There’s a stereotype that doesn’t seem to go away. A family goes to a funeral home to make arrangements when a loved one dies, and there’s a funeral director that pressures them into buying expensive or unnecessary services. That’s not really the case. Today, the funeral industry is highly regulated and you’ll find that funeral homes in Nashua, NH operate in an ethical and honest manner.
Still, cremation costs in New Hampshire can vary widely from a few thousand dollars to more than $7,000. This can be confusing when you see advertised prices that are substantially less. Yet, when you go to make arrangements, you end up with a bill that’s much higher.
When you see low prices advertised, consider them “starting prices,” knowing that adding anything beyond the most basic services will increase the price.
Advertised Cremation Prices vs. What Families Actually Pay
Most Nashua funeral homes advertise a base price for direct cremation, the least expensive option. This figure usually covers the essentials required to carry out the cremation. However, that base price is rarely the total cost families end up paying.
Advertised pricing often excludes items and services that many families later discover they need, want, or are told are customary. Without realizing it, families may agree to additional charges that significantly increase the final cost of cremation.
Cremation Costs and Options You May Not Know About
There are several factors that affect cremation costs at Nashua funeral homes. They aren’t hidden fees in an attempt to be deceptive, but they are typically not included in starting prices. While funeral directors may not apply pressure, families have to make decisions quickly and may not realize how quickly costs can add up.
Death Certificates
While funeral homes in Nashua will typically handle the filing of a death certificate, you often need multiple copies. You’ll pay for each copy, and this is often not included in advertised prices. You’ll need certified copies for dealing with banks, life insurance, estates, or legal issues.
Urns or Memorial Containers
Typically, cremation is handled in a basic wooden or cardboard container. Remains are returned in a temporary container, which may be a sturdy plastic bag. If you want a more formal container or memorial urn, you can add thousands to the cost, and you may not know about these until arrangements are already underway.
Memorial Services or Viewing Ceremonies
Memorial services add venue rental and staffing charges at Nashua funeral homes. If you add printed materials or flowers, that increases costs even more.
If you plan a viewing, you will need to pay for embalming, for health reasons and for preparing the body for viewing. When choosing cremation, you might assume a casket is not required, but if you have a viewing, you’ll need a casket, although in most cases, there are rental options.
Embalming in New Hampshire Law
One common misconception is that embalming is required. In New Hampshire, there is no state law requiring embalming. Typically, you only need to embalm when there’s a public viewing or if the body is being transported to certain states.
Yet, families may think embalming is a standard practice, which may be included in some packages even though it may not be necessary.
Transportation Fees
Transportation is typically included, but only within a defined local radius. If a death occurs outside that service area, or if additional transfers are required, extra fees may apply. There may also be additional fees for extremely overweight individuals.
These extra transportation charges may not come up in initial discussions about costs and only show up when you’re making the final arrangements.
How to Better Understand Costs and Requirements
You can request a General Price List. Funeral homes in Nashua, NH are required to provide you with this itemized list of services and distinguish between what’s mandatory and optional. You can use this to better understand costs and compare prices at different cremation service providers.
A No-Cost Alternative Many Families Never Hear About
You may not know there’s an option to get free cremation in New Hampshire.
When you donate your body to science, you can get no-cost cremation and make a meaningful contribution to the advancement of medicine for future generations.
In New Hampshire, United Tissue Network is a nonprofit organization that coordinates body donations and handles arrangements for families, including transportation of the deceased, placement with a reputable medical education or research facility, free cremation, and return of the cremated remains upon request.
To learn more about body donation, visit United Tissue Network’s website.