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FAQs

Cremation FAQs

Your questions answered

Cremation is a contemporary disposition, and therefore there still are many questions to be answered. Here are some commonly asked questions:

IS A CASKET REQUIRED FOR CREMATION?

No. An alternative enclosed, rigid container constructed of wood or cardboard is required, which is cremated with the body. It needs to meet standards of safety, respect, and dignity. This container is included with the $995 Basic Leaf Cremation.

WHAT WILL THE CREMATED REMAINS BE RETURNED TO ME IN?

We return the cremated remains to the families in what we call a temporary container or temporary urn unless another urn is purchased or provided by the family. The temporary container is a very basic urn. The remains are placed inside a plastic bag that is sealed closed. They are then placed into a black plastic container with a lid. That container is then enclosed into a white cardboard box with your loved one’s name and information on the top. Please visit our urn store to see other options beginning at just $65. Also, please watch our video, which will show our temporary container that is included in our Basic Leaf Cremation package for just $995.

WHERE CAN I SCATTER MY LOVED ONE’S CREMATED REMAINS?

There are few specific laws regarding the scattering of cremated remains. However, there are some local, state, and federal regulations. Make sure you understand specific regulations regarding the place that you have in mind.

1.) Most people don’t realize that you can scatter cremated remains in cemeteries under certain guidelines. Most will also allow you to purchase a small memorial or plaque so that future generations can remember your loved one’s life.
2.) Most national parks allow scattering, but a permit is usually required, and other regulations are usually in place.
3.)You are free to scatter on your own private property. If you wish to scatter on someone else’s private property, get permission from the owner before. Sports stadiums and amusement parks are considered private property.
4.) Spreading cremated remains at sea is allowed, but there are a few requirements. Please follow the link to see what the EPA requires.
5.) Always be considerate of others. This is perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when scattering cremated remains: Think about other people. You’ll notice that many of the scattering cremated remains laws above specifically mention staying away from trails and other publicly used areas. Find a peaceful, quiet, out of the way place where the cremains are more likely to rest in peace. Often, people like to spread the cremated remains directly onto the ground and gently rake them into the soil. If you’re releasing rather than burying the cremated remains, take note of the wind direction. When you release the cremated remains, make sure that everyone (including you) is upwind.

Additional Information at:
•  https://www.perfectmemorials.com/guides/8-tips-for-scattering-ashes/
•  https://www.legacy.com/advice/where-can-i-scatter-my-loved-ones-ashes-legally/

CAN I BURY CREMATED REMAINS IN A CEMETERY?

Yes, almost all cemeteries allow for the burial of cremated remains. Our cemeteries all allow for burial of cremated remains. It is a less expensive option than traditional burial, but it serves the same purpose for allowing a final resting place for your loved one as well as giving a place for future generations to visit. If you are interested in burial at one of our cemeteries you can find more information at these links:

•  Sunset Memory Gardens (Cartersville)
•  Rolling Hills Memory Gardens (Marietta)
•  Rolling Hills Memory Gardens (Acworth)

CAN I HAVE A SERVICE AT YOUR FACILITY?

Yes, our facility can accommodate many different needs for services. Anything from a casketed visitation to a simple celebration of life can be accommodated for at Leaf. Our family room can seat up to 40 people and we recommend having no more than 50 people at one time. Our family room can be converted into many different seating arrangements depending on your preference. Please watch our video to see how our facility can best suit your needs.

IS EMBALMING REQUIRED FOR CREMATION?

No, embalming is not required for cremation, unless you want a public viewing of the deceased prior to the cremation process. Embalming is also not required for a Private Family Viewing which we describe as an intimate identification/final goodbye viewing of up to 10 family members for one hour.

CAN FAMILY MEMBERS VIEW THE CREMATION?

Yes, this is called a Witness of Cremation. Family members can watch via a live video stream. You have the option of seeing your loved one before entering the cremation chamber or you can view your loved one entering the cremation chamber.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE BASIC LEAF CREMATION PACKAGE?

The Basic Leaf Cremation package includes:

•  Taking your loved one into our care within a 75 mile radius of our facility 24/7. (If over 75 miles, there would be an additional small transportation fee.)
•  Arrangement conference with our staff
•  The Cremation Process in our On Site Crematory
•  A cardboard container that the deceased will be placed in prior to cremation
•  After the cremation, your loved ones remains will be place into a temporary container/urn suitable for transportation.

Additional Fees:
•  Private Family Viewing
•  Witness of Cremation
•  Urns or Permanent Memorialization
•  Death Certificates

WHAT IS A “DIRECT CREMATION”?

Direct cremation is a disposition option in which your loved one is cremated in the days immediately following the passing, without a funeral service beforehand. Direct cremation is the most economic (affordable) option for disposition. It also allows families to save money and use it towards a more personalized service or celebration of their loved one’s life.

