When a loved one dies, families and friends search for special sites to bury or disperse the deceased’s ashes. For some, there is no better location than the sea. Businesses that provide burial at sea services allow families and friends to bid farewell to departed loved ones by burying the corpse or dispersing the ashes at sea.
While these firms usually provide both full-body funerals and ash scattering services, ash scatterings are the majority of their business. With cremation rates over 50% and continuing to rise, the need for this sort of burial service is projected to rise in the near future.
(It is important to note that this is not a crematorium.) Instead, it’s a means for individuals to spread their loved ones’ already-cremated remains.)
Table of Contents
Follow these ten steps to begin a burial at sea service:
Prepare for your Burial at Sea Service.
Create a legal entity for your Burial at Sea Service.
For tax purposes, you must register your Burial at Sea Service.
Create a Business Bank Account and a Credit Card
Create an accounting system for your Burial at Sea Service.
Obtain the Required Permits and Licenses for your Burial at Sea Service
Purchase Burial at Sea Service Insurance.
Create a brand for your Burial at Sea Service.
Make a website for your Burial at Sea Service.
Configure your Business Phone System
Starting a company entails more than just registering it with the state. We’ve put up an easy guide to getting started with your burial at sea service. These stages will guarantee that your new company is well-planned, correctly registered, and legally compliant.
STEP 1: Make a business plan.
A well-thought-out strategy is vital for entrepreneur success. It will assist you in mapping out the intricacies of your organisation and uncovering some unknowns. Consider the following crucial topics:
What are the initial and continuing expenses?
Who is your intended audience?
How much money may you charge your customers?
Fortunately, we have done a lot of the legwork for you.
What are the expenses of starting a burial at sea service?
The expenses of starting a burial at sea service are significant, since company owners need a boat, maritime equipment, and a slip or mooring. Many families may prefer to organise their loved one’s service in person, therefore an office is also required. A boat and an office may quickly cost tens of thousands of dollars, and combined prices can potentially exceed six figures.
Businesses with little money, on the other hand, might drastically minimise these initial costs by cooperating with others in the region. Instead of acquiring a boat, company owners might form a partnership with a captain who already owns a boat (for example, for port tours) and divide the revenues. Funeral plans might be addressed at a home office or a private office hired from a shared coworking space.
A website is also required for marketing (see below), although website expenditures are cheap in comparison to these other costs.
What are the continuing costs for a marine burial service?
A burial at sea service firm has significant continuing expenditures. They include the expenses of boat maintenance, docking or mooring, and gasoline, as well as the expenditures of leasing office space and paying personnel wages.
Who is the intended audience?
The relatives of departed sea lovers are the target market for a burial at sea company. Families of former Navy and Coast Guard troops, passionate fishermen and sailors, and anybody else who has spent time on the sea may choose to bid their loved one goodbye on the water.
How can a burial at sea service generate revenue?
The sale of on-water funeral services generates revenue for a burial at sea service. Typically, relatives or friends attend services, although some clients may choose to have the firm perform an unattended service.
How much money may you charge your customers?
The cost of a sea burial varies depending on the kind of burial. The most affordable option is an unattended ashes scattering, which CostHelper claims costs between $100 and $400. A modest attended scattering costs between $250 to $1,000, whereas bigger attended scatterings might cost up to $5,000 or more. A full-body burial without any extra comforts costs between $5,000 and $10,000 on average.
How much money can a funeral service make?
With many services costing more than $1,000, a burial at sea company might generate a sizable profit. In its first ten years, Hald’s organisation, for example, performed over 1,000 funerals. That equates to at least 100 funerals each year, with a yearly income of $100,000 assuming a median price of $1,000.
How can you increase the profitability of your company?
Some burial at sea providers get into agreements with aircraft pilots to provide at-sea scatterings from a plane or helicopter. These ceremonies are far more expensive, and the burial at sea provider gets a considerable portion of the cost.
STEP 2: Establish a legal entity
Sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation are the most frequent business structure forms.
Creating a legitimate business organisation, such as an LLC or corporation, shields you from personal liability if your burial at sea service is sued.
STEP 3: File your taxes
Before you can begin for business, you must register for a number of state and federal taxes.
To register for taxes, you will need to get an EIN. It’s really simple and completely free!
Taxes on Small Businesses
Depending on the business form you choose, you may have multiple choices for how your company is taxed. Some LLCs, for example, may benefit from being taxed as a S company (S corp).
