How Much Does a Funeral Cost? Service and Expenses Breakdown

Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy, but giving them a funeral that celebrates how much you appreciated them during their lifetime can go a long way in helping you and your family grieve their loss. In fact, you'll find many types of funerals available to choose from for your loved one, including green options that 60% of people are interested in.¹ And as funerals today can be costly, 59.3% of those planning them opt for cremation instead of a traditional burial.¹

For those faced with the daunting prospect of planning a funeral, here we look at the types of funerals and burials available, the expenses involved and the ways to finance these costs for your loved one.

What Is a Funeral?

A funeral is a ceremony that celebrates the life of a loved one who has passed on and involves the burial or cremation of their remains. Depending on the wishes of the family and those of the deceased, a funeral may involve religious rituals or a viewing of the body as well.²

Different Types of Funerals

There are many different types of funerals for you to choose from, including burial, cremation and environmentally friendly "green" options.

Traditional funeral with burial

A traditional funeral is one of the most common types available and typically includes:³

• Embalming of the body for a viewing
• Preparation of the body for a viewing
• A casket
• A viewing or visitation at a funeral home
• A service, religious or otherwise
• Transportation of the body to a cemetery
• Cemetery opening and closing costs
• Burial of the body
• A gravestone or marker
• A burial vault

Traditional funerals may also include gatherings with family and friends, such as a celebration of life or a wake.

Traditional funeral with cremation

A traditional funeral with cremation is one of the most popular options available today, with close to 60% of people choosing this option.¹ This type of funeral is similar to a traditional funeral, but the deceased is cremated after the viewing and service. Their ashes are then given to the family in an urn or other type of container.

This type of funeral includes:³

• Possible embalming of the body for a viewing
• Possible preparation of the body for a viewing
• A casket or a rental casket⁴
• A viewing or visitation at a funeral home
• A service, religious or otherwise
• Transportation of the body to a crematory
• Cremation of the body
• An urn or container

Direct burial

For those who wish to skip the viewing and traditional religious services, a direct burial is an option you may want to consider. It's also much more budget-friendly because it usually only includes:³

• A basic casket
• A memorial service or wake without the body present
• Transportation of the body to a cemetery
• Cemetery opening and closing costs
• Burial of the body
• A gravestone or marker
• A burial vault

Direct cremation

For those who prefer cremation and want to skip the viewing and religious services (or other services) of a traditional funeral, a direct cremation is an option you may want to consider. It's also much more budget-friendly than traditional cremation because it usually only includes:³

• A basic casket
• A memorial service without the body present
• Transportation of the body to a crematory
• Cremation of the body
• An urn or container

"Green" or eco-friendly funeral

Many people have an interest in eco-friendly funeral options and these types of funerals are gaining popularity because they are considered better for the earth. Green funerals don't involve embalming because the chemicals used in the process are considered harmful for the environment.³

A green funeral may include:³

• An eco-friendly casket made from materials like bamboo or pine
• A shroud made from biodegradable materials
• A biodegradable urn or tree pod for those who are cremated rather than buried
• A grave marked by a tree rather than a traditional headstone

Burial or ashes spread at sea

Those who have a love of the ocean may want to opt for a burial at sea. This type of funeral or burial typically takes place in water that is at least 600 feet deep and more than three nautical miles from shore for those buried at sea and not cremated.³

A sea funeral ceremony involves:³

• The body being wrapped in a biodegradable shroud or weighted casket⁵ and lowered into the sea. The captain may circle the body after burial.
• A memorial service on the deck of a ship
• Cremation with the scattering of the ashes at sea for those who aren't buried in the water

Alkaline hydrolysis

Alkaline hydrolysis, also known as "water cremation," is a newer method of breaking down the remains of a loved one that doesn't involve traditional cremation methods.⁶ Instead, a heated solution of water and alkali breaks down the tissues of the body into bone fragments and liquid.³

The bone fragments are pulverized into ash and given to the family in an urn, much like with traditional cremation, though the process might be considered more environmentally friendly.³ However, this option is only available in 18 states, so check with your local funeral association to see if this is an option for you.⁷

How Much Does a Funeral Cost?

