What Can I Do If I Need Help with Funeral Costs?

Mourning the loss of someone you care about is hard enough without the added worry of how to pay for a funeral. Though prices vary, the median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial is about $8,300¹ — which can be a lot of money to come up with on short notice. If you’re not sure how to cover the costs or what steps to take, there are resources available to help ease the financial burden. To help you navigate this difficult time, we’ve gathered some tips on how to get help with funeral costs.

7 Ways to pay for a funeral

It can take weeks or even months to probate a will, so even if your loved one left you money to cover their final expenses, you may not be able to access it in time for the funeral. But if you’re responsible for making sure funeral costs are paid, the money doesn’t have to come completely out of your pocket. Funds can come from any source, including donations from friends and family, government programs or a funeral loan.

1. Check your loved one’s life insurance policy

A life insurance policy is a contract between the policyholder (your loved one) and an insurer (insurance company) that helps protect their surviving family financially when they die.² The policyholder makes regular payments to the insurer to keep the policy active and chooses beneficiaries — people who will receive a lump sum payout, known as the death benefit — when they die.

If your loved one maintained a life insurance policy and named you as a beneficiary, the death benefit could help you cover costs like funeral expenses, outstanding debt or other financial needs to help maintain your and your family's quality of life.

However, you may not receive the life insurance payout in time to cover funeral expenses. In that case, you can bring the policy information to the funeral home. If the policy designates a portion of the death benefit for funeral costs, the funeral home can file a claim for that amount to help cover their expenses.³

2. Look into employer benefits

Some employers and labor unions offer survivor benefits that provide an employee’s family with a one-time lump sum payment or ongoing smaller payments when the employee dies.⁴ If your loved one was enrolled in one of these benefit programs, the payment(s) may cover part or all of their funeral costs, depending on what they arranged.

3. Compare costs between funeral homes

Sticking to a budget for a funeral doesn’t mean you don’t care about your loved one. Don’t be afraid to shop around for funeral homes and negotiate prices. You can also talk with the funeral director about payment plans or deferring payment until after the will or life insurance is sorted out. They may even provide you with resources for funeral financing options.

As you compare options, remember that you don’t have to feel pressured to buy a package of services. Many funeral homes will let you customize the funeral based on what you can afford.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) introduced the Funeral Rule in 1984 to prevent funeral homes from pressuring people into buying goods and services they didn’t need or want. The rule also protects consumers from being overcharged and applies to arrangements made before and after death occurs.

Under the Funeral Rule, you have the right to ⁵:

• Buy only the funeral arrangements you want
• Get price information over the telephone
• Get a written, itemized price list when you visit a funeral home
• See a written casket price list before you see the actual caskets
• See a written outer burial container price list
• Receive a written statement after you decide what you want and before you pay
• Get an explanation in the written statement from the funeral home that describes any legal cemetery or crematory mandate that requires you to buy any funeral goods or services
• Use an “alternative container” instead of a casket for cremation
• Provide the funeral home with a casket or urn you buy elsewhere
• Make funeral arrangements without embalming

4. Research low-cost burial options

There are several options for lower-cost funerals and burials. These non-traditional options can help you stretch your budget further while honoring the memory of your loved one:

• Skip embalming: Embalming is not legally required in most cases and not usually needed if your loved one is buried or cremated right away.⁶ If you plan to delay the funeral, however, check with the funeral home promptly to see what options are available.
• Provide your own casket: You don’t have to buy a casket from the funeral home that provides the service.⁷ You can buy one from a third party or even make your own (but check local laws first) to help lower funeral expenses.
• Choose a personalized location: Hold a memorial service instead of a funeral home event. You can choose your location — at home, a park, your religious center or any other meaningful place.
• Wait to buy a headstone: You don’t have to purchase a headstone or grave marker right away. Waiting to buy one could give you more time to find one that fits your budget.
• Opt for a “green” burial: A green burial is an environment-friendly — and less costly — option. There’s no expensive casket or vault. Instead, the body is placed in a shroud or a biodegradable casket. Embalming is not a part of the process, which also cuts costs while being better for the environment. You can reach out to the Green Burial Council to find a green burial provider in your area.⁸
• Cremate the body: Cremation is generally more cost-effective than a burial and may be a helpful way to pay for the funeral. If you’re working directly with a crematory, the price may be lower than through a funeral home.

5. Ask friends and family for help with funeral expenses

Funerals are a time for family and friends to pull together. Some may be willing and able to chip in financially, as well. You might choose to use an online crowdfunding platform, like GoFundMe, or you could simply send out a group text or email asking for help paying for funeral expenses and reassuring them that every little bit will help.

6. Take out a funeral loan

If you’re planning a traditional funeral with a casket, funeral home services and gravesite, you may need to pay providers upfront or on the day of the service. Additional details like travel and hotel reservations could make overall funeral expenses higher. By paying funeral costs with a funeral loan, you can focus on what matters most now and pay back the loan over time.

7. Ask for help from charitable or government organizations

Many local or national nonprofit or religious organizations may help pay for funeral expenses. Some national organizations include:

• Children’s Burial Assistance ⁹
• Funeral Consumers Alliance ¹⁰
• Bureau of Indian Affairs, for Indigenous people ¹¹

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Help is available when you need it

Planning and budgeting to afford the costs of a funeral won’t lessen the blow of losing a friend or family member, but you can rest easy knowing you can turn your attention away from worrying about finances and celebrate a life well lived.

This article has been updated from a previous posting in 2022. Kim Gallagher, Andrea Hoyt and John Frizzera contributed.

Sources
1 https://nfda.org/news/statistics
2 https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/lifeinsurance.asp
3 https://www.funeralbasics.org/truth-life-insurance-funeral-expenses/
4 https://funerals.org/get-help/how-to-save-money/how-to-pay-for-a-funeral-or-other-arrangements/
5, 6, 7 https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/ftc-funeral-rule
8 https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/greenburialdefined.html
9 https://my.secure.website/cbaga/about
10 https://funerals.org/
11 https://www.bia.gov/bia/ois/dhs/financial-assistance