It's no secret: more families and individuals are choosing cremation than ever before. Tyler Mathisen, in the 2013 NBC News online article, "Cremation is the Hottest Trend in the Funeral Industry", shares these cremation statistics: "Every year in America, 2.5 million people die. In 2011, the last year for which numbers are available, 42 percent were cremated, according to the funeral directors association. That's double the rate of just 15 years ago." He goes on, getting specific."In some states, largely in the West, the cremation rate tops 70 percent. In Washington, it's 72 percent; in Nevada, almost 74 percent. (The lowest rate of cremation is Mississippi's, at 15.7 percent.)" He argues, as do many people, that cremation costs are the reason why the number of families choosing cremation nearly doubled over fifteen years. If cremation prices are of critical importance to your family, we encourage you to read further.

It's important to realize there is no standardized cremation cost in the Reading, Pa area; every crematory, funeral home, or cremation provider offers cremation services and products at differing price points (depending on their location in Berks County).

The cost of cremation services in Reading commonly ranges from almost a thousand dollars for direct cremation (when contracted through a low-cost third-party cremation provider), to a few thousand dollars (when ancillary services or products are selected). Certainly, while cremation prices differ depending upon the area served; commonly cremation will cost you far less than that of a traditional, casketed burial.

The price you'll pay for a cremation, at its most basic, will cover the cremation arrangements, and the completion of all the necessary paperwork. But, you can incur additional charges above and beyond this amount, for things like:

• Certified copies of the original death certificate
• Newspaper obituary notices
• Crematory fees
• Transportation of the deceased to the crematory
• Disposition of the cremated remains through scattering or burial
• Removal of pacemakers or other medical implants
• Purchase of an alternative cremation container, cremation casket, or use of a rental casket
• Purchase of items related to a funeral, memorial service, or celebration-of-life

Cremation prices can vary widely; so it's important you "ask around". Do your online research: visit the websites of each of the providers you've targeted, connect with your social media network to ask for their input. Pick up the phone and make the call, speak with a company representative. (You may want to read Questions to Ask before you begin, as cremation costs are just a part of the big picture.)

A direct cremation is the most inexpensive, affordable option and avoids the costs associated with a traditional funeral or burial.

A direct cremation refers to where there is no embalming or memorial services offered by the funeral home or crematory.

This is very different from a traditional funeral where you may need to purchase a casket, vault, burial plot, or invest in a large funeral service.

There is also a wide variety of cremation jewelry, urns, and keepsakes that you can purchase if desired.

This includes all the necessary permits and certificates, transportation to our facility, climate-controlled holding facility, cremation arrangements, preparing and filing of the death certificate

We've suggested you "call around" to find the most appropriate and affordable cremation services for your needs; so it makes sense for us to offer this second recommendation: reach out to us first. When you call upon one of your experienced funeral professionals, you'll not only have access to our current list of cremation prices, you'll have an educated, insightful ally to help you make the decisions best suited to your situation. And at times like this, a trusted ally can make all the difference. Contact Us, we'll be privileged to serve you.

Online Sources:

Mathisen, Tyler, "Cremation is the Hottest Trend in the Funeral Industry", January 22, 2013Online Sources:

Mathisen, Tyler, "Cremation is the Hottest Trend in the Funeral Industry", January 22, 2013