Selecting a Burial Plot

When selecting a burial space, there are several options. If you decide to pre-plan your funeral, then a burial space is often included in the plan. Unfortunately, most people don’t make funeral arrangements ahead of time, leaving their loved ones to find a burial space.

If full body burial is desired, a grave plot (or mausoleum space) must be purchased. An increasing number of people are choosing cremation as an alternative to full body burial. According to the Funeral Consumers Alliance, in 2005 46% of Americans expressed a desire to be cremated rather than buried. In England and Japan, the cremation rate is about 90%. Following cremation, a loved one’s ashes can be stored in a columbarium niche, kept by the family, or scattered. A columbarium located in a cemetery, church or public location is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to a grave plot. Among the reasons for the increasing trend towards cremation is that it is usually less expensive and less complicated than full body burial.

A burial space is traditionally purchased through a funeral home as they have relationships with cemeteries or, increasingly, own cemeteries. You can also search for a burial plot on the Internet and may find one at a reduced price from a private party who wants to sell a previously purchased unused plot. Other sources of burial spaces are public cemeteries. Memorial gardens are becoming more popular at churches and other non-profit entities as people seek meaningful burial locations. Another example is that some schools are offering burial spaces for alumni on campus. Families can even create a burial space on private land under certain circumstances.

A burial space is essentially a small piece of real estate and its price is driven by demand. Note that the purchase of a plot gives the buyer a “right to use” as opposed to an ownership. Burial spaces in desirable locations are more expensive and in many cities cemetery space is at a premium. Expect to pay at least $2,000 or more for a single grave plot and $1,500 for columbarium niche that allows double inurnment. When deciding on whether to purchase a grave plot or a columbarium niche, consideration should be given to finance, convenient access and personal meaning. If time allows, it is also prudent to assess the quality of the cemetery or memorial garden operator: reputation, maintenance, record-keeping, etc. For example, be aware that not all offer perpetual care. If it is offered, it will incur an additional fee.

Catie W.
September 2, 2010