Did you know that the median cost of funeral expenses totals $7,848?
Prices for both cremation and burial have skyrocketed in recent years. With death being an unavoidable fact of life, the cost of funeral services can seem overwhelming and unfair.
How can you plan to help your family through your end-of-life transition?
Know your funeral service options and plan ahead with burial insurance.
Average Cost of Funeral Expenses
The average funeral price is between $7,000 and $12,000. This estimate is for traditional funerals with a viewing, burial, transportation, embalming, and other processes included. This price does not include cemetery plots, markers, headstones, or other expenses like formalwear and flowers.
There are a lot of factors involved in funeral planning, and it is best to determine your wishes or your loved one’s wishes before they pass away.
Cremation
Compared to traditional burial, cremation is generally the more affordable funeral option. However, the funeral home, cremation process, and container expenses can vary.
The cost of a cremation funeral typically ranges between $2,000 and $10,000, depending on the family’s wishes and the funeral home and location. For cremation, families will also have to provide or purchase a combustible container, typically $1,000.
A benefit to cremation is that family members will have more time to arrange the funeral service and burial. The remains can easily be transported across state lines to their final resting place. Cremation will also give the family more time to grieve and process the loss of a loved one.
Caskets and Urns
Selecting the casket or urn can easily become expensive. On the one hand, the casket or urn will only be needed temporarily. At the same time, families want to choose an endearing and respectable option for their loved ones.
There are generally five types of caskets or coffins: wood, metal, hardwood, cardboard, and biodegradable containers. Caskets generally range in price from $1,000 to $8,000. The average cost of a wooden casket is around $1,600.
Urns are typically made out of metal, wood, or porcelain. Wooden urns are typically the most affordable, ranging between $50 and $200. Metal urns cost between $100 and $1,000, and porcelain urns range between $400 and $2,000.
Burial and Cemetery Plot
A burial plot in a cemetery will typically cost $1,000 to $4,000. This will vary greatly depending on the city, cemetery location, and type of cemetery.
Cemetery burials are not only for caskets. You can also purchase an urn vault to protect your loved one’s buried ashes. Urn vaults range between $200 and $400 in addition to the cost of the cemetery plot.
Services
Aside from the material purchases involved with a funeral, there are a number of funeral services available. Embalming is usually optional except for open-casket funerals and will cost between $750 – $1000 depending on the funeral home. Post-mortem cosmetics for an open casket viewing will cost around $250.
Transportation from the hospital or home to the morgue, funeral home, and graveside is another expense in the ballpark of $600 – $800. Other funeral service fees, including venue, music, sermon, and more, can cost as much as $2,000.
Plan Ahead With Funeral Insurance
With all of these factors adding up, it’s easy to see how funeral expenses can total well over $10,000. The good news is that you have options.
Talk to your loved ones about funeral and burial insurance. Planning ahead will help others decide which expenses to prioritize and provide some clarity in their time of grief. Having an insurance plan is one way to say, “I’m still with you.”
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact USA Life today to request your burial insurance quote. We’re ready to help you and your family understand your options for the future.
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