The average cost for an American funeral, like other goods and services, has been steadily increasing over the last two decades. But before we discuss specific funeral costs, we need to spend a few minutes discussing how the funeral industry works. This will help us understand where our money goes when planning a funeral. Most people planning a funeral use the services of a funeral home.
The funeral director is either the owner of a funeral home or, more commonly, an employee of a large corporate-owned chain of funeral homes. In addition to the funeral home, most families will need to use the services of a cemetery and a headstone dealer. Often times, the funeral director will coordinate the purchase of goods and services between the family and the cemetery and headstone dealer. While this is certainly convenient for the family, you need to remember that you are really buying things from three separate business entities: the funeral home, the cemetery, and the headstone dealer.
However, the family still has to pay the cemetery for the purchase of a grave spot and the dealer for the price of a headstone.
Unfortunately, many families do not find this out until after they have signed a contract for the funeral services with the funeral director. The funeral home dispatches a funeral director to pick up the body and bring it back to the funeral home. The funeral director then schedules a meeting with surviving family members to help them arrange the funeral service. Here is a price breakdown of some of those typical costs:. The average traditional funeral service is followed by body burial in a cemetery.
While most cemeteries used to be owned by non-profit organizations, nowadays many are owned by the same for-profit corporations that own the funeral homes. Here is a price breakdown of the typical costs:. Funeral director fees cover most aspects of the funeral arrangements, though this can vary depending on which funeral director or package you choose. A funeral director will allow you to concentrate on other things, whilst they take care of arranging the funeral.
This guide will take you through the key things to consider when arranging a fitting funeral service. Third-party funeral costs, or external payments, are additional charges which will be managed for you and should be attached to your invoice. These payments can vary widely depending on where you live and whether you choose a cremation or burial service for your loved one.
We will prepare, collect and distribute all the required documentation and coordinate external payments for you that are necessary for the funeral to legally proceed. Burial funeral costs will vary across the UK and are usually comprised of:.
More information about burial costs. Cremation costs will vary across the UK and are usually comprised of:. More information about cremation costs. Unattended Funerals provide an affordable alternative to an Attended funeral, without compromising on the quality of care. As such, they can reduce the average cost of a funeral, wherever you are in the UK. The cost for an Unattended Funeral covers the provision of a simple coffin, doctor's fees for medical papers, collection and care of the deceased and transportation to the crematorium in a specialised funeral vehicle.
An Unattended Funeral is typically the least expensive option as it can avoid the need for additional funeral costs such as embalming, viewing of the deceased, the funeral service and additional transportation for the family or close friends.
More information about an Unattended Funeral. Find out more about choosing a memorial. However, there are ways to reduce the cost of a funeral and still personalise it for your loved one:. As well as the more obvious funeral costs such as cars, coffins, flowers and venues, here are a few extra things to check when planning a funeral:.
Please read our guide to help with funeral costs. A Prepaid Funeral Plan will protect you against the rising costs of funerals, allowing you to document your final wishes and pay for your funeral in advance. If you would like to find out more about funeral costs where you live, your local Funeral Director will be able to offer expert advice. Our useful guides will help you arrange a fitting funeral for your loved one. A guide to what a Funeral Director does, questions to ask when arranging a funeral and how we take the greatest care.
Read more. Learn more about different types of funeral, from traditional religious and non-religious services to alternative funerals. Types of Funeral. This section will guide you through planning a fitting funeral service for a loved one, from choosing a coffin to writing a memorable eulogy. How to plan a funeral. This guide will explain what happens at a funeral; including the funeral procession, funeral service, committal service and the wake.
What happens at a funeral? Thinking and talking about our own death can be hard. Many of us will be concerned about upsetting loved ones or ourselves. Our guide will help you understand what needs to be considered and the important things you should tell your loved ones.
Find out more. Planning ahead allows you to start a funeral checklist so you can be prepared when the time is right. One important part of making final arrangements is making sure you understand — and have made preparations for — your funeral costs.
It was also intended to help protect consumers from being overcharged for the items they did want. As more consumers choose cremation, prices will continue to increase.
This price does not include a burial plot or things like flowers or transportation. Depending on the funeral home and funeral items chosen, the cost could be substantially higher. With proper planning, you can actually reduce some of the stress and financial responsibilities on your family members when you die.
