It’s a get-together in your honor, attended by those who love you the most. It can cost you well over $5,000. But it’s not your wedding or your retirement party – it’s your funeral. And it doesn’t have to be so expensive.
Money is the last thing you want to think about when a loved one has died. Unfortunately, just like joyous occasions such as weddings and birthday celebrations, funerals cost money – lots and lots of money. And let’s face it: no one spends the amount of time and effort planning their own funeral as they would with, say, their bar mitzvah or anniversary parties ... it isn’t nearly as fun. But a lack of planning often leaves grieving family members and friends to grapple with the tough decisions and financial burdens of funeral arrangements. The National Funeral Directors Association says that the average funeral will cost you over five thousand big ones. Here is a breakdown of the costs, according to a 1999 estimate:
Professional Charges – $1,182.31
Embalming – $400.51
Other preparations (such as cosmetology) – $150.35
Visitation or viewing – $314.42
Funeral services at a funeral home – $356.68
Funeral home transferring – $158.66
Hearse (local) – $179.08
Service car/van – $87.42
Acknowledgement cards – $14.47
Casket – $2,176.46
Vault – $757.80
Total Cost: $5,778.16
Unfortunately, these aren’t all the costs that the average funeral incurs. There are also the costs of cemetery plots, opening and closing of the grave, clergy services (and other services such as an organist or soloist), flowers, and headstones or markers.
Plan Before It’s a Necessity.
Taking the time to explore your options now, while you’re not in an emotionally fragile state (or, um, dead) can really pay off. Yes, it’s a tad bit uncomfortable to plan your own funeral, but think of the trouble you’ll save your loved ones when it’s your time to kick the bucket (or buy the farm, or whatever synonym you find the least threatening). Making a list of your exact wishes, right down to the last detail, will not only be a great help to your family – it’ll help them to resist the sometimes-underhanded sales pitches and pressure that they may receive from funeral providers.