The Truth About Direct Cremation Pricing

If you are planning a cremation, please take the time to read this page as it will help you to understand the significant difference in pricing between Funeral Professionals and Direct Cremation Disposers. If price is your only concern, stop reading. If the care of your loved one matters, we encourage you to take the time to read this in its entirety.

You may have discovered there are a wide variety of prices when it comes to direct cremations. According to the New Jersey Funeral Directors Association website, the average Direct Cremation provided by New Jersey funeral homes was $2,642. Cremations from funeral home price lists ranged from $2,108 to $3,358 (as stated on njsfda.org).

Low cost providers (many in the funeral industry refer to them as “Disposers”) cut corners by offering cremations as low as $500. They also perform cremations in volume rather than individually. No overhead is one of the main reasons disposers can claim to operate at such low prices. Many simply pay a small funeral home to hang a registration in their facility so they can operate, working out of their service vehicle or “out of their hat.” The service vehicles are usually vans or box trucks specially designed to accommodate multiple bodies.

The Federal Trade Commission requires full price disclosure of all funeral homes.

Funeral Professionals go above and beyond to treat each family as an individual. We are cremation providers offering professional services from a physical structure. Only one person is in a vehicle when brought to the crematory. In addition, we schedule a precise time for the start of the cremation. Our directors witness the individual placed into the retort and wait at the crematory with your loved one until the process is irreversible.

During this time our directors observe the tagging and labeling system that follows someone through-out the cremation process. (All crematories we are associated with utilize a metal disk numbering system that follows someone throughout the process). By taking these steps we can assure you that the cremated remains returned to you are that of your loved ones because we have taken the time to supervise, as funeral directors are supposed to do.

That’s why we prefer the term complete cremation rather than direct cremation. We believe everyone, regardless of wants or economic circumstances, should be treated individually.

Our Complete Cremations packages range from $2,750 to $3,550 depending on place of death and include transfer from place of death, obtaining of permits and filing of death certificate, Concierge Services, scheduling time at crematory, licensed funeral director at crematory, individual transportation to the crematory, and alternative container for cremation. Actual cost to the crematory, health department issuing certificates, memorial services, newspapers, or any other item not expressly indicated is not included.

We offer our packages throughout the New Jersey – New York Metropolitan area.

Complete Cremation

Facilities and Arrangements: Arrangement choices include: arrangements at our facility, arrangements in your home, or digital arrangements for those who live at distances or prefer the convenience.

Individual Service:  We treat each person individually. Only one person is in a vehicle when brought to the crematory. In addition, we schedule a precise time for the start of the cremation. Our directors witness the individual placed into the retort and wait at the crematory with your loved one until the process is irreversible. During this time our directors observe the tagging and labeling system that follows someone through-out the cremation process. (All crematories we are associated with utilize a metal disk numbering system that follows someone throughout the process). By taking these steps we can assure you that the cremains returned to you are that of your loved ones, because we have taken the time to supervise, as funeral directors are supposed to do.

Shelter: The 24-Hour Law in New Jersey, as well as other States, requires a minimum wait period before someone can be cremated. If someone dies in a facility that has refrigeration, such as a hospital, a family can opt to utilize that facility for the wait period. However, when a person dies in a facility without refrigeration or a home the deceased needs to be sheltered. We are one of the only funeral homes that offer on site refrigeration. Assuring families that your loved one is properly sheltered and identified.

Discount Direct Cremation

Facilities and Arrangements: Arrangements are performed in your home or the hospital at the time of transfer, many times with the deceased in the same room.

Multiple Cremations: Since their business model relies on volume and not individual attention to detail, the deceased becomes a number and is brought to the crematory in vans and box trucks specifically designed to accommodate multiple body transportation. Crematories have limited number of retorts and since disposers just “show-up” at the crematory the deceased are often left there waiting for “their turn” with no supervision. This practice ensures that the cremation provider has no idea if the cremains being returned to the family is that of their loved ones because they were not there when the process started. This practice can only lead to the confusion of identity of remains, and begs the question: “Are you going to get the remains of your loved one or someone else?”

Shelter: Simply stated, you should ask the following questions:

“Where exactly is your loved one being sheltered?”
“May I inspect that facility?”
“Is there refrigeration?”
“How many others are being stored with my loved one?”

If all they have is a “man with a van” then the only option is to drop off at the crematory for the waiting period and rely on the cremation operator for identification or shelter in the mobile office.