FAQs

It’s important that you contact the local medical authorities first (as well as the police, if appropriate), and then make sure to give us a call as soon as possible. We will work with you to make the necessary arrangements to get you and your loved one in our care as soon as possible. Calling us will also help you to avoid duplication of efforts and fees charged by another provider.

Ultimately, only the individual or family of the deceased can make that choice. Many choose cremation because it is simpler and less expensive than full-service funerals, sometimes substantially so. And some consider cremations to be more environmentally friendly. However, by cremating, you will not be able to do a traditional full-body burial at a cemetery. Our funeral directors can help answer this question in more detail and tailored to your specific needs. 

All organic bone fragments, which are very brittle, as well as non-consumed metal items, are "swept" into the back of the cremation chambeNortheast Cremation Services doesn’t offer any memorials, funerals, or family gatherings. However, our partner funeral homes do. If you’re interested, we can recommend a funeral home close to your location. r and into a stainless steel cooling pan. All non-consumed items, like metal from clothing, hip joints, and bridge work, are separated from the cremated remains. This separation is accomplished through visual inspection as well as using a strong magnet for smaller and minute metallic objects. Items such as dental gold and silver are non-recoverable and are commingled in with the cremated remains. The remaining bone fragments are then processed in a machine to a consistent size and placed into a temporary or permanent urn, selected by the family. 

No, we are not. The Cremation Society of New Hampshire (CSNH) is a private company and not a cooperative of funeral homes and cremation services as the name implies.

Cremations are done by licensed crematory operators. Licensed funeral directors lead each case, fill out the death certificates, and countersign any documents as needed. They are also the ones who are in communication with the family if there are issues or questions for specific cases. Transportation is handled either by our internal professional team or professional teams from affiliate licensed funeral homes who specialize in transporting deceased individuals. 

There are many options for cremated remains. Remains can be buried in a cemetery plot just like a casket. It can be scattered over private property or in certain public areas like beaches or mountains. Or it can be kept at home. 

No. It is illegal to perform two cremations at the same time within the cremation retort. In addition, most retorts are not large enough to fit two individuals at the same time.

An urn is not required for cremation, but it is recommended if you are hosting a memorial service, burying the cremains at the cemetery, or simply to cherish the memory of your loved one. All of our cremation packages include a temporary container to hold the ashes. We also sell a variety of urns.

In short, expect the cremated remains to be returned within 2 weeks of the time we're notified of the death. We usually transport the deceased to our care no later than 18 hours after the initial call, depending on how far the place of death is from our facilities and when the death occurred during the day. A signed death certificate and proper paperwork are required before the cremation happens. This sometimes causes delays if the doctor doesn't get around to signing in a timely manner or if the person arranging the services did not adequately fill out what's required. 

Legally, we have to mail ashes via USPS Priority Mail. As such, the post office dictates the speed of delivery. Usually, the timeline is a few days up to two weeks. If you have an urgent need of the ashes, we do offer a hand delivery option to our service area an additional fee, but you will need to call in to arrange the service over the phone. 

We currently serve most areas of New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. If you or your loved one passes away outside of our service area, we can refund any prepaid amounts to the next of kin or transfer the prepaid arrangement to another provider of your choice at no charge. 

Active duty veterans who were honorably discharged are eligible for a burial at a veterans cemetery, a burial flag, and military honors at no charge. We offer a specific veterans package to help navigate the paperwork for these benefits.

If you preplan and pay in full, you are guaranteed to have the service at the original price you paid, regardless of any future price increases. This is one of the many benefits of preplanning.

All preneed preneed payments are put in a FDIC insured funeral home trust administered by a third party bank. By law, we cannot use any of the proceeds of from prepayments until after the recipient has passed. At any time, you can request a refund of prepaid amounts or transfer the money in the trust to another provider at no charge.