It’s my objective to make the complex – clear and the future less frightening while better
protecting you, your assets and your family as you age.
The Silver Tsunami is headed our way. What does that mean? It’s a term used to describe the
demographic shift caused by the large Baby Boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964)
entering retirement and aging. Won’t be long before more people in this county are age 65 and
up. More than any other age group. This demographic wave creates a range of challenges and
opportunities, particularly in healthcare, housing, and the workforce. I want you to be better
prepared for that. When it comes to estate planning, options for caregiving and all the other legal
and quality of life issues that come with it. Not just a Florida issue – Smaller communities like
Chattanooga, Tennessee are feeling it too – challenges that come with it – everything from housing, to
transportation, health, finance… you name it.
This episode will focus on a “sensitive topic” and this may be one of the toughest to talk about. Death. What do you want done with your body when you’re gone. It’s not as simple as you might think and if you don’t plan you may be leaving a significant financial burden for your loved ones.
There are lots of options – more than you may realize. How do you want to go out? I’ve got folks don’t want a funeral or want a big party, or nothing at all, and some are donating their entire body to science, others opt for the traditional burial or cremation. It’s an important topic – and there is really no escaping it, right? Unless we have some divine intervention.
Even God tells us to be prepared – that’s what we are going to try to do to be better prepared about the options available for the “final disposition of your body” and why you should plan for this. But also I’ll discuss what can happen if you don’t. I’ll even cover some of the more bizarre options people have prepared for their final farewell.
So… how do you want to go? Do you want to become cremated? Do you want to be composted? Do you want to be shot into space or the sea? Do you want a Viking burial on an open pyre? Well if you do, its going to require some planning and a financial investment. Before we get into the options. I thought it might be interesting to take a look at a couple of send-offs that some other folks have opted for. They really range from the basic to the ultra extreme and they are all true in Episode 70 of Boomer Time.
How about this socialite’s plan – Sandra Ilene West (socialite) Beverly Hills socialite
was buried sitting in the driver’s seat of her 1964 powder-blue Ferrari 330 America
wearing her favorite lace nightgown. Took some doing because and there were lots of
environmental and legal hoops to jump through because of all the hazardous materials in
a vehicle – they were worried would break down over time and harm the environment.
The vehicle and Ms. West were encased in concrete they didn’t want anybody digging the
car up and stealing it. 300 people showed up to watch what was involved in burying her
with her car. She is buried over by the Alamo in Texas. Made the newspapers back then too. That’s pretty
extreme.
Found a story about an attorney who passed His wife buried him with his beloved cell
phone. Here’s what’s worse – she continues to pay the cell phone bill and his gravestone
has the phone number on it for anyone interested in leaving a message. – Those calls are
not getting returned -what do you think?
Here’s one for you sports fans – The family of a Pittsburgh Steelers superfan transformed
the funeral home with a small stage and furniture from Smith’s living room. The deceased
was placed in his favorite recliner, remote control in hand and beer and cigarettes at his
side, so he could comfortably watch a loop of Steelers football on TV.
Okay those are a bit out there and most people would never choose that kind of sendoff for the
remains and probably couldn’t afford the cost either. What do you think? Send me your
comments or maybe you’ve got a bizarre one to add to the mix.
Most people struggle with even make the basic burial decisions – of course no one wants to think
about dying. Truth is – we all should. Sometimes families have burial plots with room for
generations to rest – but you don’t see that as much anymore. Space can be at a premium and
we are all moving around a lot more – home may not be home anymore.
Seen horror stories out there with less than reputable funeral homes. Best way to avoid that is
to put a plan in place with someone you know and trust. Of course, you can move forward with
purchase of an advanced burial plan which can include the final funeral or memorial
arrangements. Those can be expensive, but they can be deductible for any long term care
costs AND you’ve got a plan in place and your family doesn’t have to make those decisions. I
find that is a real blessing Funeral or Memorial service not about you anyway, it’s really about
those you’ve left behind, right?
Not just about burial and/or cremation there are a lot more options available to you. Some give
you an opportunity to leave a legacy behind with your body itself.
Many of us spend a fair amount of time thinking about how we want to impact
the world while we are alive, but most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how we
might impact the world after we’ve died. While cremation and traditional burial continue to be
the leading disposition options in the United States, there are now many options for those
interested in thinking outside the box (quite literally).
