Funeral Trends of 2024 from Preplanning to Cremation Rates

In recent years, new services and technology have allowed people to personalize and customize a funeral in untraditional and creative ways.

So, funeral trends may surprise you and are worth investigating, from pre planned funerals to celebrating a loved one. 

Cremation Rates are Rising (along with everything else)

The most common type of funeral practice has been burial. However, since the 1960s, cremation has gained popularity in the USA.

The USA cremation rate has increased by almost 30 percent since 2000. As of 2020, the rate reached 73.1 percent and is expected to grow to 77.6 percent by 2024. 

Lower cost is a significant reason for the increase in cremation rates. Traditional burials range in price from three thousand to over twelve thousand dollars because burials generally include increased funeral expenses.

For example, a casket alone typically runs between two thousand three hundred and five thousand dollars but can also cost upwards of twenty thousand dollars depending on customization. 

In contrast, cremation funeral costs fall between two thousand and five thousand dollars. With people choosing to have simple ceremonies, most of the expense goes toward cremation, provider fees, and urn purchases. Urns range in price from ten dollars to upwards of two thousand dollars. 

Direct cremation further reduces the average costs of a funeral. The remains of the loved one are sent directly to a cremation service center shortly after death, eliminating goods and services such as the casket, embalming, viewing, visitation, and wake. Direct cremation usually falls within the fifteen hundred to four thousand plus dollar price range.

Sustainability is a significant reason cremation has become more popular and is viewed as more environmentally friendly than burials. It requires less energy, is less labor-intensive, and uses fewer resources. 

Cremation also offers many options for the family members. Burial funerals need to take place in a relatively short period, and planning a large funeral becomes stressful. For cremation, families can hold the funeral or memorial immediately or celebrate much later. This also makes celebrating the deceased’s life easier with extended family and friends. 

Funeral Preplanning

The cost of dying has been steadily increasing over time, causing a surge in funeral arrangements made in advance, known as preplanning. People choose to customize funeral arrangements and memorial service ahead of time so that their wishes are followed with specific products and services. Preplanning gives us control over what will happen when we die. 

The prepaid funeral arrangement contract is a legal agreement made before death. This contract can be made with the funeral home service provider or funeral insurance company or within a life insurance policy. Your pre-selected arrangements will pay for the funeral with these allocated funds after death. 

This type of contract also helps protect you from inflation because the services are guaranteed at the pre-selected price.

Cremation Alternatives for Scattering and Burial

In recent years, the cremated remains were buried, scattered, interred in a niche or columbarium, or kept at the family home. Today, there are other options available: 

• Placing the ashes into keepsake jewelry or art

• Sending some of the ashes into space

• Incorporating ashes into fireworks.

• Pressing the ashes into a vinyl record

• Turning the ashes into a memorial diamond

• Turning ashes into memorial stones

• Growing ashes into a tree

• Adding ashes to a plush toy

• Painting a portrait with ashes

• Turning ashes into an underwater reef ball

• Scattering ashes from the sky

The Funeral Party

A growing trend for a funeral is focusing on a more joyous event to celebrate the loved one’s life. A great example is a celebration of life party. A celebration of life can have more solemn and respectful moments, but it is generally a more joyous celebration. Often, it is a mixture of both.

A funeral party allows us to hold a memorial for the deceased person and celebrate their life. Activities such as incorporating favorite foods, music, and decorations are common. 

These are some activity ideas:

• An open mic night where friends and family take turns on stage sharing memories of their time with the deceased.
• Memorial videos or slideshows are shared.
• Participate in a favorite pastime or hobby. For example, go fishing, hiking, stargazing, or a game of golf.
• Have a DJ play the loved one’s favorite music.
• Have dinner and serve the deceased person’s favorite foods.

The Crowdfunding Option 

Crowdfunding provides a way for the family of the deceased as an aid in covering some of the costs of the funeral. 

Crowdfunding platforms are used to raise money for causes important to the deceased. Such as breast or lung cancer if that’s what caused the deceased’s death. Some of these raised funds can go to cancer research. 

Questions?

If you have questions about cremation or the non-traditional funeral service, need information about direct cremation, or have any other concerns, contact us at Jeff Monreal Funeral Home. 

We can help you make funeral arrangements or to preplan a funeral. Contact us anytime at (440)527-6294.

If you would like to learn more about cremation, visit the Cremation Association of North America’s website.

Most funeral directors and funeral homes employees are trained to deal with grief and frequently deal with people who have lost loved ones. They try to make the process of planning a funeral service as easy and stress-free as possible for those in mourning. They also usually have a working knowledge of grief and how it works, and are able to work with those who have recently experienced loss.