Burial Practices

Burial is having the body placed in the ground, or in a tomb or mausoleum. If you choose burial, you will need to choose from the following:

• Cemetery ground burial
• Cemetery mausoleum or entombment
• Green burial

If you choose burial (in the ground or entombment) you will need to:

• Choose a burial location. Most likely, this would be in a cemetery, but in recent years, green burial grounds have become popular.
• Choose a funeral provider to prepare the body
• Transport the body to its final resting place
• Consider the costs of casket, embalming, cemetery/burial plot or crypt, grave markers
• Other funeral goods and services

Once the final resting place has been decided, many of the other decisions can be made.

Direct burial

The body is buried shortly after death, usually in a simple container. No viewing or visitation is involved, so no embalming is necessary. A memorial service may be held at the graveside or later. Direct burial usually costs less than the traditional, full-service funeral. Costs include the funeral home's basic services fee, as well as transportation and care of the body, the purchase of a casket or burial container and a cemetery plot or crypt. If the family chooses to be at the cemetery for the burial, the funeral home often charges an additional fee for a graveside service.

Federal Trade Commission: Funerals: A Consumer Guide