Cremation FAQ

Cremation overs several benefits over traditional burial.

Cost

The average cost for cremations is much lower than the average funeral and burial service.

Cremation offers a less expensive, yet loving and respectful alternative.

Environmental Concerns

Traditional burial, simply put, is not "green" Many people choose cremation over burial to reduce their land usage, preserve natural resources like hardwood, and to avoid the chemicals associated with the embalming process.

Freedom and Flexibility

With a mobile society, where the average person moves some ten times in their life, a single burial plot in a hometown cemetery makes little sense. We are not tied down to a single location for all our lives, yet we want the flexibility to preplan our funeral.

A traditional burial also requires immediate action. People must make immediate, and expensive, travel plans from across the state or even across the country.

Cremation allows the service to be scheduled around the availability of friends and family.

Memories

There are more options for the cremation memorial service because ashes can be buried, kept at home or scattered in meaningful locations. There are also unique ways to make the memorial much more personal and significant in the form of keepsake jewelry for loved ones.

The cost of cremation can vary greatly. While tradition burials can run upwards of $10,000, cremations are substantially cheaper. Sunshine Cremation Services offer a variety of packages that provide a practical fiscal option, without sacrificing dignify or respect.

Preplanning is key to reduce costs. Early planning provides you the time to educate yourself and tailor a funeral that best represents your life.

Preplanning also provides you the opportunity to lock in today's prices for tomorrow's event. And Sunshine Cremation Services places all your payments in trust: not all funeral providers can say the same.

The deceased stays in a safe, climate-controlled environment while Permits and Cremation documents are processed.

Many states have a specific waiting period, approximately two days, and require authorization for cremation by a coroner or medical examiner.

Families should remove all jewelry and any mementos prior to cremation.

Families need to notify the cremation provider if any medical devices are present.

No, a casket is not required.

Cremation offers a large benefit over traditional burial in providing flexibility and choice.

When family members have more than one wish for a final resting place, cremated remains can be divided among them. Smaller amounts of remains can be scattered or given to different family members for care.

Your family and friends are not rushed into making a decision: while traditional burials demand a relatively fast burial, the handling of ones remains can be made at a calm pace, according to your wishes.

Today most religions allow cremation, except for Orthodox Jewish, Islamic, Eastern Orthodox and a few Fundamentalist Christian faiths.

The Roman Catholic Church accepts cremation as long as it is not an expression of denial of Roman Catholic beliefs.

The Baptist Church does not have a ban on cremation.

A death certificate is an official document, produced by the government, which declares the cause of death, the location of death, the time of death of the deceased, as well as other information.

Florida also has two formats for a Death Certificate:

• Long Form – Notes cause of Death
• Sort Form – Omits cause of Death

Agencies who require Death Certificates are:

• Government organizations
• Banks and other financial services companies
• Insurance and Annuity companies
• Title Transfer (vehicle, real estate)
• Family records
• Filing Probate

Some organizations will not accept a photocopy: they will want an original document.

Sunshine Cremation Services can provide additional Death Certificates, upon request.