Glossary
What is immediate burial?
Immediate burial is burial that takes place soon after death without embalming, a viewing, or a formal ceremony beforehand. Like direct cremation, it is a lower-cost option, and any memorial service can be held separately afterward.
Because it skips embalming and the use of facilities for a service, immediate burial keeps the funeral home's charges to the essentials: a simple casket or container, transfer of the body from the place of death, and the staff work to carry out the burial. It is the burial counterpart to direct cremation.
The FTC Funeral Rule treats immediate burial as one of the priced options a funeral home must list separately on its General Price List, so you can see and choose it without buying a fuller package. You may also supply your own casket without a handling fee.
Cemetery charges are paid to the cemetery and are separate from the funeral home's fee. These include the plot or grave space, opening and closing the grave, and any outer burial container the cemetery requires. Asking both the funeral home and the cemetery for itemized prices gives you the full cost of an immediate burial.
Related terms
Direct cremation
Direct cremation is cremation that takes place soon after death with no viewing, visitation, or ceremony beforehand. It is usually the lowest-cost cremation option, and any memorial the family wants can be held separately, later, and anywhere.
Interment
Interment is the act of placing a body or cremated remains in their final resting place, most often by burying a casket in the ground or entombing it in a crypt. The cemetery fee to open and close the grave is commonly called the interment charge.
Casket
A casket is the container, traditionally rectangular with a hinged lid, in which a body is buried or sometimes cremated. Caskets are made from wood, metal, or other materials and vary widely in price depending on construction and finish.
FTC Funeral Rule
The FTC Funeral Rule is a US Federal Trade Commission regulation that gives consumers rights when buying funeral goods and services. It requires itemized pricing, lets you buy only what you want, and bars certain misrepresentations by funeral homes.
See also
Common questions about Immediate burial
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This definition is general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws and prices vary by state and provider. See our editorial standards.