Financial stress is the last thing you want right now, so it’s important to get a rough idea of just how much the funeral is going to cost. There are many considerations which may need to be factored into the final cost of a funeral. You can generally group them into three parts:
Consultation fees
Consultation fees will pay for the advice and coordination services provided by your chosen funeral home, their staff and their premises – should you wish to hold the funeral there.
Fees are usually set at a standard rate. They will however, increase if extra services are required.
Incidentals
Incidentals can be anything from flowers to singers and celebrants. These can be paid on your behalf by your funeral director.
Other incidentals may include the Death Certificate, caterers, obituary submissions and other printing services for the funeral.
Casket
This includes the cost of the burial or cremation.
Depending on the location, there are laws which govern how and what container materials are used.
Ask someone close to you to help you work out a budget for the funeral. Get an itemised cost estimate for everything to help you keep within your budget. Try not to put unwanted stress on yourself by going into debt. A funeral is made special by the people there - not the lavish accessories.
Your loved one may have made some arrangements via a will or some other legal document, and they may have set aside some money for the funeral. If this is the case, talk with their legal advisor in conjunction with your funeral director. Let them know that you will be relying on your loved one’s estate to pay for the funeral.
If there are assets that need to be sold to settle the estate, let your funeral director know. In some countries, an estate account can be set up to pay funeral bills.
Funeral Plans
Planning Information
Useful checklists to help you with the funeral plan that you can use straightaway and download to keep or print out.
Required Decisions
Some of the key decisions and choices that need to be made when planning a funeral.