No funeral service at the funeral home.
• No viewing or visitation.
• No embalming. The body is held in refrigerated storage until cremation, which meets all state requirements for direct cremation.
• No casket rental or sale. A basic alternative container is used for the cremation itself.
• No memorial venue, officiant, music, or printed materials.
• No graveside service or burial of ashes (though families can arrange these separately).

The process is designed to be simple, dignified, and fast — for the practical reason that families need both. Here’s what happens from your first call to receiving the ashes.

Confusion between these two is the single biggest mistake families make when comparing prices. They’re different products at very different price points.

Direct cremation is everything described above. No service at the funeral home, no viewing, no embalming. National average: $2,100-$2,200 – DFS Memorials network: from $795.

Cremation with a funeral service is a traditional funeral with cremation instead of burial. Viewing, embalming, casket rental, memorial service at the funeral home — the whole format — followed by cremation. The 2025 NFDA median cost was $6,280 — about four times the cost of a direct cremation, even before any cemetery costs are added. For context, the NFDA median for a traditional funeral with viewing and burial is $7,848.

If a provider quotes you “the average cremation costs $6,280,” they’re quoting cremation with a service. A direct cremation costs a fraction of that.

For a full explainer on the difference, see our Cremation Nation guide.

There are a lot of cremation providers in North America. What makes the DFS Memorials network different comes down to four things.

A vetted, independent network — not a corporate chain

DFS Memorials operates a network of 80+ vetted independent providers across 41 US states and 3 Canadian provinces. Every provider is a family-run business, not a subsidiary of a national corporation. Service Corporation International (SCI), the largest publicly held funeral corporation in North America, owns over 1,500 funeral homes, including the Neptune Society and Dignity Memorial brands.  Foundation Partners Group [operating Tulip Cremation and the Altogether brands] is another large private equity funeral group.

DFS works the other side: independent local providers who compete on transparency and price within a single trusted network.

Published pricing — no “call for a quote”

Every provider in the DFS network publishes their package pricing. You see what direct cremation costs in your area before you call. You don’t sit through a sales conversation to find out the number. The FTC Funeral Rule has required price disclosure on request since 1984, but enforcement is uneven and many providers still bury pricing behind a phone call. DFS providers commit to up-front published pricing as a condition of network membership.

FTC Funeral Rule compliance vetting

Before any provider joins the network, DFS confirms they operate in compliance with the FTC Funeral Rule (16 CFR Part 453), including itemized General Price Lists, no required-package-purchase bundling, and the consumer’s right to refuse any service they don’t want. The Funeral Rule is the legal floor for transparent funeral pricing; DFS providers operate well above the floor.

A family-run business helping families plan

DFS Memorials was founded in 2012 by Sara Marsden-Ille and Nicholas Ille. Sara, originally from the UK, had been running US Funerals Online since 2003 as a consumer-information resource. The pricing opacity and high-pressure tactics common in the American funeral industry struck her as both unusual and fixable. DFS exists to make it easier for families to find a transparent, trusted provider in a moment when they shouldn’t have to negotiate.

After the cremation, the family receives several things together: the cremated remains in the basic temporary urn included with the package, certified copies of the death certificate (number depends on what you ordered), and the cremation authorization paperwork. From that point, what happens next is entirely your decision.

What the ashes look like

Cremated remains are roughly 3–5 pounds of dry, sand-textured fragments — sometimes called “cremains” in industry terminology. The volume is typically about 200 cubic inches, which matches the size of a standard adult urn. They are clean, odorless, and safe to handle.

What families typically do

There’s no single right approach. Common choices include:

• Keeping the ashes at home in a decorative urn — either temporarily, while planning a memorial, or permanently as a kept memorial.
• Scattering the ashes in a meaningful place — a garden, a coastline, mountains, or a private property with the owner’s permission. Scattering at sea and in many national parks is permitted; check local regulations.
• Burying the ashes in a cemetery, in a cremation plot or a family plot. Cremation burial typically costs $500–$2,000 — substantially less than a casket burial.
• Placing the ashes in a columbarium — a structure with niches specifically for cremated remains, often located at cemeteries or houses of worship.
• Dividing the ashes among family members. This is a common choice when relatives live in different parts of the country.
• Memorial keepsakes — small portions of ashes incorporated into jewelry, glass art, or other personal pieces.

Holding a memorial service after cremation

There’s no time pressure. You can hold a special, heartfelt memorial service days after the death, or weeks or months later. You can hold it at home, at a restaurant the person loved, on a beach, in a park, in a religious building, or somewhere private with just immediate family. The traditional funeral-home format isn’t required for a meaningful goodbye, and many families find that a personalized memorial held in their own time provides a closure that a rushed graveside service can’t.

This is the emerging “Disposition-First” Movement: Redefining the Modern Funeral today and contributing to the rise of Family-led Farewell Memorial Services.

Pre-paid cremation planning vs. preplan without prepaying

Many families now arrange direct cremation in advance, paying the provider today to lock in services for their own future use. Pre-need contracts have practical advantages and a few things worth knowing.

What you gain: today’s price locked in (funeral costs have risen faster than overall inflation for most of the last 30 years); peace of mind that your family won’t have to navigate decisions or paperwork in a moment of grief; the ability to specify exactly what you want; and in most cases, the funds held in a state-regulated trust or insurance product that follows you if you move.

What to check before signing: whether the funds are held in trust or an insurance product; whether the contract is transferable to another provider (most DFS network pre-need contracts include out-of-state transferability); whether there are cancellation fees; and whether the package locked in matches your current preferences.

Most DFS providers offer pre-need direct cremation contracts, typically priced at ~$1,295, in the lower-tier provider price bracket.  The funds are held in state-regulated trust accounts or insurance policies. The contract is transferable across the DFS network, so if you relocate to a different state covered by DFS, the funds follow you.

DFS Memorials operates in 41 US states and 3 Canadian provinces. Coverage is concentrated in markets where cremation rates are highest and where transparent-pricing providers have the most consumer demand.

The US cremation rate reached 62.8% in 2025 (CANA) and continues to rise; in CANA’s highest-cremation states such as Nevada and Washington, the rate now exceeds 76.7%. Use the search below to find a vetted provider in your area, or contact us if your state isn’t yet covered.