By M. Kotch

The passing of a loved one is not easy to face alone. Whether expected or not, the shock takes a toll and can leave those grieving overwhelmed and at a loss for what to do next. That’s why so many choose to have a memorial at a funeral home, where the facilities and staff can offer help and advice in addition to a wealth of experience in dealing with such matters. A support system is important during this difficult time, as is gathering enough information to help you move forward.

So as you begin the process of planning a funeral, take a deep breath, and remember that many have gone through this same process and that with the right preparation, you will get through it too.

Begin by narrowing down the list of potential funeral homes by searching the Internet for local establishments, and asking friends and family about their own experiences and recommendations. The average cost of a funeral in the U.S. is $8,000 but can cost more depending on where you live, the choice of casket and other factors. As you move forward, review the following breakdown of traditional funeral expenses.

Basic service fee: This mandatory cost is a booking fee to secure the services of a home and reserve a place. The average cost is $1,500.

Transportation of remains to the funeral home: The parlor will typically take care of moving the remains from a hospital, nursing facility or other location to begin preparing it for the service. Funeral homes may also obtain city licenses and death certificates from hospitals on your behalf. The average cost of transfer starts at $300.

Embalming: This practice uses a formaldehyde-based liquid to temporarily preserve the remains for viewing during an open-casket funeral. The liquid also serves to kill any bacteria. The average cost of the embalming process is $400.

Cosmetics: Dressing, preparing the deceased’s hair and applying any makeup is an option that many choose during a wake (particularly for an open-casket service). The average cost of cosmetics is $300.

Casket: Nowadays, funeral homes are required by law to allow the use of a casket that has been purchased through an independent source (such as online). Funeral parlors typically offer a wide array of caskets to choose from; current prices range between $900 and $3,500.

Viewing/Staff services: This expense covers renting the funeral home for the actual wake, as well as the service of the staff. One option is to only rent the funeral home for a day (wake and burial in the same day) or for two days, where the wake is on the first day, and the burial is on the next. The cost for the traditional two-day service is between $1,100 and $2,000, whereas the cost for the one-day option is often half that.

Transfer charges/ Hearse: A funeral home can take care of moving the remains from the parlor to the burial site. A hearse, which requires the presence of two licensed drivers, needs to be rented for at least three hours on the funeral day. The average cost for the hearse rental is $350.

Other options: Funeral parlors can provide additional services such as printing a memorial, renting a car/van and presenting light refreshments. All these services cost an additional fee of a few hundred dollars (depending on the number attending and length of service).

Approach planning a funeral as simply as you can; create lists and timelines. Most importantly, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Whether you’re relying on a funeral home or friends and family, you don’t have to face this alone.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 at 6:23 pm and is filed under Planning a funeral. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.