The national median figures
The most widely cited numbers come from the National Funeral Directors Association. Its 2023 General Price List Study put the national median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial at $8,300. The same National Funeral Directors Association study put a funeral with viewing and cremation at $6,280.
A median is the middle of the range, so many funerals cost more and many cost less. Your own cost depends on where you live, the funeral home you choose and the options you pick. The medians are a starting point for planning, not a quote.
What those figures leave out
The NFDA medians cover the funeral home's charges for a typical service. They do not include cemetery, plot, monument or marker costs. For a burial, those can be a large part of the total, and some other costs often come up as well.
- A cemetery plot or space in a mausoleum
- Opening and closing the grave
- A vault or grave liner, if the cemetery requires one
- A headstone, monument or marker
- Flowers, an obituary, a meal after the service and travel for family
Talk to a licensed agent: (949) 807-3995
Choices that change the total
Families have more control over the cost than they often realize. Choosing cremation instead of burial, holding a memorial without a viewing, or picking a simpler casket or urn can each change the bill. Asking the funeral home for its itemized price list lets you see each charge and decide what you want.
Writing down your wishes now helps too. When your family knows whether you want burial or cremation, and what kind of service, they can make decisions with less guesswork at a hard time. It also makes it easier to choose an insurance amount that matches.
Bills that arrive after the service
Some costs show up after the funeral is over. A final medical bill, the last rent or utility payments, and small debts often have to be settled while the family is still grieving. They are not funeral costs, but they come at the same time, and many people size their final expense policy to cover a few of them as well.
It can help to make a short list of the bills you expect and keep it with your written wishes. Your beneficiary then has a clear picture of what the money needs to cover.
How final expense insurance fits in
Final expense insurance is a small whole life policy meant for these costs. The benefit goes to your beneficiary, who can use it to pay the funeral home, the cemetery and any final bills. Because premiums are usually level and coverage does not expire as long as premiums are paid, the policy is there whenever it is needed. Many people choose a face amount close to the service they want, plus some extra for cemetery costs and bills.
When you call, tell the agent whether you lean toward burial or cremation and roughly what kind of service you want. They will ask your age, tobacco use and the health questions, then compare plans from several insurers at the amounts that match those costs. You can apply by phone, and the quote carries no obligation.
