No one wants to have to plan a funeral, but unfortunately, it’s a part of life. One of the things you may be wondering is, what exactly does the average funeral cost?
We’ve put together some of the most pertinent information when it comes to cost in regard to planning a funeral.
What is the Average Cost of a Funeral?
In the United States, the average cost of a funeral is over $7,000 and over $6,000 for a cremation service. These figures are according to the National Funeral Director’s Association. However, prices can vary greatly. The following is a breakdown of the fees included in the cost of a funeral.
Breakdown of Fees
- Transportation of Remains ($325): The funeral home needs to charge for transferring the loved one’s remains to the funeral home
- Service Fee ($2,100): This is a common fee that includes the cost of planning the funeral, obtaining permits and death certificates, as well as preparing the obituary. It may also include arrangements with the cemetery or crematory
- Embalming ($725): Preservation of the body is required for open casket services or if the loved one is going to be transported across state lines
- Cosmetic Preparedness ($250): The funeral director will do their best with makeup, clothing and hairdressing to make your loved one look as natural as possible
- Fee for Funeral Home Staff ($500): This fee applies if you choose to use the services of the funeral home staff to assist with the burial ceremony
- Use of Funeral Home for Viewing ($425): This fee will apply if you wish to use the chapel in the funeral home for your loved one’s service
- Service Van ($150): The service van can be used to transport family or to transport the deceased instead of a hearse
- Hearse ($325): The hearse is used to transport the loved one from the funeral home to the church or cemetery
- Memorial Package ($160): Often pamphlets detailing the outline of the service, along with prayer cards honoring the deceased, will be printer
- Casket ($2,400-$10,000): The casket is often the costliest items of a funeral. The low average price of a casket is around $2,500, but they can cost as much as $10,000 depending on the material chosen
- Cremation Casket ($1000): The cremation casket is a combustible container where the deceased will be placed before being inserted into the crematory
- Cremation Fee ($350): This fee covers the cost the crematorium charges to complete the cremation
- Vault ($1395): The vault is the enclosure for the casket to rest on. It protects it from heavy machinery used to pass over the grave, as well as the weight of the earth. Funeral homes will often refer to these as “burial liners” or “grave liners”
- Urn ($275): The urn is the often decorative container used to hold the loved one’s ashes if they are cremated
Conclusion
While it’s not easy to tend to the task of planning a burial, we are hopeful that this breakdown of fees makes it much less daunting.
