Splitting Ashes After Cremation

Splitting ashes after cremation, who gets the remains?

The ashes are handed to the individual who has applied to the funeral director for cremation. The ashes can be collected directly from the crematorium by the applicant, or they can be collected on their behalf by the funeral director.

Who has the authority to collect the ashes from the funeral director?

Only the individual who has organized and authorized the cremation will be entitled to collect the ashes from the Funeral Director, as in the previous question.

‘Who legally owns the ashes,’ as opposed to ‘Who gets the remains after cremation,’ is a separate question……

Who owns the cremated ashes legally?

This is usually left to the executor of the dead’s Will if the deceased left a valid and full Will.

In the absence of a Will, the cremated ashes are allocated to the highest-ranking next of kin. This is now determined by intestacy (i.e., surviving spouse/partner> deceased’s children > parents > siblings), among other methods.

Important to note: According to the legislation, a cohabiting spouse or stepchildren are not considered.

A family feud over ashes

Unfortunately, this is a typical occurrence, and the best answer is for the family members concerned to figure it out.

As previously stated, the Will is utilized to determine who has the last say over the ashes. If there are numerous parties in the ancestral order of the same standing, things become more complicated, and the best way is to sort it out amongst yourselves to save legal bills and court appearances. When there is a disagreement, the most usual approach is to bury the ashes in a permanent spot.

Fessi and Whitmore is a case that is frequently mentioned. The parents were arguing about a child’s ashes. They were divorced, and they each wanted their belongings spread in different places. This was taken to court, and the judge determined a place.

Important Note: If one of the parties is opposed to the ashes being split as a compromise, the courts will not force the parties to do so.

Is it possible to sue for ashes?

The foregoing information regarding the next of kin should help you understand the legal status of the ashes a little better. For ongoing legal advice and action, we always recommend consulting a legal practitioner.

How to Divide Ashes After Cremation

I usually suggest that the ashes be divided by a funeral director. It may be a really emotional event, and if something tiny goes wrong, it can be extremely upsetting, in my experience.

How do you handle cremation ashes?

If there hasn’t been a burial of ashes, the ashes will normally come from cremation in either a plastic tub with a screw top or a cardboard box, enclosed in a bag. If you want to split the ashes yourself, please use extreme caution and make sure you have everything you’ll need:

• Containers for separating the ashes
• To catch any potential spills, a floor covering is used.
• To make things as simple as possible, there’s a funnel.
• Just in case: gloves

After a cremation, how much ash is left?

In terms of volume, funeral directors utilize a rule of thumb of 1 cubic inch each pound the dead weighed before death. Per 4 stone of weight, this equates to roughly 1 liter of volume. (For example, a 12 stone guy would have around 3 liters of ash.)

The rule of thumb utilized by funeral directors in terms of weight is around 3.5 percent of the deceased body weight. (For example, the ashes of a 12-stone guy would weigh around 0.42 stone (or 5.9 pounds / 2.7kg)

Is it safe to handle cremated remains?

Yes. After cremation, all that is left of a person are the natural minerals that make up a human body, all of which are safe to touch. To be clear, sand is probably the most comparable substance to practice with if you chose to do so ahead of time.

Important Note: Do not do this outside or with a window open, since the wind might have disastrous results.

Is it permissible to divide ashes?

Why is it necessary to divide ashes?

Diving ashes is possible for a variety of reasons. Several family members may prefer to retain some of the ashes near them and dispose of them as they see fit. Because the dead may have desired different places to be buried (water, burial, or overseas), splitting the ashes may be a logical decision.

The most common reason for dividing ashes is that family members all want a portion of the ashes to remember the departed and are relieved to know that they will be kept near to them.

When should ashes be divided?

The funeral director or the person who organized the service normally collects the cremated ashes the day following the cremation. You can select when and how to split the ashes after receiving them.

What to do with ashes

After the ashes have been separated, you have a variety of options regarding what to do with them.

We’ve included a few possibilities in our guide on what to do with ashes, but there are so many more. They vary from basic tiny remembrance urns and jewelry to more out-of-the-box options like sending the ashes into space, putting them into a tattoo, or being converted into a diamond.