When Lauren’s father passed away unexpectedly, she had to make the arrangements. She’s never planned a funeral before, and was shocked when the first funeral home she called quoted her $9,000 for a memorial service and burial. Even the cheapest cremation she found was going to cost more than $1,500. Her father had no life insurance policy and only a couple of hundred dollars in the bank. She was barely getting by herself.
Here she was dealing with the grief of losing her father, and she had no idea how to come up with the money to cover the cost of cremation. Lauren needed help. Will the state pay for cremation or help with funeral costs, she wondered?
The answer, she found, depends on where a person lives, their financial circumstances, and the resources available. While assistance may exist, the funds are often limited, there are strict eligibility requirements, and there’s often a waiting period for approval.
Can the Government Help With Funeral Fees?
In Arizona, there is no state help with funeral costs. However, each county has set aside some money to pay for cremation, but only under specific circumstances. These programs, often called indigent services, are designed as a safety net for families that are in severe financial distress. For example, in the Phoenix area, Maricopa County’s indigent burial program requires that any estate or family’s total assets are no more than $350. That means very few working families, or even those already receiving some government assistance, will qualify.
Even for the 12% of Arizona residents living below the poverty line, most are not eligible. In reality, these types of funds are typically reserved for the county to bury unclaimed bodies or the homeless who have no relatives that can be located.
While some other Arizona counties may have less stringent income thresholds, they still operate with strict limits, requiring families to exhaust all personal resources before the government will step in to cover the costs.
So, will the state pay for cremation? Rarely. These funds are to be used as a last resort after all other sources are gone.
For families with limited resources, there is an application process. Families will need to fill out a form, including death certificates and relationship to the deceased along with financial records. This might include any bank accounts, life insurance policies, paycheck stubs, and tax returns.
Approval is not automatic, even for those who do qualify. There is a formal review process and there are sometimes limits on the availability and timing of any funds.
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Searching for Other Financial Assistance With Cremation
This can leave some families in a very difficult position. They are legally required to pay for end-of-life arrangements, but simply do not have the means to do so.
This can sound harsh, but there are other options families can pursue. Most county Human Services departments can help you explore other options, including:
- The Social Security death benefit
- Any assistance for veterans
- Charitable or faith-based organizations
- Foundations that provide assistance in specific circumstances
- Low-cost cremation options through contracted funeral homes
When researching state help with funeral costs, it is often worthwhile to investigate multiple resources rather than relying on a single program.
Free Cremation Through Whole-Body Donation
One thing Lauren learned about was something she had never heard of before. When you donate a body to medical science, you may qualify for free cremation. In Arizona, United Tissue Network is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) accredited organization that coordinates whole-body donation for medical education, surgical training, and scientific research. Once accepted, UTN covers transportation from the place of passing, coordinates the donation process, and covers all donation-related expenses. Cremation is provided after research concludes at no cost ,and cremated remains are available upon prior request.
For Lauren, this helped in two ways. It provided immediate financial relief for her situation, but it also brought her comfort. Throughout his life, her father had served others. First in the military, then as a teacher. Even in death, her father could continue this legacy of service, helping teach the next generation of doctors and helping researchers study diseases to try to ease the suffering of others.
Lauren’s story represents a common struggle and an all-too-common reality for many families facing difficult financial challenges. Since 2009, United Tissue Network has helped more than 20,000 families make this important contribution to medical science and provided free cremation.
If you would like to learn more about whole-body donation in Arizona with free cremation, visit the United Tissue Network website. You can pledge yourself or register a loved one to donate a body to science.
