How to Get Help to Pay for Cremation

Preparing for End of Life Can Be Difficult – So Many Do Not

A Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC) survey shows that 89% of Americans who are 40 years old or older believe it is important to discuss their end-of-life wishes with loved ones, yet only 17% took the time to create a plan. Talking about death and dying is hard, and getting ready for the end of life is something many people do not do.

In addition to our discomfort with discussing death and dying, there are other reasons we don’t do advance planning for the end of our lives. Of the top five reasons, not having enough money to plan or to afford the costs associated with dying is #2. If the death of a loved one is unanticipated and sudden, financial concerns intensify the shock and grief. If your loved one has been ill and their passing away was anticipated, the worry about what to do next and how to pay for it makes one of the hardest moments of our lives significantly more difficult.

Cremation Services Are an Option for Many People

Regardless of whether you have a plan in place for the end-of-life or not, there are some choices you have to make. When many of us think of funerals, we picture something customary; a casket at the front of the funeral home or place of worship, a memorial service, a hearse followed by a long line of cars heading to the cemetery, and a burial. This vision is based on hundreds of years of tradition in the United States.

However, cremation services are another option for people to consider, and more people are making that choice. According to a 2021 National Funeral Directors Association estimate, 57.5% of people select cremation as their end-of-life option. And the number is projected to go up to as much as 80% over the next twenty years.

Unsurprisingly, more people are choosing cremation for their end-of-life plan, or even they do not have a plan in place. While the costs for traditional funerals and burials vary based on the state where the service is provided, 2023 average funeral costs range from $6684 to $14,975.

What is included in these high costs? In addition to basic funeral home services, there are also fees for the following:

• transport of the deceased to the funeral home
• embalming
• cosmetic preparation
• facility rental for viewing and service
• staff service fees, casket
• transport to the cemetery

And cemeteries have their own separate costs and annual fees. With the high cost of traditional funerals likely to increase over time, people either can’t afford them or they don’t want to pass along that significant financial responsibility to their families.

How Much Does Cremation Cost?

If you are wondering how much it costs to cremate a body, you need to know that, like traditional funeral costs, cremation costs fluctuate from state to state. In addition, the costs also vary based on the form of cremation and any other services you choose. Regardless, the average cost of cremation is drastically lower than the cost of traditional end-of-life options.

The three most common types of cremation are:

• Traditional Cremation. This is like a traditional funeral and burial in that the body is prepared similarly. There is a casket and a memorial service. The cremation of the deceased takes place after the funeral service. The average cost for this type of cremation can run as high as about $7,000. The specific costs associated with this cremation method include funeral home services, body preparation, third-party cremation if needed, a cremation casket (different from a traditional burial casket), and an urn. An itemized list of all costs can be found here.
• Direct Cremation. This is also called Simple Cremation or Immediate Cremation. Direct cremation is where the body is cremated a short time after death, and it does not include any body preparation, a viewing, or a memorial service. The average cost for this cremation method is much less, as you are just paying for the fees for cremation. The average cost for this type of service is $2,183. Costs will increase if you opt for some type of memorial service or vessel in which to store the remains.
• Whole-Body Donation to Science with Cremation. This means that the body is donated to science and followed by direct This method is free or very low cost or free, and thus, the lowest cost option.

How Much Does It Cost to Be Cremated in Florida?

If you are wondering about the average cost of cremation in Florida, it is important to know that it can vary. Traditional cremation prices can reach up to $7,000 depending on your chosen services. Direct cremation is the lower-cost option. Direct cremation fees across 10 Florida main cities can range from $975 to $1681.

Whole-Body Donation with cremation is free, and a great choice for Floridians who need access to cremation services if they have no money. As you consider your options, remember the average funeral cost in Florida. A customary funeral with a burial is $7,600. When cemetery costs, and other service fees are added in, that amount can climb to $9,000! Clearly, whole-body donation with cremation is the lowest-cost choice.

Low-Cost Cremation in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizona generally has lower average funeral costs than many other states in the U.S. Traditional funeral services cost an average of $7,500. The average cost range across four major population hubs is $6,325 to $8,599. Specifically, the Phoenix metro area range is $5,580 to $9,475. Cremation is significantly less expensive regardless of the type of service you choose. In 2020 the average cost for traditional cremation was $5,694. The average cost for direct cremation was $1,430, ranging from $400 to $2,890.

