Coping with grief isn’t easy and doing it alone can be even more isolating. Finding support through a family member, friend or professional is a great way to talk through difficult emotions and process your loss. Contact your loved one’s employer or your own to see if they offer support services or resources, like an employee assistance program, or call 211 to find local support services.
Take care of yourself
Notify people and organizations
Reach out to family members and try to work together to delegate tasks. You’ll feel more connected and less overwhelmed. You’ll need to inform family, close friends, employers and/or clergy. You may also need to arrange care for pets, deactivate cell phones and put a temporary hold on mail.
Make arrangements
Respect your loved one’s final arrangements. Work with family and a funeral director to honor these wishes. It’s helpful to compare services and costs from several funeral homes.
Take things one step at a time
Give yourself grace as you focus on what needs to be done right away, saving anything less urgent for after the funeral or memorial services. And continue to take care of yourself.
Funeral Basics
Planning a funeral during a time of grief can feel overwhelming. Here are a few helpful tips and terms to know as you move through the process.
| Death certificates | A death certificate verifies someone's death and is required for handling nearly all matters following a death. Funeral directors often provide certified copies or you can get them from the state vital statistics department or your county clerk's office. It's recommended to request 10-20 copies. Costs and delivery may vary. |
| The Funeral Rule | The FTC’s Funeral Rule was designed to give people the agency to compare prices and buy only the funeral arrangements they want — whether a death has already occurred or as part of planning for one. The rule applies anytime you ask for information from a funeral provider. |
| Funeral directors | A funeral director can handle arrangements regardless of where the death occurred, usually assisting with the type of service, service location, visiting hours and arranging for transportation of the body if the death happened elsewhere. They can often help with entombment, burial or cremation. |
Funeral-related expenses
Funeral costs can vary significantly based on location, type of services and personal preferences. To receive the best price estimate, it’s helpful to request a detailed pricing list from the funeral homes you’re considering. Below are some examples of average costs.
Traditional full-service burial
| Service type | National average cost |
| Total | $8,591 |
| Basic services | $2,135 |
| Transfer to funeral home | $373 |
| Embalming | $763 |
| Dressing and casketing | $264 |
| Viewing and visitation | $463 |
| Funeral service | $547 |
| Hearse | $354 |
| Utility vehicle | $190 |
| Median-priced caskets* | $3,500 |
Full-service cremation
| Service type | National average cost |
| Total | $6,249 |
| Basic services | $2,130 |
| Transfer to funeral home | $373 |
| Embalming | $763 |
| Dressing and casketing | $264 |
| Viewing and visitation | $463 |
| Funeral service | $547 |
| Transfer to crematory | $354 |
| Crematory fee | $412 |
| Cremation caskets* | $1,200 |
Alternative funeral items
| Service type | National average cost |
| Permanent urn | $70 - $2,250 |
| Green burial container | $2,135 |
| Rental casket | $373 |
| Casket | $763 |
| Burial vault | $264 |
| Interment fees | $463 |
| Headstone or grave marker | $547 |
| Cemetery plot | $354 |
Miscellaneous funeral expenses
| Item |
| Obituary fees |
| Clergy fees |
| Flowers |
| Death certificates |
| Register books, memorial folders, thank you cards and prayer cards |
| Basic memorial printed package or memorial tribute DVD |
Please note that this site is intended for reference only and does not provide a complete list of all resources or cover every possible situation you may encounter.
Provided content is for overview and informational purposes only and is not intended as tax, legal, fiduciary or investment advice.