Editorial
Guides to funerals, cremation, and costs
Calla's 28 guides explain how funerals and cremation work in the US — what each option costs, how to compare providers, your rights under the FTC Funeral Rule, and how to plan ahead. Each guide is independent, plainly written, and cites sources you can check.
Costs
3 guidesWhat things really cost, and how to pay less.
Cremation vs. burial: cost and how to decide
What each option really costs, what drives the price, and the handful of questions that usually settle it.
Read guide8 min · Updated May 2026What a funeral really costs, line by line
A line-by-line walk through every charge on a funeral bill, with national ranges and where the money actually goes.
Read guide9 min · Updated May 2026How to pay for a funeral
Savings, burial insurance, preneed, crowdfunding, VA and Social Security help, county aid, and payment plans.
Read guide9 min · Updated May 2026
Planning
7 guidesDeciding ahead and arranging with a clear head.
What to do when someone dies: a step-by-step guide
The first hours, first week, and first month after a death — what to handle now and what can wait.
Read guide10 min · Updated July 2026How to write an obituary (with a simple template)
What to include, a step-by-step approach, a fill-in template, and what publishing costs.
Read guide8 min · Updated July 2026Paperwork after a death: the documents and accounts to handle
Death certificates, permits, probate, and who to notify — the admin, in a sensible order.
Read guide9 min · Updated July 2026Planning a funeral ahead of time
What to record now so your family isn't guessing — and the real trade-offs of prepaying.
Read guide8 min · Updated May 2026What happens at a humanist or non-religious funeral?
A personal celebration of a life, without religious content — and how a celebrant builds it.
Read guide7 min · Updated June 2026How prepaid (preneed) funeral plans work
How preneed money is held and protected, revocable vs. irrevocable, portability, and what to ask.
Read guide9 min · Updated May 2026How to compare funeral plans: prices, packages, and the fine print
Plans and packages are built to resist comparison. Here's how to line them up anyway — and the fine print that decides which one is actually cheaper.
Read guide9 min · Updated July 2026
Cremation
2 guidesHow cremation works and what to choose.
The cremation process, explained step by step
What happens from authorization to the ashes you receive — clearly and respectfully explained.
Read guide8 min · Updated July 2026Direct cremation, explained
The simplest, lowest-cost option: what it includes, what it leaves out, and who it suits.
Read guide7 min · Updated May 2026
Burial
1 guideBurial, green burial, and cemetery choices.
Ceremony
2 guidesThe service itself — eulogies, music, readings, programs.
How to write a eulogy (with a template)
How long it should be, a structure that works, a template, and how to deliver it calmly.
Read guide7 min · Updated July 2026Planning a funeral or memorial service
The service, step by step: which type to hold, the order of service, eulogies, music, readings, and programs.
Read guide10 min · Updated July 2026
Grief
1 guideWhat grief looks like, and how to support each other.
Veterans
2 guidesBurial benefits and honors for those who served.
Military funeral honors: the flag, Taps, and the ceremony
The flag folding, the presentation, and Taps — what honors a veteran is entitled to, and how to request them.
Read guide7 min · Updated June 2026Veterans' funeral and burial benefits, explained
National cemetery burial, a headstone or marker, a burial flag, military honors, and allowances.
Read guide9 min · Updated May 2026
Religious
10 guidesTraditions and rites across faiths.
What happens at a Catholic funeral?
The vigil, the funeral Mass, and the rite of committal — and where cremation now fits.
Read guide9 min · Updated May 2026Jewish funeral customs, explained
Prompt burial, taharah, a simple casket, and the mourning that follows — including shiva.
Read guide9 min · Updated May 2026Muslim funeral rites, explained
Ghusl, kafan, the Janazah prayer, and prompt burial facing Mecca — the core Islamic rites.
Read guide9 min · Updated May 2026Hindu funeral rites, explained
Antyesti, cremation, the mourning period, and immersing ashes in sacred water.
Read guide8 min · Updated May 2026What happens at a Buddhist funeral?
Chanting, merit-making, and a calm transition — and why customs differ so much by tradition.
Read guide8 min · Updated June 2026What happens at a Protestant funeral?
Scripture, hymns, and a message of resurrection hope — with wide freedom in the details.
Read guide7 min · Updated June 2026What happens at an Eastern Orthodox funeral?
Ancient ritual, an open casket, burial over cremation, and memorials that continue for years.
Read guide8 min · Updated June 2026What happens at a Latter-day Saint (LDS) funeral?
A reverent service centered on the plan of salvation — and why burial is preferred.
Read guide7 min · Updated June 2026What happens at a Sikh funeral?
Cremation, hymns, and acceptance of God's will — the Antam Sanskar explained.
Read guide7 min · Updated June 2026What happens at a Baháʼí funeral?
Burial within an hour's travel, the Prayer for the Dead, and a deliberately simple service.
Read guide7 min · Updated June 2026
Common questions
These guides are for general information, not legal or financial advice. Prices are national ranges that vary by location and provider — always request an itemized price list.