Comparing Funeral, Burial and Cremation Options

This list of items can be helpful when comparing costs of the various services offered by different providers and different types of providers.

Simple Disposition of the Remains:

• Immediate burial
• Immediate cremation
• If the cremation is extra, how much is it?
• Donate the body to medical school or hospital

Traditional, Full-service Burial or Cremation:

• Basic services fee for the funeral director & staff
• Pickup of body
• Embalming
• Other preparation of body
• Casket Options
• Description, including model number
• Least expensive option including model number
• Outer Burial Container (vault)
  • Description
• Visitation or viewing - staff and facilities
• Funeral or memorial service - staff and facilities
• Graveside service - staff and equipment
• Hearse
• Other vehicles

• Forwarding body to another funeral home
• Receiving body from another funeral home

• Cost of lot or crypt (if one is not already owned)
• Perpetual care
• Opening and closing the grave or crypt
• Grave liner, if required
• Marker or monument, headstone or gravestone (including setup)

Guide to Compare Funeral/Burial/Cremation Options
This information has also be organized into a printable pdf file, Guide to Compare Funeral/Burial/Cremation Options. Print out several copies to use when contacting different providers on the phone or in person to see how the costs and the services compare.

Source:
Federal Trade Commission. Funerals: A Consumer Guide. 2000. 28 October 2006. <http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/services/funeral.htm>
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This table below can be useful for comparing costs.

Comparing Funeral, Burial and Cremation Options