Here are six alternatives you may not have thought of:
Earth Friendly Option – Demand for eco-friendly disposition options continues to
increase, leading to a growing numbers of green cemeteries, certified by the Green Burial
Council. Some of the key factors of a green burial include embalming with
environmentally friendly products), the use of biodegradable burial containers or shrouds,
and grave marker restrictions aimed at preserving natural views. On top of the
environmental benefits, supporters often feel it’s a more natural contribution to the cycle
of life.
Composting – You can even take it a step further for the environment – last wishes have
your remains composted. It’s called natural organic reduction and it is still a form of final
disposition where your bod is buried in the ground. The key difference is that with natural
organic reduction no casket, trinkets or even regular clothing is put into the burial plot,
but it’s not meant to stay there. That plot is filled with organic materials that will break
the body down into compost for plants over the course of 30-90 days.
Rest at sea – you could still consider burial at sea. This was originally used primarily
for those who died while serving in the navy, interest in full-body burials at sea is
increasing, both from those seeking a more eco-friendly burial option, as well as those
who felt a connection to the ocean, and appreciate the symbolism. If you go this route,
your body will be put overboard in a biodegradable, weighted shroud. Be forewarned,
though: due to the need to charter a boat and comply with regulations, a full-body burial
at sea can easily cost upwards of $10,000.
I’ve had some clients opt for this one and contributed their entire body to science.
Donated cadavers play an important role in medical training and research, and many
medical schools have an anatomical gift program. University of Tennessee in Knoxville
has a body farm which is available to medical students and the donated cadavers to learn
anatomy and surgery techniques before cutting into a living person. As an added perk,
most medical schools cover the costs of transportation (generally within a specified
vicinity), as well as cremation once they have finished their use of the cadaver, making it
one of the most affordable methods of disposition. Also help with the study of certain
diseases after your death including dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Fight crime. Donating your body to a forensic research facility will help teach forensic
students learn about important factors about body decomposition and influence guidance
given to police for evaluating crime scenes – meaning you could be helping professionals
solve future real crimes. That’s a way to give back? Tennessee is onboard and has this
option available as well – not all states do.
Send your ashes into space. If you prefer to leave our atmosphere and be sent into the
unknown, you can choose to have your ashes sent into space with companies
like Celestis . You have multiple options of placement and orbit, including the option to have your cremains (or DNA) sent to the moon itself! Company talking about putting cremated remains on the moon.
VIKING BURIAL- Funeral Pyres, or Open-Air Cremation: Only one place in the U.S.
where this is permissible at the moment. Crestone, Colorado, the Crestone End of Life
Project (CEOLP) has established a legal, permanent cement pyre from which to conduct
“open-air cremations,” though the service is only available to residents of the community.
pyre makes use of pine from beetle-kill trees, which helps to prevent future forest fires.
The cremation takes about two hours and uses only one fourth of a cord of wood. Game
of Thrones send off?
Any of those appeal to you? I am always surprised at what people come up with and these are
not that far off. Not for everyone and that’s okay. Have a thought or heard of another idea?
Share it with me.
Bottom line is we should be giving this some less than cursory thought. Burials and memorial services can be a significant expense, and some families just don’t have those resources available. It makes sense to put something in place EVEN if its simple. It’s really a gift to those you leave behind. AND avoid potential confusion
and conflict -it’s an emotional time – scene at the funeral parlor — it’s happened. Save that for
another episode.
Final disposition of remains part of what we talk about as the estate planning process. I’m not
going to force you to go one way or the other, but we have a discussion about this and those
thoughts are part of your plan. Why not you’re leaving instructions about what you want to
happen to your stuff, right? What about you – you yourself. Plus you need someone to have the
authority to claim and dispose of your body. Sometimes there can be issues with getting a body
released.
Worst case scenario is that you don’t have anything available to you. Often the family has to
petition the county to help with disposal of your body. Don’t want that. This is a way to make
sure you and your family are taken care of when its time – reputable business your family can
rely on.
🔑 For help, visit https://www.NancyCogar.com
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Disclaimer: The information provided on this website and on the podcast is not intended to be considered as legal advice or constitute an attorney/client relationship as provided under the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct.
