Cremation and Burial Options for Poor People

Even though a cremation Albany usually costs a lot less than a burial, some families struggle to pay for that too. Families who belong to a house of worship may be able to ask their pastor about assistance from the congregation or local charitable foundations. However, it's important to realize that there isn't any automatic government that pays for funerals for most people. On the other hand, there are ways to get help paying for burials and cremations.

Ask State or County Social Services for Help With Burials and Cremations

If a church or local foundation isn't an option, a call to a state or county department of social services is in order. In most cases, there is some budget for helping families with a direct burial or cremation. Typically, these programs will not pay for any sort of funeral service. If they do, it will be very minimal. They might also not allow families to contribute towards that on their own. They may assume that if the family has money, it should be used for disposition of the body.

This doesn't prevent families from holding some sort of service later. This could be a private memorial service or church service. This can be a good way to honor a deceased loved one, but it probably just won't be held exactly at the time of burial or cremation.

Non-Charity Options to Help Pay for Cremations

Families who don't care to ask for charity have another good option. Many medical schools and other organizations accept bodies for research and educational uses. In this case, the organization will usually pay to take the body and transport it where it needs to go. Many of these schools and other types of medical organizations will even offer to cremate and return the remains after they have been used for their medical or scientific purpose.

The good part of this plan is that the loved one's body can actually help train a new generation of doctors or help advance science. It also doesn't rely on charity because the donation of the body is very valuable to scientific and medical schools and research bodies.