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Estate Planning for Last Remains

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“Estate Planning for Last Remains” by Attorney Laura T. Curry (Audio)

After your passing, family and loved ones are often left in distress and without direction regarding your preferences. This is why disposition of your last remains is an important part of your estate planning.

Your Living Will document will provide clear and specific guidance as to what you prefer in regards to organ donation, as well as burial, cremation and even donating your body to science.

Alternatives to Traditional Disposal of Last Remains

There has been a lot of recent interest in alternatives to the traditional disposal of last remains by a traditional burial or cremation. Here are a few alternatives that are getting a lot of recent attention by people who are looking for different options:

  • Freeze Drying. This is the process of cooling the body using liquid nitrogen. The body becomes very brittle and undergoes a gentle vibration which reduces the body to powder in a few minutes. The odorless and hygienic powder is then placed in an urn that goes into the ground and becomes fertile soil within a few months.
  • Ecological Burial. This process allows loved ones to take your remains and place it in an ecological urn that grows ashes into a tree. This process still utilizes cremation but rather than scattering toxic ashes all over the world, you can now place the remains in an urn and watch it transform into a new form of life.
  • Donating Body to Science. For some people, they want to donate their body to science as there is a critical need for dead bodies for medical students and researchers. They see it as a noble endeavor that may assist in the advancement of science and medicine.
  • Body Farms. Similar to donating your body to science, donating your body to a body farm is where your body will be donated to a research facility where decomposition can be studied in a variety of settings. The goal of the research is to gain a better understanding of the decomposition process which allows forensic science to gather information and to help simulate various crime scenes.

Remember that whatever you decide is your choice, but it is most important to provide your family and loved ones with clear direction of what you want for your last remains. It will allow your family and loved ones to focus on the important parts of the grieving process immediately after your passing and that’s an important final gift you can provide. Contact the attorneys at Sinclair Prosser Gasior to discuss your Living Will where you can specify your choices to provide peace of mind to you and your loved ones.

Laura Curry, Estate Planning Attorney
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