Have you ever wondered what happens if a person who dies is not claimed by their family members? In other words, if nobody claims their relative, when can a funeral home dispose of the remains of a person?
A funeral home is required to give written notice by certified mail to all appropriate persons if the remains of a person are not claimed within 30 days of an inurnment. If no person steps forward to claim the remains within 120 days after the notice, the funeral home may dispose of the remains in any lawful manner.
To connect the rule to the math, a funeral home may dispose of a body by cremation approximately five (5) months after the person’s death if the person was not claimed.