Funeral services: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What funeral services is

A funeral home arranges the care of the person who has died, the service or the burial or cremation, the paperwork and the transport. The staff guide the family through each decision, so the family can focus on saying goodbye.

Signs you need it

  • A family member has died and the family needs help with arrangements right away
  • The family must choose between burial and cremation and needs guidance on the options
  • The family needs help with the paperwork, the transport and the timing of the service
  • The family wants a service at a funeral home, a place of worship or a cemetery
  • The family needs someone to handle the details while they grieve

What the pro does

  • Meets the family to learn the wishes of the person who died and the family's needs
  • Arranges the care of the person who has died, including transport
  • Explains the options for the service, the burial or the cremation, and the costs in writing
  • Helps the family complete the required paperwork and file it with the right offices
  • Coordinates the time and place of the service and any visitation
  • Arranges the final disposition, such as burial or cremation, and any memorial items

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Type of service, such as a traditional funeral, a memorial or a direct cremation
  • Burial or cremation choices, including the casket, urn or cemetery plot
  • Transport distance and the number of trips needed
  • Visitation hours, viewing and any music, flowers or printed materials
  • Number of guests and the venue for the service
  • Paperwork and permits required for the chosen disposition

What a written quote should spell out

  • Each service and item the family chooses, listed separately
  • Transport, care and preparation of the person who has died
  • Paperwork, permits and any third party fees passed through
  • Burial or cremation charges, including cemetery or crematory fees
  • What the family must pay now and what can be paid later, in writing

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Can you give me an itemized price list, and do I have to buy a package?
  • What paperwork must we complete, and who files it?
  • What are the licensing credentials of the director and the funeral home?
  • How do you handle transport if we are in a different location?
  • What are the options for burial and cremation, and what does each include?
  • What third party fees will be passed through, and how are they listed?

Red flags

  • Pressures the family to buy a package or add services right away
  • Will not give an itemized price list in writing
  • Cannot show the licensing status of the funeral home or its director
  • Makes a decision for the family without explaining the options
  • Asks for payment before the family has seen the contract

What you can do yourself

A family can gather photos, pick clothing, write an obituary, make a list of people to notify and choose music for the service. Do not try to transport or prepare the person who has died yourselves, and do not file the death paperwork on your own unless the funeral home or the local office tells you to. Hire a funeral home for the care, transport, paperwork and the service itself.

Licenses and permits

Funeral homes and funeral directors are commonly licensed, and burial and cremation commonly require permits and authorizations. Check the licensing status of the funeral home and its director with the state licensing agency, and ask the local office that issues permits which ones apply to your arrangements.

Funeral services questions

Do I have to buy a casket?

Not necessarily, and it depends on the kind of service. Ask the funeral home for its general price list and ask about alternatives. Ask which container options the funeral home offers for burial and for cremation, and confirm what is included in each.

How soon do we need to decide?

Usually not right away. Ask the funeral home what must be decided now and what can wait, and confirm the timing for the service and any transport.

What should we ask about the paperwork?

Ask which documents you must provide, who files them, how many certified copies you need and how long each step takes.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More events and rentals guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request funeral services