HOW CAN I BE CERTAIN THAT I GET THE CORRECT CREMATED REMAINS BACK?

From the moment we take your loved one into our care, there are measures we take to maintain proper identification throughout the entire process. There is licensing that is required and crematory laws that must be followed by every person operating our crematory. Your loved one is given a specific identification disk that travels with them throughout the cremation process, and is even attached to the cremated remains when returning them to the family. Along with the disk, we also use the identification provided by the facility or place of death, as well as a photograph provided by the family. Our entire staff abides by our Standard Operating Procedure which has multiple layers of identification verification. We also allow for an in-person identification viewing by the family for just $495.



Have a question on cremation? Click here.





General FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions:

WHAT DO I DO WHEN A LOVED ONE DIES?

If someone has died at home and NOT in hospice care: If a family member or friend has passed away, contact your local police or fire department immediately. They will provide the correct instructions on how to go about the situation. If asked about a cremation provider or funeral home, please give them our phone number: (678) 398-9266 and provide them our name: Leaf Cremation.

What to do if someone has died in hospice care, at a hospital, nursing home, or care facility: Contact a member of the hospice or hospital staff, and they will give you the proper steps to follow. You can give them our number, (678) 398-9266, if they ask for a cremation provider.

Once we receive the call from the hospice, hospital, coroner, or other medical professional, we will assemble our staff to come and take your loved one into our care. Within the next business day, we will be in touch to help guide you through the arrangements.

CAN I STILL HAVE A SERVICE IF I CHOOSE CREMATION?

Yes! We encourage families to have some kind of service when choosing cremation. There are many options when it comes to services with cremation. You can have a service before or after the cremation, and those services can look very different. If you choose to have a service before cremation, you can have the body present or not present for that service. If you choose to have a service after the cremation you can have the service with or without the cremated remains present as well. Many families choose to have a service at our facility and also an event at another venue. Other families may decide to simply have a family gathering at another location and never use our facilities for a service. Cremation allows for families to personalize services to their own preferences, and we want to be here for you to have the service that best celebrates the life of your loved one.

WHAT AREAS DO WE SERVICE?

We service most of the state of Georgia and even into surrounding states. If your loved one is within 75 miles of our facility, there will be no transportation charge with the Basic Leaf Cremation. If your loved one is outside of the 75 mile radius, there will be an additional transportation charge. We will travel 200 to 300 miles to take your loved one into our care. If your loved one is farther than 200 miles from us, please contact us so we can plan accordingly.

DO I HAVE TO COME TO YOUR OFFICE TO PICK UP MY LOVED ONE’S CREMATED REMAINS?

No, if you prefer to not come to our office to pick up the cremated remains, there are a few other options.

1.) If you are the authorized Next of Kin, you may add another person to the list of authorized recipients, and they can come to pick up the cremated remains.
2.) We can hand deliver the remains to you if you are within 75 miles of our facility for $125.
3.) The United States Postal Service is able to ship the cremated remains via Priority Mail Express. A signature is required upon delivery. Pricing differs depending on the location of delivery.

IS A FUNERAL/MEMORIAL SERVICE INCLUDED IN THE BASIC LEAF CREMATION?

No additional services are included with the Basic Leaf Cremation. All additional services and merchandise are available to add on to the Basic package at reasonable and affordable prices.

HOW CAN YOU OFFER SUCH AFFORDABLE PRICES?

Leaf Cremation was started with the goal of providing a low-cost cremation option for families in the state of Georgia. Because of this, Leaf Cremation is structured in a way that we are able to provide our affordable prices. For example, although we have a state-off-the-art facility, our building is not as large as most traditional funeral homes. We also don’t use any third parties for our services. We use our staff from beginning to end. We also allow families to handle all arrangements over the phone, in-person, or online. This allows our staff to be flexible and efficient while helping families through our process. All of these things allow us to offer affordable prices while never sacrificing the care and dignity that all families deserve.

DO I NEED A DEATH CERTIFICATE?

Death certificates are needed for financial institutions, banks, vehicle titles, 401k retirement plans, life insurance companies, as well as many other things. The Social Security Administration is notified by Leaf Cremation with the Document Processing Fee, but any other type of financial institution, especially if the account is solely in the deceased’s name, needs a death certificate. It could also be needed to apply for veteran benefits that might apply to a veteran.

HOW DO I GET A DEATH CERTIFICATE?

Death certificates normally take 2-4 weeks to get registered with the state of Georgia. If your loved one’s passing falls under the jurisdiction of a coroner or medical examiner, the registration process can take up to 11 weeks or longer. Once they are registered, we will give you a call to let you know that they are ready to be purchased. You can go to any county’s Vital Records Office (at the probate court or Department of Public Health) to purchase them, or you can purchase them online.

IS LEAF CREMATION A CREMATION SOCIETY?

