How Much Does Funeral Cost in the USA? Final Expense Cost

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Funeral Cost Breakdown — Every Cost of a Funeral You Should Know

Last Updated October 18, 2024

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A man and a woman looking at a laptop on the couch. They both have a hand on the computer and the woman is holding their chin. The Final Expense Benefits logo is on the top right with the words "How Much Does a Funeral Cost?" below the logo.

Funerals are expensive, but did you know you don’t have to pay for every item that funeral homes suggest you grab? We’ll inform you exactly how much a funeral costs in the USA and show you which charges might not be necessary. We’ll even go over cremation costs if you choose to be cremated rather than buried. 

If you’re concerned about having to pay for your funeral, consider getting final expense insurance. Call us at (866) 786-0725 every weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and we’ll help you find the best funeral insurance for you and your family. You can also use our free quoting tool to discover what might be available. 

Funeral Cost Breakdown

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According to Funeralocity, the average traditional funeral cost is $8,583 and a full-service cremation is $6,241. These include basic services, the visitation and wake, service, funeral processions, and a casket or urn. 

Here’s a price breakdown for each funeral type according to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) based on the median price ($9,995 for a traditional burial and $6,280 for a cremation): 

Traditional Burial

Traditional burials include a service, viewing, and burial. However, the price doesn’t include interment, grave markers, flowers, or obituaries. Here’s what you’ll expect to pay for a traditional burial: 

Service Average Price
Service Fees
$2,495
Transportation to Cemetery
$570
Embalming
$845
Other Preparation of the Body
$295
Use of Facilities for Viewing and Ceremony
$1,025
Hearse
$375
Metal Burial Casket
$2,500
Vault
$1,695
Basic Memorial Printed Package
$195
Total
$9,995

Note: Prices will depend on where you live and the funeral home. 

Cremation

Cremations are typically cheaper than a traditional burial due to the exorbitant prices of vaults and caskets. Here’s what you can expect to pay: 

Service Average Price
Service Fees
$2,495
Transportation to Cemetery
$570
Embalming
$845
Other Preparation of the Body
$295
Use of Facilities for Viewing and Ceremony
$1,025
Cremation Fee
$400
Alternative Cremation Container
$160
Urn
$295
Basic Memorial Printed Package
$195
Total
$6,280

Note: Prices will depend on where you live and the funeral home. 

What Can I Expect to Pay in My State

Because funeral costs heavily depend on where you live, the NFDA generated a list of the median funeral costs based on where you live. Here’s the breakdown: 

Traditional Funeral Cremation
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
$8.985
$7,023
Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA)
$8,573
$6,498
South Atlantic (DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, WV, VA)
$8,023
$6,103
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)
$7,615
$5,858
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
$7,912
$5,890
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
$8,280
$6,120
West North Central (IA, MN, KS, MO, ND, SD, NE)
$8,755
$6,713
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)
$7,390
$5,505
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
$7,835
$5,812

Note: Prices will depend on where you live and the funeral home. 

What’s the Estimated Cost of a Funeral In the Future?

According to the NFDA, traditional burials have been increasing in price at a rate of 6% every year, and it doesn’t show any sign of declining. Cremation has seen an increase of about 8% every year.

Despite the difference, cremation won’t overtake the price of a traditional burial anytime soon as vault prices, one of the more expensive aspects of a burial, continue to increase yearly. 

Direct Burial and Cremation Costs

Direct burials and cremations eliminate the additional expenses and services such as embalming, preparation of remains, service facilities and staff, and coffins or urns. 

According to Funeralocity, a direct funeral costs an average of $5,133, and a direct cremation costs an average of $2,198. However, these costs depend on your region and choice of funeral home. 

Additional Funeral Costs

If you have an idea of what your funeral will look like, you might have already thought about what flowers you’d like or where your final resting place should be. Here are the different additional (and optional) charges that a funeral home could charge you: 

  • Cemetery Plots: $1,000 – $4,500 
  • Grave Markers/headstones: $1,000 – $3,000
  • Flowers: $300 – $500 depending on the arrangement
  • Mausoleum: $4,000 – $8,000
  • Grave Liner: $500 – $1,400
  • Interment Fee: $300 – $1,500
  • Perpetual Care: Around 5-15% of the cemetery plot price
  • Pallbearers: $70 – $110
  • Obituary Notices: $200 – $500
  • Organists/Soloists: $125 – $200

What the Funeral Rule Means For You

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The Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule is a list of rules that all funeral homes must follow to ensure that you are not overpaying for items in your funeral. It should be noted that third-party sellers (for caskets, monuments, or more) do not have to abide by these rules. 

Here’s what you should know: 

  • You only have to purchase the funeral arrangements you want
  • You can get pricing over the phone
  • A written, itemized price list must be given to you at the funeral home
  • You need to see a written casket price list before you see actual caskets
  • You must see a written outer burial container price list (these are not necessary and are considered as an add-on)
  • You’ll receive a written statement after you decide what you want and before you pay
  • Get an explanation in the written statement from the funeral home that describes any legal cemetery or crematory requirement
  • You may use an “alternative container” instead of a casket for cremation
  • You may provide an urn or casket elsewhere that the funeral home can use
  • You can make funeral arrangements without embalming

What Are the Funeral Costs for Veterans?

Funeral costs for military veterans will depend on where you decide to get buried. If you choose to be buried in a national cemetery, you’ll be entitled to a free burial and grave market. Depending on the cemetery, eligibility can extend to those who provided military-related services and some Public Health Service personnel. 

Any additional costs (such as transportation, caskets, etc) will need to be covered by your family, so you might benefit from grabbing some final expense insurance to supplement any additional costs. 

If you choose not to be buried in a national cemetery, the US Department of Veterans Affairs will give you $2,000 towards burial expenses for a service-related death. For non-service-related deaths and hospitalized by the VA at the time of death, the VA will offer $796. Otherwise, the VA will send you $300. 

Save On Your Funeral Costs With Final Expense Insurance

Final expense insurance is a type of life insurance made to help you pay for any funeral or end-of-life expenses. If you’re worried about leaving a financial burden for your family after you pass, you should pick up final expense insurance! At Final Expense Benefits, we specialize in finding the right final expense insurance for you and your family. 

You can call us at (866) 786-0725 every weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to talk to one of our talented agents. They specialize in the final expense and burial insurance and will help you find the best savings on your funeral costs. 

If you want to know what you might qualify for before talking to an agent, you can use our free quoting tool to discover your eligibility. 

Conclusion

We know that funeral costs are expensive, and if you haven’t prepared for your final expenses, you might want to pick up final expense insurance. Of course, there are alternative, cheaper options that you can pursue, like cremation or a green burial. However, if your heart is set on a traditional burial, final expense insurance can help you ease the financial burden off your family after you pass. 

Use our free quoting tool or call us at (866) 786-0725 to find the best options for you and your family. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does a Funeral Cost in the US?

An average traditional burial costs $9,995 in the United States. 

Are Funeral Costs Tax Deductible?
Most funeral expenses are not tax-deductible. There are a few exceptions: most notably if funeral expenses are paid with proceeds from a life insurance policy, beneficiaries do not pay taxes on the proceeds received from that policy. 
How Can I Reduce Funeral Costs?

You can reduce funeral costs by grabbing final expense insurance. At Final Expense Benefits, we can help you find the final expense insurance plan that works for your budget and your family. 

Call us at (866) 786-0725 or use our free quoting tool to start on your journey to a cheaper funeral.