What Neptune Society Is

Neptune Society is a membership-based cremation provider that operates funeral homes and crematoriums in multiple states. You pay a one-time membership fee upfront, and in exchange, the organization handles your cremation when the time comes. Unlike traditional funeral homes where you arrange and pay for services at the time of death, Neptune Society works on a prepaid model — you lock in pricing years or decades before you need the service.

The organization operates its own crematoriums rather than contracting with third-party facilities. This means Neptune Society controls the entire process from pickup through cremation and return of ashes. The company currently operates in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, with the largest presence in California.

Neptune Society is a for-profit company, not a nonprofit or government program. It competes with other prepaid cremation providers and with traditional funeral homes that offer cremation as one service among many. The membership model means you are paying the organization directly, not purchasing through a funeral home or insurance policy.

Key Takeaways

  • Neptune Society charges a one-time membership fee that covers cremation, and you pay this fee while you are alive, not after death.
  • The organization operates in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington only, so membership is not available everywhere in the United States.
  • Membership locks in current prices, so if cremation costs rise over time, your fee does not increase.
  • Neptune Society handles pickup from a hospital, home, or nursing facility, but does not typically include a funeral service, viewing, or casket rental.
  • You can cancel your membership and receive a refund, though the refund amount depends on how long you have been a member.

How Membership Pricing Works

Neptune Society membership costs vary by location and by the specific package you choose. The organization does not publish a single price on its website — you must contact them directly or visit a location to learn the current fee for your area. Prices differ between California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington because cremation regulations and operating costs vary by state.

The membership fee is typically paid in full upfront, though Neptune Society may offer payment plans in some cases. Once you pay, the fee is locked in. If cremation costs in your area increase after you join, your membership fee does not go up. This is the main advantage of prepaying: you protect yourself against future price increases.

The fee covers the cremation itself and the return of ashes in a basic container. It does not cover a funeral service, viewing, embalming, a casket, a memorial service, or a burial plot. If you want any of those services, you pay for them separately or arrange them through another provider.

What Is and Is Not Included in Membership

Neptune Society membership includes cremation, pickup of the body from a hospital, home, nursing facility, or coroner's office, and return of the ashes in a temporary container. The organization handles the paperwork and permits required by the state. You receive the ashes, and you decide what to do with them — scatter them, keep them in an urn, bury them, or divide them among family members.

Membership does not include a funeral service, memorial service, viewing, embalming, a casket, a burial plot, an urn (beyond the temporary container), flowers, music, or a reception. If you want a service before or after cremation, you arrange and pay for that separately. Some families hold a small gathering at home or in a rented space after receiving the ashes; Neptune Society does not provide that space or coordinate it.

Neptune Society also does not include life insurance or a death benefit. You are purchasing a cremation service only. If you want money set aside to cover other end-of-life expenses — a service, flowers, a reception — you would need to arrange that through a separate savings account, life insurance policy, or funeral trust.

How to Join Neptune Society

To join, you contact Neptune Society directly by phone or by visiting a location in person. The organization has offices in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. You can call their main number or search online for the office nearest you.

During the enrollment process, you provide basic information: your name, date of birth, address, and emergency contact. You choose which package or membership level you want (if the organization offers more than one). You review the membership agreement, which explains what is included, what happens if you move out of state, and how to cancel.

You then pay the membership fee. The organization issues you a membership card and documentation. Keep this documentation in a safe place and tell your family members where it is. When you die, your family or the person handling your affairs contacts Neptune Society with your membership number, and the organization takes it from there.

What Happens When You Die

When you pass away, your family or the person in charge of your affairs calls Neptune Society and provides your membership number. The organization then coordinates with the hospital, nursing home, coroner, or funeral home where you are located to pick up your body. Neptune Society handles the transportation.

The cremation takes place at one of Neptune Society's own crematoriums. The process typically takes several days to a week, depending on the state's requirements and the organization's schedule. During this time, the organization completes the necessary paperwork and obtains any required permits.

Once cremation is complete, Neptune Society contacts your family to arrange pickup or delivery of the ashes. The ashes are returned in a temporary container — usually a plastic or cardboard box. Your family then decides what to do with the ashes. If you have prepaid for an urn, Neptune Society can provide one; otherwise, your family can purchase an urn elsewhere or use the temporary container.

Cancellation and Refunds

Neptune Society allows you to cancel your membership at any time. If you cancel, you receive a refund, but the amount depends on how long you have been a member. Most prepaid cremation providers use a declining refund schedule: if you cancel within the first year or two, you may receive 80 to 90 percent of what you paid. If you cancel after several years, the refund is smaller because the organization has held your money and incurred administrative costs.

The exact refund schedule is in your membership agreement. Read it carefully before you join so you understand what you would receive if you cancel. Some people cancel because they move out of state (Neptune Society does not operate nationwide), because they change their mind about cremation, or because they find a lower price elsewhere.

If you move to a state where Neptune Society does not operate, you can cancel and receive a refund according to the schedule in your agreement. You would then need to arrange cremation through a provider in your new state.

Neptune Society Compared to Other Options

Neptune Society is one of several prepaid cremation providers. Other national chains include Dignity Memorial and Funeral Consumers Alliance. Traditional funeral homes also offer cremation, usually at a higher price and without the prepayment model. Cremation through a funeral home is typically arranged after death, so you pay the full cost at that time rather than locking in a price years in advance.

The main advantage of Neptune Society is price certainty: you know exactly what you will pay, and that price does not increase. The main disadvantage is that you are limited to four states, and you are prepaying for a service you may not need for decades. If Neptune Society goes out of business or stops operating in your state, you may lose your membership fee or have to transfer it to another provider.

A Funeral Consumers Alliance membership is typically much cheaper (often $50 to $150 for lifetime membership) and covers cremation through a network of funeral homes. However, you do not lock in a price, so you pay the cremation cost at the time of death. A traditional funeral home lets you wait until death to decide, but you pay more and have less time to compare prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my Neptune Society membership if I move out of state?

Neptune Society operates only in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. If you move outside these states, you cannot transfer your membership. You can cancel and receive a refund according to the schedule in your membership agreement. You would then need to arrange cremation through a provider in your new state.

What if I change my mind about cremation after I join?

You can cancel your membership and receive a refund. The refund amount depends on how long you have been a member — the longer you have held the membership, the smaller the refund. Review your membership agreement to see the exact refund schedule before you join.

Does Neptune Society membership include a funeral service or memorial?

No. Neptune Society membership covers cremation and return of ashes only. If you want a funeral service, memorial service, viewing, or reception, you arrange and pay for that separately through another provider or by renting a space and coordinating it yourself.

What happens to my membership fee if Neptune Society goes out of business?

This is a real risk with any prepaid cremation provider. Before joining, research the company's financial stability and ask whether your membership is protected by state law or insurance. Some states require prepaid funeral and cremation providers to hold funds in trust or carry insurance to protect customers if the company fails.

Can I use my Neptune Society membership if I die while traveling outside California, Nevada, Oregon, or Washington?

Contact Neptune Society directly to ask about this. Some prepaid cremation providers have arrangements with crematoriums in other states, but policies vary. Ask before you join whether your membership covers cremation outside the four states where Neptune Society operates.