Logo

HAVE QUESTIONS?

CALL US TOLL FREE: 1-844-552-6739

  • Home
  • Preplanning
    • Cremation Costs and Packages
    • Cremation Trust –10 Step Process
    • Become a Member
    • Pre Planning Benefits
    • Do it yourself Memorials and Celebrations
  • Immediate Help
    • Cremation Costs and Packages
  • Get Your Free Guide!
  • Obituaries
  • About Us
    • Testimonials
    • Newsletters
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Videos
    • FAQ’s
    • Facilities/Tour
      • Locations
  • Urns
  • Forms
  • Contact Us
    • Locations
  • Order Death Certificates

Who can authorize a cremation?

The simple answer is the Next of Kin. The harder question to answer may be “Who is the Next of Kin?” In Pennsylvania, the next of kin, according to PA Title 20, are listed as follows: a living spouse who is legally married; if there is no living spouse then all adult children, if no adult children then all parents, if no parents then all siblings, if no siblings then all nieces and nephews.

The law is clear that for cremation, all next of kin of the same level need to be in agreement. For example if a deceased has 4 children and one child is not in agreement to the cremation, then the cremation cannot be performed. A judge will need to give a ruling and in most cases the judge will rule with the next of kin who were closest to the deceased.

The law also allows a person to name someone other than the next of kin to authorize their cremation. The document is called a Statement of Contrary Intent and in short this document is used to go above the next of kin as set forth in Title 20. How can this be helpful? In certain situations a person may want to name one of their children as the authorizing agent thereby streamlining the process. Or in certain situations, a person may want to name a “partner” or “significant other” who is not covered as a next of kin and would be unable to provide the authorization.

Search

Testimonials

Laurie Zerione

Valerie Fowler

Robert Stewart

Karen Coleman

Jennifer Wright

Ask The Director

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FAQ

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Handling Cremation or Funeral Services for a Loved One.

The What, How, and Who of Death Certificates

Warning About Heritage Cremation Providers

What benefits exist for a deceased veteran and their family?

Who can authorize a cremation?

Read more FAQ's...

About Us

The cost of cremation and the degree of service vary widely across Pennsylvania. We are NOT a high priced funeral home. We ARE a fully licensed cremation service provider and focus on the needs of the families we serve. In addition, we own our private crematory so that your loved one never leaves ...  Continue Reading.

Pennsylvania Area Weather

Pennsylvania
May 22, 2022, 12:21 pm
Cloudy
Cloudy
81°F
sunrise: 5:38 am
sunset: 8:20 pm
 

Recent Obituaries

BrandyJo Erin Ackerman

Diane Kroll

Edward Shoemaker

Dennis Lantry

Elizabeth J. Fenton

Denise Cusate

Robert Williams Jr.

Patricia Ann McDonald

Roger B. Faut

Frank Feliciano Mercado

Obituary Notification Service

Enter your email address if you would like to be notified when a new obituary notice is posted:

I agree to be emailed to confirm my subscription to this list

Connect With Us

RSSTwitterFacebookYoutube

Copyright © 2022 Corey Brian Strauch Funeral Home & Pennsylvania Cremation Services, LLC, 602 Birch Street, Scranton, PA 18505.
Supervisor: Corey Brian Strauch, FD
Toll Free: 1-844-552-6739 | Local Phone: 570-843-5190 | Fax: 1-570-346-6872 | Email: info@pennsylvaniacremationservices.com

Contact | Directions | Obituaries | Site Map | Privacy Notice