These guides will teach you more about small company taxes:
Taxes on LLCs
LLC vs. sole proprietorship
Corporation vs. LLC
S Corp vs. LLC
How to Form a S Corporation
S Corporation vs. C Corporation
There may be state taxes that apply to your company. In our state sales tax guides, you may learn more about state sales taxes and franchise taxes.
STEP 4: Establish a company bank account and credit card
Personal asset protection requires the use of distinct business banking and credit accounts.
When you combine your personal and business accounts, your personal assets (your house, vehicle, and other possessions) are at danger if your company is sued. This is known as penetrating your company veil in business law.
Furthermore, understanding how to develop corporate credit may help you get credit cards and other financing in your company’s name (rather than your own), lower interest rates, larger lines of credit, and other benefits.
Establish a business bank account.
Opening a business bank account is not only required when asking for business financing, but it also:
Separates your personal assets from the assets of your firm, which is required for personal asset protection.
It simplifies bookkeeping and tax reporting.
Create a net 30 account.
Net 30 accounts are used to develop and grow company credit while also increasing cash flow. Businesses use a net 30 account to purchase items and refund the whole debt within a 30-day period.
Many net 30 credit suppliers submit information to the main business credit agencies (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business Credit). This is how firms establish business credit in order to get approved for credit cards and other lines of credit.
Apply for a business credit card.
Obtaining a business credit card benefits you in the following ways:
Put all of your company’s costs in one location to separate personal and business spending.
Build your company’s credit history, which will be important for raising funds in the future.
STEP 5: Establish business accounting
Recording your numerous costs and sources of revenue is crucial to assessing your company’s financial status. Keeping precise and thorough accounting also makes yearly tax filing much easier.
STEP 6: Obtain all required permissions and licences
Failure to get appropriate permissions and licences may result in significant penalties or possibly the closure of your firm.
Requirements for Federal Business Licensing
There are a few federal rules in place that govern the conduct of commerce at sea. It is essential that you examine such rules in order to prevent legal issues. Furthermore, information about certification for executing burial at sea services is available here.
Requirements for State and Local Business Licensing
To run a burial at sea company, certain state permissions and licences may be required. Visit the SBA’s reference to state licences and permits to learn more about licencing requirements in your state.
For information on local licences and permissions, visit:
Check with the clerk’s office in your town, city, or county.
Contact one of the local organisations mentioned in the US Small Business Associations database of local business resources for help.
STEP 7: Obtain commercial insurance.
Insurance, like licences and permits, is required for your company to operate safely and legally. In the case of a covered loss, business insurance protects your company’s financial well-being.
There are several sorts of insurance plans designed for various types of companies with varying risks. If you are unaware about the hazards that your company may encounter, start with General Liability Insurance. This is the most popular coverage required by small companies, so it’s a good place to start for yours.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance is another important insurance product that many companies need. If your company will have workers, your state may require you to purchase Workers’ Compensation insurance.
STEP 8: Establish your brand
Your company’s brand is what it stands for, as well as how the public perceives it. A strong brand will help your company stand out from the crowd.
How to Market and Promote a Burial at Sea Service
Graves at sea are a niche market, and the majority of persons who are interested in these burials undertake internet searches. As a result, the most effective marketing approach is one that concentrates on internet advertising and includes a well-designed website.
How to Keep Customers Returning
People who desire to be buried at sea may have special funeral service demands. The more a company’s ability to meet special requirements, the more that company will stand out from others in the field that aren’t as adaptable.
STEP 9: Create your company’s website.
After you’ve defined your brand and designed your logo, the next step is to build a website for your company.
While developing a website is an important step, some may be concerned that it is out of their grasp due to a lack of website-building skills. While this was a fair concern in 2015, online technology has made significant advances in recent years, making the lives of small company owners considerably easier.
The following are the primary reasons why you should not put off developing your website:
Every genuine company has a website, period. When it comes to bringing your company online, it doesn’t matter what size or sector it is.
Social media accounts, such as Facebook pages or LinkedIn company profiles, are not a substitute for your own business website.
STEP 10: Install your company phone system.
Getting a phone for your company is one of the finest methods to keep your personal and professional lives distinct and private. That isn’t the only advantage; it also helps you automate your company, provides it legitimacy, and makes it simpler for prospective clients to identify and contact you.