Funeral Costs: a Detailed Price Breakdown
The average funeral costs between $8,000 and $12,000, including everything from casket and embalming to a burial plot and a memorial service. However, not all of this money goes to one place. Each component comes with its own price tag, and many products and services can be purchased through wholesalers or discount companies, which can considerably lower the overall cost of the funeral.
If you are funeral planning or preparing to say good bye to a loved one, this list of funeral services and their costs should give you a better idea of what to expect to pay. Please note that these are average estimates, and will vary depending on where you live and what specifics you choose.
Body Preparation: $50 to $300
Burial Vault: $800 to $2,200
Burial Shroud: $200 to $500
Casket: $400 to $2,000
Clergy/Officiant: $50 to $300
Death Certificates: $10 to $20 per copy
Direct Burial at a Cemetery: $1,000 to $3,500
Direct Cremation: $500 to $2,000
Embalming: $200 to $800
Flowers: $100 to $500
Funeral Ceremony Fees: $200 to $1,500
Funeral Home Services: $500 to $2,000
Grave Marker: $500 to $2,000
Grave Opening and Closing: $300 to $1,000
Grave Plot: $400 to $10,000
Gravesite Service: $200 to $600
Hearse: $150 to $400
Obituary: $50 to $600
Printed Materials: $25 to $200
Procession: $100 to $400
Urn: $100 to $1,000
Visitation or Viewing: $150 to $500
When deciding which services you need and which ones require the larger investment, it’s important to remember that the quality of the funeral and your love for the deceased are not directly related to the amount of money you spend. One of the primary reasons many people end up overpaying for a funeral or funeral items is because there isn’t enough time to comparison shop, and there is still very much a stigma attached to trying to save money on such an important day.
One way around this is to pre-plan your funeral, and make all arrangements for services and goods in advance. Other options include talking with family members to make your wishes known and considering cremation or direct burial in place of an elaborate ceremony at the funeral home.
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