In many families, discussing one’s mortality is no longer a taboo and it is getting common for the families to plan the afterlife matters in advance. It is important to have afterlife pre-planning to:
- Relieve loved ones from financial burdens, stress, and confusion.
- Prevent the family from making costly and hasty decisions.
- Help to hedge against inflation and ultimately save money
- Allow individuals to decide their preferred service, choose their own rites and rituals.
With rapid changes in our current society in Singapore, the method of burial has been changed. In old times, if the deceased was not able to have earth burial, it was regarded as a big unfilial piety. Nowadays, the method of burial has gradually changed from burial to cremation.
After the cremation, the ash will be collected into the funerary urn. Instead of placing the funerary urn at home, most residents in Singapore will opt to house the funerary urn in columbarium niches. There are two main types of columbarium in Singapore: public or private columbarium. Public columbarium is managed by the government and the niches are allocated based on first-come-first-serve basis.
In this article, we will be introducing 5 main considerations when choosing the private columbarium in Singapore:
1) Interment lease period:
Generally, the lease of the columbarium in Singapore is categorized into 30-year lease, 40-year lease, 99-year lease or permanent lease. There could be two types of interment lease period:
a. Based on the land lease period of columbarium, or,
b. Based on the day of interment of urn.
2) Columbarium Niche design:
The requirement for columbarium niche design has also changed. Generally, privately-operated columbarium or memorial gardens provide single, double, or family compartments, which is convenient for children and grandchildren to visit their loved one without having to visit different places.
3) Environment and design:
Outdoor and indoor design columbarium. The private columbarium provides a unique indoor design and a spacious and comfortable space, giving the deceased the last ideal garden or resting place. Iit also brings unprecedented spiritual comfort to the living. In addition, the private columbarium also has a cafeteria, where guests can peacefully gather with their family for a drink or meal after the visit. In this case, the price of a niche will be higher compared to the market.
Outdoor columbarium places vary in quality. Generally, such a columbarium must be able to withstand changes in climate. The columbarium indoor must stand the baptism of time.
4) Price range:
Generally, the government operated columbarium price per person is $500++; family-style $900++. This price does not include marble plaque. Privately operated columbarium price ranges from $2000 to $40,000, including single, double or family suite. Different levels have different prices, the private columbarium also provides high-end privately owned columbarium where it is, emphasizing on Feng Shui which is blessing our future generations. In addition, some columbarium also offers installment payments to relieve financial pressure.
5) Other services and considerations
Shuttle services, consideration of the size of the urn, worship offerings, etc. are the consideration when choosing our final resting place.
