Say what you want, so they are not guessing and grieving at the same time, and so no one gets talked into spending more than you would have wanted.
Costs below are typical U.S. ranges and vary widely by region and provider. Always ask for an itemized price list before you decide anything.
The choice01
Burial, cremation, or natural
There is no right answer, only your answer. Here is what each one means in plain terms, so your family can carry out your wish without second-guessing it.
Your options
Burial. A casket and a plot, usually with a viewing and a service. The most traditional, and usually the most expensive.
Cremation with a service. A gathering to say goodbye, then cremation. The ashes are kept, buried, or scattered.
Direct cremation. Cremation with no formal service beforehand. The simplest and lowest cost. Families often hold their own memorial later.
Green or natural burial. No embalming, a biodegradable casket or shroud, often in a natural setting. Simple and low impact.
What I want
Burial
Cremation with a service
Direct cremation
Green or natural burial
Funeral & Final Wishes01
What it costs02
The cost cheat-sheet
So no one is upsold at the worst moment. These are typical U.S. ranges. Prices vary widely, and you only have to buy what you actually want.
Option
What it usually includes
Typical range
Direct cremation
Cremation, basic container, no service
$1,000 – $4,000
Cremation with a service
Viewing or gathering, then cremation
$4,000 – $7,000
Burial with viewing & service
Casket, embalming, viewing, service
$7,000 – $12,000
Green / natural burial
No embalming, simple casket or shroud
$1,000 – $4,000
Cemetery plot
The land, varies hugely by area
$1,000 – $5,000+
Headstone or marker
Stone and engraving
$1,000 – $3,000
Your right
Under the federal Funeral Rule, a funeral home must give you an itemized price list, must let you buy only the items you want, and cannot require you to buy a package. You may also supply your own casket or urn without a fee.
Funeral & Final Wishes02
If I planned ahead03
What I have already arranged
If you have pre-paid or pre-chosen anything, record it here so your family does not pay twice or start from scratch.
Provider
pre-paid plan, see The Paperwork
Resting place
scatter at the lake
Funeral & Final Wishes03
The service04
How I want to be remembered
Fill in as much or as little as you like. Even a few notes spare your family a hundred small decisions on the hardest day.
The feel of it
A formal service
A simple gathering
Religious
Not religious
Open to all
Family only
The details
play Willie Nelson, nothing somber
no black, wear color
Funeral & Final Wishes04
The notices05
The obituary, and who to tell
Give your family the facts so they do not have to assemble your life story through tears. The planner's People section holds the full notify list.
For the obituary
In place of flowers
plant a tree, donate blood
Care & medical wishes
Organ donor
Donate body to science
Directive on file, see planner
Funeral & Final Wishes · part of The Final File · whenidieplanner.com