Funerals are expensive. According to national surveys, the average price of a funeral in the U.S. in 2025 is nearing $10,000, and they are expected to continue to rise. With such a massive bill sure to pass to your family, you must be wondering how to provide them funeral payment assistance.
Thankfully, many options are available, even to seniors. Funeral payment assistance options range from government aid to loans and life insurance, each with pros and cons. We’ll help you determine what kind of funeral payment assistance works best for yourself and your loved ones and if life insurance can play a role in your end-of-life plans.
Final Expense Benefits is a nationally recognized, top-rated life insurance brokerage that works with only the best life insurance companies. We can help you find a policy to cover your funeral costs on any budget.
To learn more about life insurance, call us at (866) 786-0725 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, or check our free online quoting tool for a personalized pricing estimate. To see how much coverage you need for your final expenses, check our funeral cost calculator.
Key takeaways
The average cost of a funeral is around $10,000, but costs vary by location and desired services.
Government funeral payment assistance programs include military funeral reimbursement, the Social Security death benefit, and state-run support, but most are unreliable or provide little financial aid.
Life insurance is a great option for families to cover funeral costs ahead of time, with options ideal for young adults and seniors alike.
Burial insurance is an affordable, reliable funeral payment option for seniors.
How Much Does A Funeral Cost?
The average cost for a traditional funeral with a service and a burial is around $10,000, but that’s just for a basic funeral, excluding extra costs for burial plots or memorials. Even cremation costs are rising: per National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) estimates, the average cost of a cremation with a memorial service is around $6,300.
Between their last two surveys in 2021 and 2023, funeral costs rose about 6%, so funeral costs in 2025 will exceed the above estimates.
As national financial inflation continues to rise, funeral costs will rise, increasing the burden on you and your loved ones.
Funeral prices vary depending on location and desired services. For example, direct burial and eco-friendly memorials, like tree pod burials, cost far less than traditional funerals or specialized services, such as a burial at sea.
The FTC Funeral Rule ensures funeral service providers don’t overcharge consumers, but most expect payment up front and in a single installment. What can you do to cover these large lump-sum costs?
Check our free funeral cost calculator to see how much your funeral could cost, and our online quoting tool can provide estimates for a great life insurance policy to cover it.
Funeral Payment Assistance Options
Your loved ones have several options for funeral payment assistance once you pass away, but most methods may not provide the funds or reliability they need. Thankfully, you have several options to help reduce funeral expense burdens ahead of time.
Remember that each serves a different role in your final expense plans. While some funeral payment assistance options are less reliable than others, combining them can help create a comprehensive end-of-life plan. Here’s what you should know:
1
Government Funeral Assistance Programs
Several funeral assistance options are available from the United States Federal Government and local state governments, including:
- Social Security Funeral Assistance
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a funeral death benefit to surviving spouses of all deceased workers who paid into Social Security through taxes. Unfortunately, it’s only $255, barely enough to cover the flowers at a modern funeral.
- Social Security Survivor Benefits
According to the SSA, nearly 6 million Americans receive Social Security Survivor Benefit payments. These payments average $1,566 monthly, a significant sum that’s typically used to pay bills and other lifestyle expenses. Unfortunately, these payments aren’t well-suited to covering large up-front costs like funeral expenses.
- Military Funeral Assistance
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers military funeral reimbursement to families of deceased veterans, but these reimbursements cap at around $2,000, nowhere near enough to fully cover a funeral.
- Medicaid and State-Run Funeral Assistance
Seniors and those with limited assets and low or unreliable incomes can receive limited burial assistance from state-run support or Medicaid programs. Assistance is limited, and most states offer limited coverage that won’t cover the entire cost of a funeral.
Government funeral assistance benefits are limited and unreliable, but they can be useful resources for veterans or low-income seniors. However, they shouldn’t be the only part of your final expense plan. Here are more options to consider:
2
Non-Profit Assistance
Many non-profit organizations can help families plan and pay for loved ones’ funerals. Non-profit resources include:
- Funeral Consumers Alliance
The Funeral Consumers Alliance provides information and resources to help families plan affordable funerals.
- National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
The NFDA represents funeral providers across the U.S. and maintains a list of funeral homes that offer financial assistance to families in need. They also offer help with affordable funeral planning.
- The American Red Cross & Salvation Army
Charities like the Red Cross and Salvation Army offer support to families in need, including funeral expense assistance.
- Community-level support
Local non-profit organizations like churches, community outreach programs, and other local assistance programs offer aid to low-income families. However, resources and financial support are often limited.
- Support from the internet
Asking for help from crowdfunding sites, like GoFundMe, may work for some people, but the majority of cases are ignored. GoFundMe and similar websites aren’t a valid form of funeral payment assistance.
Charities and other non-profits offer valuable assistance, especially to underprivileged families, but they aren’t a reliable form of funeral payment assistance.
3
Funeral Loans
Personal loans can be used for funeral payments, but high interest rates make them an unappealing option. With interest rates that often exceed 30%, personal loans offer poor value, and it’s best to avoid taking them whenever possible. Money used to repay funeral loans is better spent on a savings account or a quality life insurance policy.
4
Prepaid / Preneed Funeral Plans
Prepaid funeral plans are agreements with specific funeral providers involving prepaying for a future funeral. These are intended to completely cover a funeral’s cost, so they’re pricey: around $10,000 to $25,000, which is typically required up-front. Some funeral providers offer payment plans, but availability varies.
