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Any death, regardless of circumstances, uproots the lives of those closest to us. People are thrown into planning mode, weighing costs, making calls and ironing out logistics. All the while, they are faced with managing the grief that accompanies loss.

Worrying about the funeral expense brings added stress to those left behind. Dealing with loss is difficult enough - without a stack of bills on top.

It’s one thing to plan for how a celebration of your life should represent you. It’s another to ensure that celebration will impact your family financially.

Proper financial planning for a funeral can give you peace of mind now - and provide peace of mind for your family in the event of your passing.

Why funeral planning matters

Funerals are intended to be a representation of the life someone lived. It’s a chance to both mourn and celebrate the life of a loved one.

In the best cases, with forethought and planning, a funeral is an expression of you, planned by you. In the case of a more abrupt death, you may not have had the opportunity to properly plan how you want your funeral to be.

In either case, financial planning is a must.

To determine how much a funeral will cost, you need to look at the individual components of funeral planning. Not all expenses are necessary, depending on the type of funeral you wish to have.

How much does a funeral cost in the United States?

The costs of a funeral can vary greatly, depending on the route you choose to take.

A funeral could be as inexpensive as $2,000 - or $20,000USD. A host of factors contribute to the cost of a funeral. But, it’s fair to say the typical funeral falls in the $7,000 $12,000USD range.

These are the elements of a funeral that make up the cost. The following items are rough approximations and do vary by region and case:

• Death certificate and registration ($25USD)
• Casket or shroud ($0 - $6,000USD)
• Urn, in the event of cremation ($50 - $400USD)
• Funeral home service fees ($2,000USD)
• Funeral ceremony ($2,000 - $4,000USD)
• Staff for viewing and service ($1,000USD)
• Funeral ceremony extras (Musical accompaniment, printed materials, etc… $100USD +)
• Flowers and adornments ($50 - $500USD)
• Burial plots ($1,000-$4,000USD)
• Headstone or grave marker ($1,000-$5,000USD)
• Burial service ($1,000USD)
• Cremation fees ($500 - $1,000USD)
• Post-funeral reception ($0 - $1,000USD, depending on if food will be served or how many people are expected to attend)

How much does a funeral cost in Canada?

Again, costs can vary widely by the type of funeral you have. The city in which a funeral is held can also have a lot to do with costs. In larger hubs, costs can easily increase.

In Canada, funeral costs are similar to those in the United States. The average funeral costs anywhere from $7,000 to $12,000CAD.

The following items are rough approximations and do vary by region and case:

• Death certificate and registration ($50 - $100CAD total)
• Transportation of the body ($100CAD and up)
• Casket or shroud ($0 - $3,000CAD)
• Urn, in the event of cremation ($50 - $400CAD)
• Funeral home services, such as embalming and preparing the body ($500 - $700CAD)
• Funeral ceremony ($2,000 - $4,000CAD)
• Funeral ceremony extras (Musical accompaniment, printed materials, etc… $100CAD +)
• Flowers and adornments ($50 - $500CAD)
• Burial plots ($2,800CAD)
• Headstone or grave marker ($250 - $2,000CAD)
• Burial service ($1,000CAD)
• Cremation fees ($500 - $1,000CAD)
• Post-funeral reception ($0 - $1,000CAD, depending on if food will be served or how many people are expected to attend)

Cremation vs. burial vs. green burial

Planning for what will become of your body after death is one of the most important decisions you can make in the planning process. It is also the biggest factor for differentiating costs.

Opting for cremation means there is no need for a casket or preparing the body. This can greatly lower costs, but there are still fees associated with cremation. For example, you might still want a funeral service - or you may even still want a cemetery plot where family members can visit. All of these factors are entirely dependent on what you, or your family, choose.

In the case of a burial, there will be fees associated with your burial vessel, like a casket. There are also costs associated with buying a cemetery plot, grave marker and holding a burial service.

Green burials are relatively new concepts. They aren’t as widely available and it isn’t as easy to find an authorized provider. In these cases, the body is not prepared with any synthetic chemicals and is buried directly in the earth - without a casket. There are also no grave markers or plots available for visitation. Green burial sites include a communal memorial to reduce waste and prevent damage to the ecosystem in the area. Green burials are lower cost than traditional ones, by roughly half. Of course, factors such as holding a visitation in advance will add to overall costs.

There is no right choice. There is only the choice that strikes the right balance of personal value and financial sense for you and your loved ones. That’s why financial preparedness is crucial. It offers you choice.

Funeral planning essentials

Talking about death, even if it isn’t looming on the horizon, is difficult. You may be met with resistance if you approach family or close friends with your vision for your funeral.

Still, it’s important to be clear and firm about what you really want.

When thinking ahead to your future, it’s best to create a detailed document of the elements you want for your funeral. In their grief, your family may be tempted to give you the “best of the best” send-off, which may not be financially viable or in your intended interest.

Be clear about things like the following:

• Will you be cremated or buried?
• Do you want a closed or open casket?
• Do you have a specific place you’d like to be buried? Or a preferred artist for crafting a unique urn?
• Do you want visitation, or just a funeral service?
• Do you want flowers, or donations made in lieu of flowers? If so, where?
• Do you have specific readings or music you’d like shared at your funeral?

Don’t rely on life insurance policies alone

Life insurance is designed to help families shoulder financial burdens in the event someone passes away.

It can help alleviate the cost of funeral planning, but it may not be the most reliable way to ensure funds will be in place when you or a loved one dies. The average life insurance claim can take a month or two to process. That timeline could lengthen if there is an investigation into the claim.

Funeral arrangements need to be made sooner - and paid for sooner. Depending on your financial situation, the $7,000-$12,000 it typically takes to plan a funeral may not be on hand.

Having funeral insurance or final expense insurance is the only way to guarantee funds will be available in time to plan and pull off the funeral you envisioned.

Having a final expense funeral plan in place

Assurant offers two insurance-funded, interest-earning products — Preneed Funeral Insurance and Final Expense Insurance — that help you pre plan and finance your funeral to varying degrees. Both help ensure your wishes are honored without burdening your loved ones emotionally and financially during their time of grief.

With Funeral Insurance, you’re empowered to decide exactly how and where you’d like your end of life to be honored. From the style of service to the casket, you get to choose the details ahead of time. That way, your loved ones don’t need to make these decisions for you and finances will already be planned for according to what you want.

With an Assurant Final Expense Policy, you work with a licensed agent to create an end-of-life plan. It outlines your wishes, but leaves specific details to your loved ones.

Working with a professional can help you refine your vision for your end-of-life plan. Together, you can balance needs and costs to come to the right solution for you and your budget. You get to have the final say on the value of your policy.

Funeral planning can be intimidating, or even emotionally exhausting. But, having a clear idea of your vision and a defined budget - with the insurance plan to to support it - can give you and your family peace of mind.