Personally, I’m of the opinion I’ll be found deceased somewhere and burnt up or made into human compost. I hope not, but it’s not past imagination.
If my family gets ahold of me, I’ll be made into dust and flushed down toilet.
As with most things, the regulations surrounding death are decided by each individual state, NOT the Federal Government, other than the Federal Trade Commission “Funeral Rule” which provides for certain consumer protections.
If you want your final disposition to be done in a certain way the best thing is to arrange it in advance and pay for it. You will need to find out what your state requires for a legally binding prearrangement. Some may require only a signed docuмent, some may require a witness signature, some may require that it be notarized (most funeral homes will have a licensed notary on staff).
If these things aren’t prearranged state law will determine who has the legal right to do so, it usually follows the same path as rights of inheritance (I work at a funeral home, these things can get testy sometimes). Often it’s a case of “He who pays the piper gets to call the tune”.
Some don’t realize that in most states the Power of Attorney and Medical Directive expire at the time of death and the person who held those “powers” for someone usually no longer does so. Some states allow one to designate a particular person to control their final arrangements and disposition, other than those provided for by law to control those things. Washington and California are two states that have this provision. It may be a moot point though if one hasn’t set aside sufficient funds for the arrangements.
Payments for funeral services and cemetery costs can be made in installments, with the funds deposited into a trust account or life insurance policy. Once the cost is paid in full the price is frozen at those costs. If set up properly funds set aside for funeral and cemetery arrangements are sheltered from Medicaid spend down requirements.
It ALWAYS pays to shop around ahead of time, ALWAYS! Contact firms in neighboring towns also. While most funeral homes charge a mileage fee for removals and services more than 30 miles (typical) from their location, they might still be less expensive than a local firm.
Avoid firms affiliated with Dignity Memorial, Carriage Services, Foundation Partners, and Stonmor Partners, Northstar Memorial Group, which are national or multinational corporations. There may be others, these are ones with locations in the northwest Locally owned mortuaries and cemeteries will typically provide better service at a lower price, it is never out of line to ask them who the owner is. Municipal and church owned cemeteries may have lower prices than cemeteries affiliated with a funeral home. Rural cemeteries are often very inexpensive but they may restrict burials to local residents or those with relatives buried there, one can always ask. If either spouse is a military veteran they both are entitled to no cost burial at a veteran’s cemetery, including the marker.
If you have a chapel with can be used for the Rosary and Mass consider using a Memorial Society rather than a funeral home. These are usually non-profit and often have a cooperative model (better price if you purchase a membership ahead of time). While these groups typically promote “simplicity” and direct cremation with scattering, many also offer “full mortuary service”, including embalming if needed for viewing in your state. You may have to coach them on Catholic practices, but they will be an economical option. More information can be found here:
https://funerals.org/https://peoplesmemorial.org Another economical option, which defiantly does require advance planning, is for a family / close friends to handle all arrangements themselves (nine states have some restrictions). If you can keep a room relatively cool or use dry ice, you can shelter a body for a couple of days before burial. You can bath and dress the remains yourself, place them in a casket (purchased online or made by someone) and use a van to take them to the church and cemetery. Your main obligation will be to know the legal requirements in your state (the coroner will typically need to be called if it is an unattended death, a death certificate will need to be signed by a physician and filed with the state, Social Security needs to be notified, a transit permit may be needed). If the deceased was under hospice care they may be able to help or advise. Check with the cemetery, they aren’t used to somebody showing up with a body in the back of a pickup and may need to be reassured that it's legit.
https://funerals.org/?consumers=how-to-arrange-a-home-funeralhttps://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/resources/home-funerals/