What are my needs for burial and final expenses?

Long gone are the days of being buried in a pinewood box. Funeral expenses can vary from several thousand dollars up to $15,000 and more depending on which services you select. Funeral homes and crematoriums provide a list of expenses some of which have been enumerated here. Use this calculator as a guideline to help estimate your burial and final expenses.

Professional Services

Basic services of funeral director and staff ?

$

A standard fee most funeral homes charge for overhead, coordination and paperwork, regardless of other choices.

Embalming ?

$

Cost of preserving the body, typically required for viewings with an open casket.

Other preparations of the body ?

$

Cosmetology, dressing and other body preparation beyond embalming.

Facilities and Staff Services

Viewing and ceremony ?

$

Use of facilities and staff for a visitation and funeral service.

Cemetery and graveside ?

$

Staff and facilities for a graveside service, separate from the plot or vault itself.

Transportation Services

Transfer remains to funeral home ?

$

Cost of moving the body from the place of death to the funeral home.

Hearse ?

$

Vehicle used to transport the casket to the service and cemetery.

Limousine ?

$

Vehicle for family transportation on the day of the service.

Merchandise

Casket/Cremation urn ?

$

Often the single largest line item; prices vary widely by material and style.

Burial/Urn vault/liner ?

$

A container that surrounds the casket underground, required by many cemeteries.

Monument/Memorial/Tombstone ?

$

Permanent grave marker, engraving and installation.

Other Expenses

Burial clothing ?

$

Attire for the deceased.

Floral arrangements ?

$

Flowers for the viewing, service or gravesite.

Food ?

$

Catering or refreshments for a reception or gathering.

Airfare and accommodations ?

$

Travel and lodging costs for out-of-town family attending the service.

Other ?

$

Any additional cost not captured elsewhere, such as obituary notices or death certificates.

Enter your values and select Calculate.

The total at the top adds up every line you entered: professional fees, the viewing and ceremony, transportation, merchandise like the casket and vault, and any other costs such as flowers or travel. It's a planning estimate, not a quote — actual prices depend on the funeral home, the region, and choices made at the time.

Two categories usually move the total more than any other: the casket or urn, and the burial vault or liner. Because these are often the largest single items, small changes to either one — a different casket tier, or skipping a vault where it isn't required — shift the total more than adjustments to smaller line items like flowers or transportation.

This figure doesn't account for cemetery plot purchase costs if not already owned, ongoing grave maintenance, taxes, or how prices may rise between now and when the expense is actually incurred. Funeral costs also vary significantly by region and by provider, so it's worth getting an itemized quote from a funeral home before treating this as final.

A reasonable next step is to compare this total against any life insurance, prepaid funeral plan, or savings set aside for this purpose, and to revisit the estimate every few years or after a major life change, since prices tend to climb over time. Having a working number at all puts you ahead of most people who never write one down.

This information may help you analyze your financial needs. It is based on information and assumptions provided by you regarding your goals, expectations and financial situation. The calculations do not infer that the company assumes any fiduciary duties. The calculations provided should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice. In addition, such information should not be relied upon as the only source of information. This information is supplied from sources we believe to be reliable but we cannot guarantee its accuracy. Hypothetical illustrations may provide historical or current performance information. Past performance does not guarantee nor indicate future results.