An increasing number of people are making plans in advance to cover their funeral costs, not only to ease the burden on those left behind but also to ensure their final wishes will be taken care of. This does not include the burial plot, headstone, flowers or an obituary. Here is the funeral cost checklist included in the median funeral expenses in , according to the NFDA:. Many cemeteries require a burial vault or concrete grave box to ensure the ground will not buckle over the casket.
A vault is reinforced to preserve the remains from groundwater and insect activity. When calculating funeral costs, you may have to include the cost of a vault or grave box. This basic services fee may include obtaining copies of the death certificate, securing any permits needed, sheltering the remains, and coordinating the arrangements. The fee will not include any optional services or products such as caskets.
Contacting several funeral homes will provide you with a range of prices for the services available in your area. Funeral homes are required to give you general pricing information over the phone for any services you are interested in.
A cremation can cost almost as much as a funeral because of the various fees paid to the funeral home. While caskets can cost several thousand dollars, burial items like headstones and grave liners can also add thousands of dollars depending on the material used.
Learn more about choosing between cremation vs burial. Refrigeration is often an alternative to embalming, but even refrigeration can cost several hundred dollars. Flowers are often an easy way for families to save on funeral costs. Some families accept flowers from guests as a way to pay respects to the deceased. Many funeral homes have local florists that can offer flower packages as part of the funeral bill.
Check with several florists in the area to see what discounts are available. Casket wreaths are displayed across the casket itself and vary in cost and size. The VA reimburses the burial costs of any living spouse, child or parent of an honorably discharged veteran, including costs related to transporting the remains. The cost of a burial plot in a VA-certified cemetery may be much less than a traditional burial plot.
Families are usually required to cover additional funeral costs, like flowers, obituary notices, and family transportation. In addition to the plot, there are costs associated with opening the ground, placing the casket, and covering the plot. These services usually add several hundred dollars or more, depending on the cemetery.
When purchasing the gravesite, ask how the cemetery will maintain the gravesite. The maintenance fee may be included in the overall funeral expenses, or it could be a monthly or annual service fee.
Each cost depends on the type of material used, with stone and bronze material being the cheapest. The type of headstone or grave marker you buy may depend on the section of the cemetery in which the body is buried. Most funeral homes and cemeteries can sell you a headstone or grave marker, but you can also buy them from third party retailers, potentially saving hundreds of dollars. Caskets vary widely in style, material, design, and price. Buying outside of a funeral home can help you save thousands of dollars.
More and more, people are buying caskets from third-party retailers like Amazon and Walmart and having them shipped directly to the funeral home. Most people underestimate just how costly a funeral or cremation service can be. Even cremation services can cost thousands of dollars depending on the service performed see How Does Cremation Work. Saving for funeral costs can be difficult, but final expense life insurance can help.
Funeral insurance — commonly known as burial insurance or final expense insurance — is specifically designed to help with funeral costs and other end-of-life expenses. Even a modest policy can help cover necessary burial costs. Learn more about final expense insurance. Any life insurance policy can be used to help cover funeral costs learn how whole life insurance works. Life insurance is one of the most efficient and trusted ways to cover the cost of final expenses.
In particular, final expense insurance is specifically designed to help cover any end-of-life expenses such as medical bills or burial costs. Commonly referred to as burial insurance or funeral insurance, final expense insurance is especially popular with seniors because of its focus on protecting surviving loved ones from experiencing a financial burden when they pass learn more about what to do when a loved one dies.
Each family is unique and has different concerns for their loved ones. Funeral Advantage gives families the cash insurance benefit they need within 24 hours of claim approval and assists with price shopping funeral costs. Funeral Advantage is designed to protect your loved ones from emotional overspending by helping them understand the pricing options available to them.
We helped save policyholder families thousands of dollars last year alone. More and more people are making the choice to cover their own funeral expenses — both to make sure their final wishes are carried out and to save their loved ones from having to take care of the arrangements and the cost upon their death. One smart way to set aside money for funeral and burial expenses is a final expense insurance policy, sometimes referred to as burial insurance or funeral insurance.
These typically include funeral expenses, but may be used for anything the family needs — travel costs for family members, unpaid bills, or medical expenses.
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