Services
Funeral & cremation services
What each option means, what it typically costs, and how to compare providers — in plain language, with no sales pressure.
- Cremation$1,000–$3,000Cremation costs vary widely by provider and city, so the only way to know your real price is an itemized list from crematories near you. Compare what each provider includes — some bundle the urn and paperwork, others charge separately.
- Funeral homesEvery funeral home must give you a written, itemized General Price List on request, including by phone. Comparing two or three is the single best way to control cost — the same services can differ by thousands of dollars between homes in the same city.
- Burial$7,000–$9,000Burial costs come from two places: the funeral home (services, casket, preparation) and the cemetery (plot, opening and closing the grave, vault, marker). Budget for both, and remember a vault is usually a cemetery requirement, not a legal one.
- Green burialGreen burial avoids the vault, embalming, and manufactured casket that drive up a conventional burial's price and environmental impact. Availability depends on local natural-burial grounds or hybrid cemetery sections that allow it.
- Prepaid funeralPrepaying can ease the burden on family and lock current prices, but it ties money to a specific provider. Compare it against simply setting aside funds or buying final-expense insurance, which keep the money flexible.
- Veterans funeral benefitsVA benefits can substantially lower a veteran's funeral cost, but you usually claim them through the funeral director and the VA, with a copy of the DD-214 discharge document. Benefits differ for service-connected versus non-service-connected deaths.