Preparing to bury a loved one is never easy. The last thing you need or want to do is comb through a list of all of the financial details related to your loved one's funeral and subsequent burial. Therefore, it makes sense to have some knowledge of what it will cost. Keep in mind that if you don't think of the financial details now, you may not be prepared to handle the load if a loved one were to pass away.
Today, a traditional funeral costs approximately $6,000. Other costs, such as limousines, flowers, obituary notices and acknowledgements can really add up, taking the grand total to over $10,000 in some cases. The following itemized breakdown is a realistic depiction of what you can expect to pay on average:
Professional and Administrative Services (embalming and funeral home staff) ...$1,750
Facilities and Equipment (preparation room, visitation room, reception room, church) ... $850
Transportation (transfer from the place of death, funeral limousine and cars for the family) ... $550
Merchandise (casket, vault, prayer cards, temporary grave marker) ... $2,650
Miscellaneous (flowers, cemetery plot, obituary, death certificates, honorariums, headstone) ... $1,850
Total (not including taxes) ... $7,650
Keep in mind that the numbers above change depending on preferences, number of people and even location. While the cost of goods and services will differ from one funeral home to the next, you can maintain some costs by keeping a budget.