Choosing a Funeral Home-Part 4
Email Video | Report A Problem

Currently, your preferred video player is Flash. To change your preferred player to QuickTime Player, click here.

Tags:

Choosing a Funeral Home-Part 4 by Dr. R.E. Markin
Funeral Help Program
Back To SpecialTopics | All By Dr. R.E. Markin | View Text Article

Choosing a Funeral Home-Part 4- OTHER Goods & Services

This is where the casket comes in, which can account for as much as HALF the total funeral cost. Don't be surprised if you mention this, and have the funeral director or one of his minions break out a nice, laminated copy of a front-page article run in USA Today newspaper, which shows one of their famous pie charts indicating the casket only accounts for 14% of funeral costs. During the research phase, we must have seen this same article dozens of times, before we got in touch with the newspaper for details. The article was published in 1972! Obviously things have changed radically since then, including the average mark-up on caskets ballooning up to 300-1400% in funeral homes. Buy your casket from an independent dealer and save half or more on this item. See the next section on CASKETS to learn all you'll need to know to make an informed choice on this.

Also included under this heading are:

 Outer Burial Containers --- $250 - $15,000 Cremation Urns --- $100 - $3,500 Cremation Containers --- $65 - $650 Clothing --- $75 - $250 (note: each year it is reported that funeral homes sell over $1 million in SHOES! Just because an item can't be seen doesn't mean money can't be made from its sale.) Grave Marker (permanent) --- $750 - UP (average is $1,300) Grave Marker (temporary) --- $15 - $125 Acknowledgement Cards (packs of 25) --- $10 - $50 Memorial Folders (100 or portion thereof) --- $25 - up Visitors Register --- $35 - up Combination Tray (for shipping remains that are not casketed) --- $75 - $250 Air Tray (for shipping remains via airlines) --- $65 - $300

 Assignment of Life Insurance Benefits--- If the funeral home accepts assignments of all or a portion of the deceased's life insurance benefits, they often charge a percentage in return for waiting for their money. The national average is 3% of value of policy or an ongoing fee of 1.5% per month, which would mean $150-$250 on a $5,000 policy, in addition to standard interest on any unpaid balance which has an industry standard of 12% annually, compounded monthly.

Cash Advance Items

Some items will be estimated in writing at the time of your arrangement visit. These include, but are not limited to the following, some of which you might want to provide on your own at a much more favorable price.

 Death Certificates --- $8 - $10 each, typically higher for the first copy and reduced on additional copies. Do not attempt to save money by skimping on these, though you can order them yourself from your vital statistics office, because you'll need numerous copies in the future and all must have the raised seal to be accepted. Obituary Notices --- With picture, $75-$350, Without picture $75 - $250, many papers charge by the line, and you can likely save by filing these yourself. Death Notices --- Different from an Obituary in that only the basic information is included and often these are free from the newspaper. Police Escorts --- Free to $100 each for coordination fees. Flowers --- The funeral home likely gets a discount from florists, yet still charges more than they would if sold directly to the family. A nice casket spray or bier, plus two arrangements for either end or behind casket can easily run $450 - $750 and up Minister's Gratuity --- You can speak with the minister involved and handle this yourself, usually at both a savings and with the assurance that the minister receives ALL the gratuity. Organist and/or Choir or Solo Artist for Funeral Ceremony --- Varies widely, ask your minister for availability of individuals for this.

Automotive, Equipment and Other Charges

There's a wide range of things that fall under the 'other' categories in each section of charges. The most common of these are as listed below, along with average fees for each.

 Removal and Transfer of Remains to Funeral Home .... $100-$250 Use of Funeral Coach and Driver for Local Transport ... $100-$200 plus mileage Limousine/Family Car ....... $100-$250 Flower Van and Driver ..... $75 - $200 (often per trip, as in from funeral home to church, then from church to cemetery would be two charges) Utility Vehicle and Driver .... $75 - $200 (this can also include transportation of the funeral home staff and/or funeral director and can be charged per trip as well) Use of Funeral Coach for local transportation in conjunction with funeral .... $100-$250 Cemetery Tent (during normal business hours) .... Free-$200 Cemetery Tent (outside normal business hours) .... Free - $300 Cemetery Grave Equipment (normal business hours) .... Free - $500  Cemetery Grave Equipment (outside normal business hours) ... Free - $750 Transport of body for autopsy purposes (each way) .... $100 - $250 Transportation of remains to Crematory .... $100 - $250 Pick up of Cremated Remains .... $Free - $150 Transportation of Cremated Remains to Cemetery .... $35 - $175 Transport of Remains from Airport (within 25 miles) ... $100-$250

SUMMARY

By now I'm sure your head is reeling from information overload. This is another good reason to hire a professional, if you're not a member of a memorial society, to both research these items for you and explain your options. The vast array of potential fees and charges is by design, to muddle the decision-making process in much the same way the lawyers we so foolishly elected to pass our laws have muddled the tax code so that only another lawyer can understand it. The Affordable Funeral has tear-out and take-with checklists for all these items and would likely be worth having if for no other reason. Read the next section on caskets closely, as having a rudimentary knowledge of materials and terminology can help save you hundreds, perhaps thousands on this typically-overpriced item. Add to a notebook or create a new notebook