No, Leaf Cremation is not a society. We serve any and every family that wants to use our services. We do not have membership fees like societies have. Our $995 basic cremation price is for all families.

WHAT DO I DO WITH MY LOVED ONE’S CREMATED REMAINS UNTIL I SCATTER?

A great option is to use the Memory Chest Urn until the scattering. The Memory Chest can be used to hold the cremated remains until scattering, and then can be converted into a memory box to store or display personal items as well as a picture. If you prefer another option, you can purchase a scattering tube which can store the cremated remains until the scattering. You can also keep the cremated remains in the temporary container until the scattering.





Cremation Process FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions:

HOW LONG WILL THE PROCESS TAKE?

Once we have your loved one in our care, it usually takes 3-5 business days for the cremation to take place and for the remains to be ready for pickup. The process can be held up by taking longer to sign on the required authorizations or if county offices are closed for us to get a permit for cremation.

HOW CAN I MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH LEAF CREMATION?

We make the arrangement process as simple and convenient as possible. You can make the arrangements completely online, we can gather the information over the phone, or you can come to our office to handle everything in person. Our process gives you the ability to select services and even sign our paperwork completely from the comfort of your home.

ARE THERE ANY VETERAN’S DISCOUNTS OR BENEFITS?

We offer $75 off of the Basic Leaf Cremation for our veterans.
Thank you for your service! We are honored to serve you and your family.

Honoring Veterans

HOW IS LEAF CREMATION DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FUNERAL HOMES OR CREMATION PROVIDERS?

At Leaf Cremation, we do everything in-house. Our very own staff are the ones that go to take your loved one into our care. Our cremations are done here at our facility by our very own staff. Your loved one never leaves our care.

Our process is the simplest in the industry. We give you the flexibility of deciding how things are done, we are here to help guide you through the process.

We don’t hide our costs. We want you to know what you will pay, so we’ve made all of our costs available on our website.

WHEN DO I PAY?

If your loved one passes away at home, we will come immediately. We do not require pre-arrangements. If your loved one passes at a hospital or is at a morgue, we prefer to receive payment upfront, if not in full, at least partially. You can pay online via an email that we will send you. You can also pay over the phone or in-person.

HOW ARE THE CREMATED REMAINS RETUNED?

With our Basic Leaf Cremation, the cremated remains are returned in what we call a temporary urn or temporary container. The remains are placed into a plastic bag that is closed with a zip tie and containing a cremation id disc. The plastic bag is placed into a black plastic container that is then enclosed into a white cardboard container with the name and information of the deceased on the top.

If a different urn is purchased from us, we transfer the remains into the urn at no additional cost. Check out our Urn Store

WHAT IS HAND DELIVERY?

Hand delivery is an option to receive the remains back after the cremation. One of our staff members will drive to your home to personally deliver the remains to you within a 75 mile radius of our facility for a price of $125.





PRE-PLANNING FAQS

Here are some commonly asked questions:

CAN I PREPAY FOR MY CREMATION?

Yes, you are able to prepay for a cremation for yourself, your spouse, parent, and in some cases other relatives. The process is simple, and one of our Pre-planning helpers would love to assist you in doing so. Give us a call or contact us here to learn more!

HOW DO I KNOW MY MONEY IS SAFE?

In Georgia, when you prepay for any funeral or cremation service, your money goes into an insurance policy where the money is held until the time of need. This is state law, and it is to protect your money until the time of need. This law protects consumers from rising prices as well as the risk of the funeral home going out of business.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DIE OUTSIDE YOUR SERVICE AREA OR OVERSEAS?

We will travel 200-300 miles to take someone into our care, so if you are within that mileage, your family would only have to pay the additional transportation charge. The additional charge would be $5 per mile over 75 miles.

The other option would be to purchase a policy from Return Assured. They are a company that we use that assures you would be brought back to Leaf Cremation if you were to pass overseas or outside of our service area. You can find out more information on their website: https://returnassured.com/ or by contacting us.

CAN I CANCEL MY PREPAID PLAN?

You have 30 days from the time you receive your policy to cancel your pre-paid policy to get a full refund.

WHAT DOES MY FAMILY DO WHEN THEY NEED LEAF’S SERVICES?

This depends on many factors. Please contact us so we can give you detailed instructions for different scenarios, or watch our video. In summary, if no medical professionals are present, call the authorities (police or fire department). If there is a nurse or doctor present that is able to make the pronouncement, they must call us to authorize us to take your loved one into our care. This can be different depending on many factors, so please reach out to use so we can give you a more detailed explanation.

 

Leaf Cremation of Georgia
Phone: (678) 398-9266
4325 Hwy. 92, Acworth, GA 30102

Leaf Cremation of Ohio
Phone: (614) 961-4200
1970 Alum Creek Drive, Columbus, OH 43207

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