What does the average funeral cost? See a breakdown of average funeral costs and services, including cremation, burial, embalming, and more, plus FAQs.

The average funeral costs between $7,000 and $12,000. The viewing, burial, service fees, transport, casket, embalming, and other prep are included in this price. The average cost of a funeral with cremation is $6,000 to $7,000. These costs do not include a cemetery, monument, marker, or other things like flowers.

The average funeral cost has been rising steadily since the 1980’s. Today, it’s not uncommon for the average funeral to cost up to $9,000 or more depending on whether the body is buried or cremated. Caskets and urns can cost thousands of dollars alone depending on the style and material used.

Pre-planning for events you know will occur can help take some of the pain out of those expenses for yourself and your family – including funeral expenses.

If you’ve ever helped arrange a funeral, you know even the most basic funeral expenses can be difficult to afford. If you went into the process with a budget in mind, the add-ons alone can send the cost of a funeral spiraling out of control.

One of the best ways to control these costs is to plan ahead by knowing the average funeral cost and what each of the items and services runs. Once you know, you can decide which items are must-haves, what would be nice to have, and what you can do without.

This article will help you discover the actual average funeral cost and how price shopping can help you keep funeral expenses under control.

Families often emotionally overspend by hundreds – even thousands – of dollars when purchasing funeral arrangements. Overspending is common for several reasons:

• The emotional impact of losing someone can cloud judgment.
• There are often pressing time constraints.
• Many on-the-spot decisions must be made.
• Most families have no prior experience in funeral planning.
• Some funeral homes and cemeteries may take advantage of the situation and put profit ahead of saving the family money.

Funerals today can easily exceed $10,000.

Let’s say you need a new car. Do you pull in to the first lot you see, buy the first car you test-drive, and accept the sticker price without question?

Of course not. When we shop for cars, we talk to salespeople (and our friends and family), drive different vehicles, consult consumer magazines, and negotiate the price. If a specific make or model has a bad reputation or is priced too high, we walk away and look for a different car. We want a good car at the right price, and we’re willing to do some homework to get it.

We do the same kind of comparison shopping for smaller purchases – computers, for instance, or large appliances like washers and dryers. We know doing a little research will get us the features we want for the price we’re willing to pay.

So, why is it we don’t price shop funeral costs? The average funeral cost with a burial or cremation is just as expensive – sometimes more expensive – than other big purchases we make in life. Yet every year, thousands of families pay the “sticker price” when they bury their loved ones.

Fortunately, there are ways to save. One of the main ways families can save on funeral expenses is by shopping for the funeral services and items they want. Most consumers don’t think about shopping around for funeral expenses, but it’s important to understand all of your options before purchasing anything or selecting a funeral home.

Here are some tips to save money:

• Contact several funeral homes in your area to get a range of prices for the services you’re considering. Funeral homes are required to give you general pricing information upon your request.
• Some funeral items, such as caskets or liners, can be purchased outside the funeral home. By price shopping and providing certain items from a third party, families can often save thousands of dollars without sacrificing any final arrangements.
• Another way to save on funeral costs is the embalming process. The Federal Trade Commission says there are no states that require routine embalming for every death, but there are regulations related to preserving remains prior to burial or cremation, which is more about the length of time between death and disposal to prevent the breakdown of the body.
• If you choose direct burial or cremation, you may be able to eliminate embalming altogether.
• Even if you engage a funeral home for burial, you don’t have to take advantage of their visitation and memorial services, unless this is something that is important to the family or deceased.
• Also, memorials can be held at a private home or a place that held special meaning for the deceased which can create a meaningful service at a much lower price than the average funeral cost.

If you are certain you want a burial rather than a cremation, typical expenses include:

• Burial plot cost and gravesite expense
• Casket price
• Vault or coffin container
• Basic service fee
• Transportation fee(s), including hearse or van use
• Cost of opening the ground, placing the remains in the ground, and burial

Price shopping funeral items and services can uncover savings and allow you to still have a beautiful and memorable funeral. Call around to local funeral homes for a price list and decide who your best provider will be. Planning ahead allows you to start a funeral checklist so you can be prepared when the time is right.