The average funeral costs tend to be anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000.
That’s a lot of money. Don’t worry, however—we’ll breakdown potential funeral costs and ways you can cover them.
Cost of a Funeral Service with a Burial
To start with a broad breakdown of a funeral service with a burial, here are the possible fees are given by the National Funeral Directors Association:
- Non-Declinable basic service fee: $2,195
- Removal/transfer of remains to the funeral: $350
- Embalming: $750
- Other preparation of the body: $255
- Use of facilities for viewing: $425
- Use of facilities for the funeral ceremony: $500
- Hearse Rental: $340
- Service car/van: $150
- Basic memorial printed package: $175
- Metal casket: $2,500
- Total Median Cost: $7,640
The non-declinable service fee includes services common to all funerals and will be charged by every funeral home regardless of your other customizations. According to U.S. Funerals Online, this fee includes consultations with family or responsible party, staff, and facilities responding to initial requests for service, coordination of service plans with cemetery, crematory, and/or other parties involved in final disposition, securing of official documents and necessary registrations, and sheltering of the deceased.
Embalming is a process that preserves a body to last longer than it would normally. While this process isn’t required by law, it’s often highly recommended, especially for services with a viewing. Other preparations for the body include cosmetology (i.e. makeup), dressing, and casketing.
Use of facilities and for the funeral ceremony is essentially a rental fee—because you are using the funeral home’s space, they will likely include these fees, similar to how you would be charged for renting out a room or party space.
Cost of a Funeral Service with Creation
The cost of a funeral with cremation will be different than a service with a burial. Here’s the breakdown of the costs of a cremation funeral:
- Non-declinable basic services fee: $2,195
- Removal/transfer of remains to the funeral home: $350
- Embalming: $750
- Other preparation of the body: $255
- Use of facilities for viewing: $425
- Use of facilities for the funeral ceremony: $500
- Service car/van: $150
- Basic memorial printed package: $175
- Cremation fee (if the firm uses a third-party crematory): $350
- Total Median Cost: $5,150
Many of these fees, as you can tell, are the same as the cost of a service with a burial, except for the cost of the casket and hearse. Your choice between burial and cremation, then, depends on your wishes and budget.
Covering Funeral Costs: Final Expense Plans
Final expense plans are intended to help people cover certain fees after the policyholder has passed away. This will likely include funeral costs, remaining debt, and/or an established inheritance.
Covering funeral costs, unsurprisingly, will eliminate your stress over these fees. Final expense policies are targeted towards a payout referred to as a death benefit, ranging anywhere from several thousand dollars up to $50,000 or $75,000.
There are two main types of final expense insurance, either being a great option depending on the type of coverage you are looking for. These include the guaranteed issue and simplified issue. Guaranteed issue plans are some of the easiest to qualify for in the life insurance world, and if you are concerned about not qualifying for a plan, this option is for you.
If, however, you still want easy-to-qualify for life insurance but not the limited benefits of a guaranteed issue plan, you may opt for a simplified issue plan. These plans, along with guaranteed issue plans, do not require a medical exam for approval. This is great news for many individuals who are worried about their health disqualifying them from a plan.
However, based on the said medical condition as well as your age, insurance companies will likely charge a higher monthly premium. Still, compared to other plans, this is a lower-cost option that should not be overlooked. And, with any final expense plan, you can both put money towards your funeral and use it for other necessities as well.
Covering Funeral Costs: Pre-Need Plans
Pre-need insurance is an agreement between you and the funeral home for the things you want for your funeral, meant to relieve the financial and preparation burden of a funeral service from your loved ones. And, unlike final expense plans, pre-need plans are arranged directly with a funeral home of your choice.
Pre-need plans relieve your loved ones of arrangement and financial planning after the policy holder’s death in regards to these funeral costs. Also, the cost of the policy holder’s funeral and burial or cremation is typically locked in place under pre-need plans. Many states also allow buyers to cancel pre-need insurance and receive a full refund within a certain timeframe, but this option varies greatly from state-to-state.
Because pre-need plans are arranged with a specific funeral home, you cannot use these funds for anything other than the agreed-upon funeral service costs. While this is a negative for some people, it does mean significantly smaller monthly premium payments for you.
Avoid Stress by Preparing for the Future—Contact Senior Life Services
Don’t let the breakdown of funeral costs overwhelm you. With so many solutions out there, it would be a shame to let it make you and your loved ones anxious. To ensure that you all are well taken care of, you should talk with the experts.
Senior Life Services wants to help you figure this thing out. Whether you have questions about your funeral planning, or if you are looking for more information on potential insurance plans, contact us today, and we’ll get you started.