In contrast, whole-body donation, which is free, is the lowest-cost type of cremation in Phoenix, Arizona. It also allows the donor to contribute to medical education and help thousands of people into the future.

How Can I Get Help with Cremation Costs?

Many families are financially unable to afford a funeral or other end-of-life services for their loved one who has passed away. There is little, if any, social services or government help to cover these types of costs. Even the lower-cost direct cremation options pose a financial barrier for these families. The lowest-cost cremation option, which not only allows access to cremation services if you have no money, but gives your loved one the chance to contribute to medical science, is Whole Body Donation with Cremation. United Tissue Network can help you access whole body donation with cremation services if you have no money.

Consider the Benefits of Whole Body Donation with Cremation

Mainlinehealth.org estimates that 95% of Americans think organ and tissue donation is good, but only about 50% become donors. This goes back to the reality that people don’t talk about dying. If discussing death is uncomfortable and planning is harder, then becoming a donor might bring another level of hesitation. But if you are wondering, “how can I get help with cremation?” or “How to pay for cremation without any money, ” consider all the benefits of whole-body donation.

Whole-body donation has important advantages because it is an extremely low-cost cremation service. In fact, in most instances, it is a free service.

Can you imagine how amazing it would be to help cure the disease that led to losing your loved one? Or how meaningful it would be to help a surgeon become proficient at a surgery that will help thousands of patients? Whole body donation with cremation is the method to help others long into the future.

Whole-body donation is simple to set up, and it buys you the time you need to grieve and to decide how to pay tribute to your family member best.

Whole-body donation’s contribution to science is unparalleled. Medical discoveries and advances in diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and more were made possible because people chose to donate. Scientific research in biotechnology, medical devices, drug treatments, and preventative medicine is sustained using human tissue. There is no substitute for human tissue when it comes to learning how to treat the human body.

Body and tissue donation is also critical in helping health and medical science students master their comprehension of the anatomy of the human body. Medical students, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals study deceased human bodies to learn and master the skills that will one day improve and benefit the health of us all. And with a worldwide shortage of human tissue, the value and importance of whole-body donation are even more significant!

How Can I Access Cremation Services Near Me

Cremation services are easy to find. Most funeral homes in any part of the U.S. offer cremation as an option, even if there is a third party who performs the cremation. The challenge is to find cremation services near me when you need them, and which make the best sense for your family and your financial circumstances.

However, some funeral homes DO NOT provide whole body donation with cremation. This is the no-cost cremation option and is ideal for those needing help with cremation costs. It saves a family significant cost while allowing them to contribute to meaningful medical research and education.

Who Provides Low Cost and Free Cremation Services in Arizona and Florida?

United Tissue Network (UTN) provides free cremation services in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona. It is the only true non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization delivering these critical services.

The caring and experienced United Tissue Network staff can help you access cremation services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And they are not outsourced operators taking calls from overseas, as is the case with other providers. These Phoenix and St. Petersburg-based Donor Services Coordinators understand the challenge of losing a loved one and will help you find your way through a difficult time.

United Tissue Network began providing services in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2009, and since then, it has helped nearly 12,000 families make important end-of-life choices that fit their family needs. They have helped families find comfort in knowing they have honored their loved one’s legacy and made a meaningful contribution to their community. United Tissue Network expanded its services to the Tampa, Florida, area and looks forward to helping even more families across Florida make a difference.

If you are in Florida, it is important for you to know that UTN, unlike other whole-body donation services, does not prevent you from being both a whole-body donor and an organ donor. They welcome it.

As an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited organization UTN encourages all their whole-body donors in Florida to be organ donors. When you register for organ and whole-body donations, organ donation will take priority.

Easy Registration Process

United Tissue Network understands that families who have lost a loved one, or those whose loss is imminent, are making challenging decisions while simultaneously experiencing an emotionally difficult period in their own lives. With that in mind, UTN has made whole-body donations as simple and easy as possible and created the ONLY online, self-directed registration process available in the United States. You can take your time, go step by step, and only talk to someone when you wish.

How Do I Get Help Paying for Cremation?

It is easy to get help paying for cremation. Simply register to donate your body into the future, or your loved ones body and UTN will take care of the rest.

Visit UTN for more information about cremation services and whole-body donations. You can begin that easy, online, self-directed registration process now, or call us toll-free at 1-877-738-6111. In Florida, you can also register here. In Arizona, you can also register here.