Who is responsible for funeral expenses in Kentucky?
the estate of the deceased
It’s only the estate of the deceased that is legally responsible for these costs. The funeral home is paid out of money from the deceased’s estate before any funds or assets are distributed to heirs. If the estate alone isn’t enough, children might use their own funds or other family’s funds to afford these expenses.
Can you bury someone on your property in Kentucky?

Most bodies are buried in established cemeteries, but burial on private property may be possible in Kentucky. Before conducting a home burial or establishing a family cemetery, check with the county or town clerk for any local zoning laws you must follow.
What are the requirements for a funeral?
Common Steps for Planning a Funeral
- Obtain legal pronouncement of death from an attending doctor/hospice nurse or call 911.
- Choose a funeral home.
- Arrange transportation of the body to the funeral home (or coroner if an autopsy is required).
- Arrange embalming and preparation of the body if desired.
Is next of kin liable for funeral costs?
Does the next of kin need to pay for the funeral? The next of kin may need to take charge of arranging and paying for the funeral if the person who has died did not make a will. If the person did make a will, the executor is usually responsible for dealing with the funeral arrangements.

Who pays for funeral if deceased has no money?
If someone dies without enough money to pay for a funeral and no one to take responsibility for it, the local authority must bury or cremate them. It’s called a ‘public health funeral’ and includes a coffin and a funeral director to transport them to the crematorium or cemetery.
Can you have a funeral without a funeral director?
Arranging a funeral without a funeral director You can arrange a funeral without a funeral director. If you want to do this, the Natural Death Centre or Cemeteries and Crematorium department of your local authority can offer help and guidance.
Can you refuse to pay for a funeral?
No, as a child of the deceased, legally you have no obligation to hold a funeral and there’s no law that states you have to pay for a ceremony. So, who legally has to pay for a funeral? In most circumstances’ costs are covered by the deceased estate.
Who has the legal right to arrange a funeral?
Usually, the executor is responsible for arranging the funeral, covering the costs of the funeral arrangements, and managing the estate after death. With legal access to the estate of the person who has died, the executor may be able to fund the funeral costs through the savings or assets left behind.
Why would a body not be embalmed?
Most of the world does not choose embalming. Buddhists and Hindus usually choose cremation. Muslims and Jews, whose religious laws forbid embalming, embrace natural burial, the way billions of bodies have been buried for eons — without preservation.
What is an unattended funeral?
An unattended (or direct) cremation is a simple cremation without a funeral. There are usually no mourners in attendance, and it is different to a traditional funeral as there is no funeral service or ceremony.
What is an unattended funeral fee?
An Unattended Funeral is ideal for those looking for a simple cremation without a service or ceremony for someone who has recently passed away. The Unattended Funeral takes care of the essential elements of a funeral, including cremation fees, doctor’s fees, care of your loved one and transportation to the crematorium.
Can you arrange a funeral yourself?
Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself. A funeral you arrange yourself can be more personal and less expensive. You’ll have to organise more things yourself, like making arrangements with a cemetery or crematorium.
Who is responsible for arranging a funeral?
executors
The people named in the deceased’s will as their executors (or, if the deceased didn’t make a will, their nearest relatives) are primarily responsible for arranging their funeral.
Who inherits if no will in Kentucky?
spouse
In Kentucky, if you die without a will, your spouse will inherit property from you under a law called “dower and curtesy.” Usually, this means that your spouse inherits 1/2 of your intestate property. The rest of your property passes to your descendants, parents, or siblings.
Who has the first right to make funeral arrangements in Kentucky?
This right goes first to any health care agent named by the deceased person before death, and after that to family members in an established order. To learn the rules and the exact order of priority, see Making Funeral Arrangements in Kentucky.
What is the law on cremation in Kentucky?
(Kentucky Revised Statutes §§ 213.076 and 213.081 (2018).) Kentucky law permits the cremated remains to be disposed of by: scattering them in a legally-defined “scattering area,” such as a designated section of a cemetery, or
When did the Kentucky funeral act of 1942 take effect?
— Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. sec. 1599a-1. 316.030 Embalmer’s license – Qualifications – Funeral director’s license – Qualifications – Apprenticeship
Do I need a funeral director in Kentucky?
Kentucky does not require you to involve a licensed funeral director in making or carrying out final arrangements. (See, for example, Kentucky Revised Statutes § 213.076 (2018), which permits the “funeral director, or person acting as such,” to file the death certificate.) Who’s In Charge of Body Disposition and Funeral Arrangements?