📋 Smart Ways to Help You Pay for the Cost of a Funeral (AARP Article)

[Winter2025VA]

FROM THE ARTICLE - SEE ARTICLE FOR MORE!!!

Smart Ways to Cover the Costs of a Funeral.

There are more options than you think.

By Leanne Potts, AARP. Published October 22, 2021.

You probably don’t want to think about it, but at some point you are going to die and someone's going to have to pay for the funeral. With the median cost of a traditional funeral running $7,640, according to the most recent price data from the National Funeral Directors Association, you should plan for it like any other large, looming expense.

You may be thinking, I’ll just set aside money in my will. That works, but it’s not the best way to go. Your survivors won’t be able to get that money until your estate wends its way through probate, which takes from a few months to a year. Since most funeral homes want full payment upfront, your survivors will have to front the costs out of pocket. Here are some alternatives for covering that final bill.

https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/paying-for-cost-of-funeral.html

[Winter2025VA]

This AARP Article may interest you!!!

[Winter2025VA]

[Friday 9/12/25]

I found this article very helpful with "planning" my cremation.

I want to make things as easy as possible for my only child.

Her father died of COVID. Yes, surprise!!!

Anyway, I would encourage everyone to set up as much as they can NOW.

And yes, funeral costs will INCREASE, but IF something is "in place" - this should help to "decrease" the stress with the ADDITIONAL cost.

➡️[*** Stop by to share YOUR thoughts & read what other members have posted.

Luv,

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

[Winter2025VA]

[Thursday 7/24/25]

My daughter & myself will be meeting with someone at the funeral home down the street from me. This will be her 2nd trip to Virginia for my birthday in September. Last visit was also in September - 2019. She lives in Florida.

She was NOT wanting to do this but I told her I worry about her handling my "cremation" ON HER OWN. And being in DIFFERENT STATES adds "stress" to all this.

Anyway, I want to see WHAT needs to be done NOW & what they will do until she can fly to Virginia.

Luv,

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗  (Grief Forum)

[nctarheel]

---

@Winter2025VA wrote:

I just finished reading this very helpful AARP Article. Lol, was at my wits end trying to figure out all this!!!

Any comments? 🤔

👋AARP Article Link👋 

Thanks,

Nicole 💚🤗

---

I did not see the option I chose for the payment of funeral expenses which means the writer of this AARP article did not do enough research.

It seems that many AARP articles lack depth of research and are written by people that are not professionals in the field that they are writing about.

My former employer offered the option of burial insurance if I entered the contract within 90 days of my exit from my old job. It has a premium of $13/month(the price of a hamburger) for as long as I live but provides $10,000 in benefits upon death. I figured that, at $13/mo. or $156/year; that I would have to live 64 years before the break even point. Seemed a cheap option at the time and even cheaper now. And $10,000 still buys you a reasonable funeral.

[BeatleloverKT]

 Very good article. Gave me some things to think about. My husband was cremated and it was not

cheap. The only point I question is they kept 

talking about going thru Probate. Not every 

estate has to go thru Probate. 

[Winter2025VA]

(8/4/23) Dear @BeatleloverKT , I am presuming this happens when the deceased has property? 🤔 I have NO property, so I should be able to skip probate. Now IF my daughter was to die BEFORE me, then I am guessing probate. 😢 She owns her home. Thanks, Nicole  🤗🤗🤗

[*** BEATLELOVERKT wrote: Very good article. Gave me some things to think about. My husband was cremated and it was not

cheap. The only point I question is they kept 

talking about going thru Probate. Not every 

estate has to go thru Probate. ***]

---

[BeatleloverKT]

Not a lawyer but this is what I’ve found. Probate is decided differently state by 

state. It also depends on the value of 

your estate, if you were married and if

you have a will. Even dying isn’t easy

[Winter2025VA]

(8/3/23) At first when I was younger (will be 65 next month), I had made an appointment with a local funeral home and nearly had my 1st heart attack. The price for a simple cremation...😱😱😱

And the prepaid set up, heard such negative things.

So...... I guess it is my Savings Account.

Nicole  🤗🤗🤗

[jonibee]

Join a cremation society or there is a  funeral home here in Ma that claims it has the lowest price for Cremations under $2000.00 and all funeral homes do have price lists. You pick and choose what you want..But everything has a price..Even moving the deceased remains from the home even if it's across the street..We spend more time in buying a car and checking the best price than we do in making the arrangements for a loved one final expenses..Shop around while you have the time to plan.

[BeatleloverKT]

Good info. Nothing is cheap in NJ….