PRE-PLANNING - BURIAL VERSUS CREMATION

When referring to burial or cremation, this usually relates to the final stage of the funeral involving the disposition of remains. In burial, the remains are interred whole below ground in a cemetery or in some cases, a crypt or mausoleum. In cremation, the remains are incinerated and the ashes are then collected in a cinerary urn. It is then left to the family to decide on the final disposition and the choices are generally interment in a columbarium, burial at a burial plot or scattering (usually at sea).

Between the two, cremation is generally the more economical choice. In recent years, cremation has been gaining in popularity, surpassing burial as the most popular choice. However, one important factor to take note is that certain religions or denominations do not permit cremation while some actually encourage it. Less religious individuals may take environmental impact into consideration but both burial and cremation have its pros and cons when it comes to this topic.

Ultimately if religion is not a factor, burial or cremation is deeply a matter of personal choice. This is one of the reasons why it is always important to keep your loved ones in the loop about your final wishes. Whenever possible, pre-plan to avoid leaving the difficult decision of what to do with your loved ones.