The cost of a funeral in the United States has risen dramatically over the last few years, easily outpacing inflation. Most funerals now cost between $10,000 to $12,000 and can run as much as $20,000. Transporting your loved one from one state to another can add at least another $2,000 to the cost. And if your loved one dies overseas, it typically can cost an additional $12,000 to transport the body back to the location of the funeral. Because of the drastic rise in funeral costs over the last several years, many more people are opting for cremation. However, these costs have risen even more than funerals with burial in a casket. In fact, it is more typical than not for the cost of cremation to cost at least $7,000!

What can you do to mitigate the costs of your burial, yet have a dignified service, celebrating your life well-lived, instead of leaving your family in dire financial straits because of your death?

Here are some things to consider:

Embalming is not required in the State of Alabama. Refrigeration works just as well. The only time embalming may be required is to transport a body across state lines.

You do not have to purchase your casket from the funeral home, and they cannot charge you a handling fee, if you have your own. I am not suggesting you go ahead and purchase your casket from Amazon or some other casket outlet store. But you need to be aware that you do have options, and do not have to pay exorbitant prices for a casket. In fact…

A funeral home director breaks the law to tell you that embalming, or using sealer caskets or sealer burial vaults will preserve the body indefinitely or that such measures will keep dirt and water out of the grave if this is not true! Why would you want your body to be preserved indefinitely anyway? This is needless expense. The best and least expensive solution is to make sure your family understands you want an inexpensive casket with no vault and no embalming, unless embalming is required by the state, or you are being transported across state lines!

Keep in mind that a funeral home must provide an updated price list before the funeral arrangements may take place, and once the arrangements are made, the funeral home must provide an itemized statement of all products and services chosen, their individual cost, and then the total cost.

Make a funeral plan of exactly what you want and share it with your family. Who do you want your pall-bearers to be? What clothes do you want to be buried in? Do you want to have your family put something in the casket with you, such as your Bible, or a family picture? Who do you want to preach your funeral, if available? What songs do you want sung, and by whom? Any special Scripture read? Make your plan, tell your family about it and then put it with your will in a safe place that your family knows about. Keep in mind, when someone passes away, the family experiences tremendous emotional stress, and the family must make many decisions in a limited amount of time. Often families have no prior experience in making these “on the spot” decisions and they do not know what is actually required and what isn’t. In addition, funeral homes are trying to make as much profit off of your death as they can. They may be nice and “supportive” to your family, but inside their minds, the cash registers are ringing and they are hoping your family is a “sucker” for the “Platinum Package” or whatever that funeral home calls its most expensive funeral. If you have already thought these things out, it makes it so much easier on the family and allows you to be remembered like you want.

By now you are hopefully seeing the value of having a life insurance policy in place, even if it is “only” a Final Expense policy (a whole life policy generally limited to $50,000 or less, with more forgiving underwriting guidelines, but also more expensive per dollar of face value than a term-life policy or other types of life insurance). I cannot state this more clearly than this: Life Insurance is generally as efficient and trusted a way to finance your funeral at the time of your death as there is!

Here’s why:

In most cases there is no federal tax on life insurance benefits.

The benefits are paid directly to the beneficiary/ies, and usually in a short amount of time after your death.

The life insurance proceeds are not tied to any funeral home provider. They can be used by your beneficiary anywhere in the world for anything they choose to spend it on.

Life insurance benefits are not held up in probate court. That is huge for your family who may have not only your funeral costs to pay for, but also other pressing bills, such as your final hospital expenses.

Should you decide to invest in your family’s future by obtaining some kind of life insurance policy or additional life insurance, make sure your family KNOWS ABOUT THE POLICY! Don’t let your insurance benefits go unclaimed simply because your beneficiary didn’t know about your life insurance policy/ies. Let them know where you keep the original policy. Another tip: You might also consider making a copy of the policy’s paperwork and giving it to your beneficiary.

I hope this information helps you make some wise decisions, and prompts you to plan ahead. Quite honestly, it is one of the smartest things you will ever do in your life. Let me help you choose a plan that fits your needs, and benefits your family as much as is possible, as you prepare for “that day.”