Questions About Cremation

• Are cremation services popular?
  Cremation services accounted for 55% of all death services in 2019. That percentage is expected to climb above 61% by 2024.
• Do all religions approve of cremation?
  Most religions practiced in the United States permit cremation; it is best to consult your religious advisor if you have any questions.
• Is cremation smart and environmentally friendly?
  Yes. Choosing a green cremation shows you are committed to a clean, natural environment that preserves the planet’s ever-shrinking wilderness and resources; it is a smart decision to make. With a traditional funeral and burial, the body is embalmed with chemicals. After the viewing, the body is laid in a casket of metal or lacquered-wood lined with satin and decorated with brass hinges and handles. The chemicals enter the earth and prevent natural decomposition. For those people who have dedicated their lives to reducing their negative impact on the earth, this can be a less-than-desirable ending.
• Is embalming required?
  No. Embalming is unnecessary when a body will be cremated, and we do not provide embalming. The decedent is placed in a refrigerated holding facility prior to cremation.
• What happens if I am an Organ Donor?
  We coordinate with all Tissue Banks. However, most organ donations take place at the medical facility where the death occurs, and the hospital arranges for the donation before turning over the deceased to us for cremation.
• Is there a weight limit?
  An individual’s weight at time of death determines if there are additional charges. Ask our Family Services Representatives for more information.
• Can I use my social security benefits if I choose cremation?
  Social security may award death benefits to survivors of deceased workers who were covered and fit certain guidelines. Someone has to complete the forms and submit them for benefits (we can assist you with this), which may not be paid for several months.
• How does a Neptune Society cremation compare to services from traditional funeral homes?
  We believe that the popularity and acceptance of cremation services will increase in the future for several reasons:
  • The difference in costs between an expensive, traditional burial with funeral versus affordable cremation plans.
  • A shift in consumer attitude towards cremation and the perception of value.
  • The popularity of being cremated continues to rise year after year.
  • Cremation is the smart decision when it comes to preplanning final arrangements
  • The Green Movement favors cremation over casket burial.

Questions About Funeral or Cremation Costs | Preplanned and Prepaid Cremation

• What does a traditional funeral cost? And does it include everything?
  The average cost of a traditional funeral is $6,862.00. General items not included are: The gravesite, grave vault, opening and closing fees, memorial marker, and other related expenses.
• How does cremation cost compare with typical burial?
  The total cost of a burial is about 6-8 times that of an affordable, Neptune Society cremation plan.
• What is Pre-Need?
  A pre-need cremation plan means final arrangements are made before death to ensure the decedent’s wishes for cremation are carried out and paid for so as not to burden the family further at his/her passing.
• What is At-Need?
  An at-need cremation is arranged after death, when no prepaid cremation plan is in place.
• How can I be sure that my funds will be safe?
  Money paid under a preneed cremation contract is placed into a state-required trust fund in amounts required under state law, then held and invested according to state law for future need. Trust fund reports are filed with each state where we do business. Your contracts will provide more detail on all the terms, including detail as to the specific amount to be placed in trust, if any, and should be read carefully. Money paid for merchandise purchased on a retail basis and delivered prior to need are typically not trusted.

Questions About The Cremation Process

• What happens at the time of death?
  Whether cremation is preplanned or you’re planning at the time of death, one call to Neptune Society is all you need. We immediately send professionally-trained personnel to the place of death to transport the deceased to a climate-controlled holding facility for proper care and storage. By calling us first, we not only safeguard the privacy and dignity of the loved one, but also protect you from additional charges associated with other providers. Additionally, we notify the family members you have identified.
• Can my family view my body without embalming?
  Yes, the immediate family members can view the deceased prior to cremation in our viewing room.
• How will I be cremated?
  Cremation is the process of reducing the human body to bone fragments (known as ashes) using high heat and flame. The deceased is placed in a cremation chamber in a combustible container. All organic matter is consumed by heat and evaporation within approximately 2 hours. After the cremated remains are removed from the cremation chamber, any large bone fragments are removed and processed further to reduce their size to uniform particles (ashes).
• Can my ashes be separated for family members?
  Yes, as long as there are separate cremation urns or containers to put the ashes in.
• What guarantee is there that my family receives my cremated ashes?
  We adhere to the strictest identification guidelines in the industry to minimize any possible chance of human error. Additionally, a numbered metal disc is assigned to the deceased and accompanies the body throughout the cremation process. The disc stays with the ashes as they are placed in a temporary container, awaiting final disposition by us or by the family.
• What happens to jewelry and gold teeth during cremation?
  We suggest that no jewelry be cremated with the remains. Jewelry may be placed into the urn after the cremation takes place if desired. Upon written authorization, we will cremate jewelry. Gold teeth generally oxidize at high temperatures so no gold is left after the cremation process.

 

Questions About Veteran Cremations

• I am a Veteran; can my cremated ashes be buried at Arlington National Cemetery?
  All United States Veterans are entitled to burial or interment of cremated remains in any National Cemetery that has available space at no charge. Currently, the Veterans Administration operates 125 national cemeteries, of which 65 are open for new casket interments and 21 are open to accept cremated remains only. Burial options are limited to those available at a specific cemetery but may include an in-ground casket or interment of cremated remains in a columbarium, the ground, or a scatter garden. The government runs these programs and benefits may change at any time.
• I served in the Navy; can my ashes be scattered at sea after my death?
  Generally, cremated remains are scattered at sea on a weekly basis. These common scatterings are not open to family members. Family members may request, for an additional charge, this optional burial-at-sea service. This is a Formal Sea Service priced a la carte.
• Can I use my veteran benefits if I choose cremation?
  Through the Veterans Administration, veterans may also be eligible for the following benefits: $300 reimbursement towards your cremation service, free headstones or markers in granite, marble, or bronze, and presidential memorial certificates.

 

Questions About Memorial Reef™

• What is the Memorial Reef™? Can I be buried there and how?
  The Memorial Reef™ is an awe-inspiring, affordable, and smart memorialization option that is a fitting alternative to traditional cemetery burial. An enduring habitat for marine life, the Reef is also a reaffirmation of life after life.The Memorial Reef™ is a unique man-made reef that imagines the legendary Lost City and is located just three miles off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida. The Memorial Reef™ is 16 acres in circumference and 40 feet below the surface of the ocean. The Reef houses the cremated remains of hundreds of people who wanted to forever be a part of the renewal of life.
• What is the process to be buried in the Memorial Reef™?
  1) Cremated remains of the deceased are carefully mixed with non-porous cement, sand, and water in a mold of your choice.
  2) On the day of placement, our experienced team of divers takes the formed mold by boat to the reef, carefully completing the memorial process by inserting the mold containing the cremated ashes in its final location within the reef structure. This can be done with or without the family’s participation.
  3) When the mold is hardened, a bronze plaque with the name and life dates is fixed to the outside.