Additionally, these plans are tied to a specific funeral home, offering limited inflation protection. You’re out of luck if the funeral home goes out of business, and all funds must be spent on the funeral. You won’t be able to choose a different funeral home later, plus loved ones won’t be able to access any of that money for other purposes.
These plans offer limited benefits and are expensive and restrictive. But one form of funeral payment assistance offers far more upside to seniors: life insurance.
5
Life Insurance
Life insurance is a more reliable method to cover funeral costs for most people, offering fixed rates and reliable payouts. Available as whole life and term life plans, life insurance offers accessible, affordable funeral payment assistance to young adults and seniors.
One of the biggest benefits to life insurance against most forms of funeral payment assistance is that the tax-free payouts can be used for anything the beneficiary needs. Benefits aren’t just tied to covering a loved one’s final expenses, unlike other, more limited types of funeral payment assistance.
The most important part of life insurance is to not wait. The earlier you get coverage, the lower the premium rate. Making the investment in your family’s future with life insurance will help them avoid financial hardship when you pass away.
To learn more about life insurance, contact Final Expense Benefits, or check our free online quoting tool for an accurate pricing estimate.
Life Insurance As Funeral Payment Assistance
Life insurance is generally divided between term life policies that offer large payouts but limited coverage and whole life plans that cover for life with smaller payouts. Young adults typically use term life insurance, while seniors often use whole life insurance.
1
Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance is used by young adults and other workers to cover loss of income in case of death. Payouts are large; experts advise families purchase term life plans with death benefits equal to 10 times the policyholder’s yearly income.
Term life insurance only covers for a set period. Most insurers offer 10 to 30 year terms. With payouts that range from around $100,000 to over $5 million, term life policies offer benefits that easily cover funeral costs.
Term life is affordable because applicants are often young and in good health, but medical requirements set by insurance companies’ underwriting are strict. This means that seniors are often ineligible for term life or have to pay high rates. Because of this, we usually recommend seniors purchase whole life policies.
2
Whole Life Insurance
Unlike term life insurance, whole life insurance covers the policyholder’s entire life. Whole life insurance premium rates are locked at the policy’s start, so it’s best to start your policy younger, when you can secure lower rates. In addition, policies grow in cash value, and benefits will never decrease.
Whole life is usually a better choice for seniors, but high-value whole life policies may have high rates and strict medical underwriting requirements. Burial insurance is a better option for budget-conscious seniors or those with pre-existing medical conditions.
3
Burial Insurance
Also called final expense insurance, burial insurance is a type of whole life insurance designed for seniors. Average benefit payouts range from around $5,000 to $50,000, plenty to cover funeral, cremation, and burial plot costs.
Final expense policies are usually available to seniors ages 50 to 85. Many policies accept seniors with managed or minor pre-existing medical conditions, often without a waiting period.
Guaranteed policies are available for nursing home-bound seniors or those with more serious conditions like cancer, dementia, or terminal illness.
Burial insurance rates are far lower than high-value whole life plans, ranging from about $30 to $150 monthly. Here are sample rates from some of our top-rated providers for benchmark $10,000 burial insurance policies, calculated using a non-smoking applicant with no pre-existing conditions:
| Company |
Male 50y/o |
Female 50y/o |
Male 60y/o |
Female 60y/o |
Male 70y/o |
Female 70y/o |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$34 |
$27 |
$50 |
$40 |
$70 |
$56 |
|
|
$31 |
$26 |
$43 |
$35 |
$71 |
$53 |
|
|
$31 |
$24 |
$44 |
$33 |
$75 |
$53 |
|
|
$34 |
$29 |
$45 |
$35 |
$79 |
$59 |
|
|
$33 |
$26 |
$48 |
$36 |
$82 |
$58 |
These figures are estimates only, based on a $10,000 final expense insurance policy with no applicant pre-existing conditions.
If you’re interested in these or any of our great life insurance partners, call Final Expense Benefits at (866) 786-0725 to start your journey to peace of mind.
Final Thoughts
Families have multiple options for funeral payment assistance, though some are more reliable than others. Government and charity resources are limited, while prepaid funeral plans and loans can be costly. The best approach is to be proactive and purchase a life insurance policy.
Young adults can get affordable, quality term life insurance, while burial insurance offers great coverage to seniors. No matter your age or financial status, there’s a great life insurance policy for you.
Contact Final Expense Benefits with any questions about life insurance or to get your application started. Call us at (866) 786-0725 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET to learn more, or check our free online quoting tool for a personalized estimate.
FAQ
How do I save for my funeral?
The best way to save for your funeral is setting aside money in a high-yield savings account, paying into an annuity account, or purchasing a quality life insurance policy.
How do I save on funeral costs?
You can save on funeral costs by holding the memorial at home or skipping it entirely, replacing a wood or metal casket with an eco-friendly, biodegradable one, or having a direct burial or tree pod burial.
How quick is payment due for a funeral?
Many funeral providers require payment up front, though some offer payment plans and funeral cost assistance. Options vary depending on the funeral home.
What is burial insurance?
Burial insurance is a low-cost type of whole life insurance designed to offer seniors accessible, affordable coverage. Average benefit payouts range from around $5,000 to $50,000 and are typically used to pay funeral, cremation, and burial plot costs and other end-of-life expenses.
How much does a funeral cost?
In 2025, average funeral costs in the U.S. are around $10,000, which is why most sample burial insurance quotes are for $10,000 policies. Check our free funeral cost calculator to see how much coverage you need.