On average, a funeral costs between $6,846 for a traditional funeral with cremation and $8,112 for a traditional funeral with burial.⁸ However, funeral costs vary, mainly by the type you select.

When considering which type of funeral to choose, cost is a factor to consider and can vary widely.

How much a funeral costs can also depend on many factors, such as:⁸

• Your location. Some locations cost more than others, with Minnesota being the most expensive state to have a funeral and Hawaii being the least expensive one. Expect to pay around $8,634 for a traditional funeral in Minnesota and $3,400 for one in Hawaii.
• The price of the casket or coffin
• Whether you use a rental casket
• Service charges for the funeral home
• Cemetery opening and closing costs for burials
• Third-party cremation costs if the funeral home doesn't own a crematory
• Whether or not you wish to embalm the body, which may only be necessary if you want to have an open-casket viewing
• Any funeral or viewing services for the deceased
• A burial plot
• An honorarium payment for the clergy if you wish to have a religious service for your loved one
• A gravesite with interment costs for cremated remains
• A burial vault, if your cemetery requires it to keep the ground from collapsing around the casket after burial
• Transportation expenses for the body
• Preparation of the body for a viewing, which includes styling of the hair, cosmetic application or reconstruction and dressing of the deceased
• Optional expenses such as floral arrangements

Cost of common funeral expenses

Additional funeral costs to consider

When planning a funeral for your loved one, there are some additional costs you may encounter. These expenses might include:

Does Insurance Cover Funeral Costs?

Yes, both funeral insurance and life insurance can help pay for the funeral and burial expenses after your loved one passes away. However, only funeral insurance, also known as burial insurance, dedicates the funds directly to paying for the funeral and burial.¹⁶

Life insurance funds are used at the discretion of the beneficiary, and if they need to use all of that money to cover debts, they will have nothing left to pay for their loved one's funeral.¹⁶

What does funeral insurance cost?

Funeral insurance costs, which vary based on the total payout of the policy, are usually sold in amounts between $5,000 and $25,000.⁴

Premiums for funeral insurance vary from $16 to $82 per month for a $5,000 funeral insurance policy. This type of policy would cover men between 50 and 80 years of age. A $10,000 policy will cost between $30 and $162 per month.¹⁶

For women between 50 and 80, expect to pay $14 to $64 per month for a $5,000 policy and $25 to $126 per month for a $10,000 policy.¹⁶

How Does Funeral Financing Work?

Funeral financing allows you to pay for all of your expenses up front and then pay off that amount over time. Funeral financing doesn't require any type of collateral like other loans.⁴

You can obtain funeral financing with:

• A personal loan, which gives you money up front generally within one to three days and allows you to pay off the balance over time. You then take this money and divide it to pay for the funeral providers directly.¹⁷
• The CareCredit credit card, which is accepted at participating funeral homes, cremation providers and cemeteries around the country to help pay for your loved one's funeral costs.*

Benefits of funeral financing

Funeral financing is a good option for those who:

• Don't have the cash or savings available to pay for their loved one's funeral arrangements
• Have a loved one who had no or inadequate funeral or life insurance to pay for all of the services required
• Want the flexibility of paying off the cost of the funeral monthly
• May need additional funds to help pay for items like a butterfly release or cremation jewelry

CareCredit Credit Card Financing for Funeral Expenses

For those facing the funeral costs of a loved one, consider funeral financing with the CareCredit credit card. The CareCredit card can help you pay for your loved one's funeral expenses, including services and burial costs, at participating funeral home locations.* Plus, the card makes payments easy to manage. Apply today and use our Acceptance Locator to find a funeral home near you that accepts CareCredit. Download the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U hub for more helpful articles, podcasts and videos.

Author Bio

Susan Paretts is a freelance writer with 19 years of experience covering health and wellness, pet care and more. Her work has been published by the American Kennel Club, Bayer Animal Health, Elanco, LIVESTRONG.com, The San Francisco Chronicle, Chewy and more.