Funeral Loans: What a Funeral Costs and What to Check Before You Borrow
Someone you love has died, a funeral home is waiting on decisions, and the number on the arrangement sheet is more than you have. You may be thinking about a loan. Before you sign anything, spend an hour on the steps below. Federal rules give you more control over the price than most families realize, and several benefit programs pay part of the bill if you ask.
Key takeaways
- Under the FTC Funeral Rule, the funeral home must give you an itemized General Price List and let you buy only the items you want.
- NFDA's 2023 study put the national median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial at $8,300, and $6,280 with viewing and cremation, before cemetery costs.
- Veterans' families, surviving spouses and families of crime victims may qualify for payments that cover part of the cost.
- You are generally not responsible for the person's own debts unless you co-signed or another exception applies.
- If you still need to borrow, compare a fixed-rate personal loan's total cost before you commit.
This page is part of our guide to financing by need, which covers the main ways people pay for large one-time costs.
How much does a funeral cost?
The National Funeral Directors Association surveys member funeral homes on their prices. Its 2023 General Price List study found:
- The median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was $8,300, up from $7,848 two years earlier.
- The median cost of a funeral with viewing and cremation was $6,280, up from $5,810.
Those medians include the basic services fee, transfer of the body, embalming and preparation, use of facilities and staff for a viewing and ceremony, and printed materials. NFDA states that they do not include a cemetery plot, a monument or marker, or cash-advance items such as flowers and an obituary. A burial can therefore cost noticeably more than $8,300 once the cemetery bills you.
The FTC's pricing checklist adds a useful anchor for one big line item: it says an average casket costs slightly more than $2,000, and some mahogany, bronze or copper caskets sell for as much as $10,000.
What does the FTC Funeral Rule let you do?
The Funeral Rule is a federal regulation the FTC enforces. It applies to funeral homes, not to third-party casket sellers or cemeteries without an on-site funeral home. According to the FTC, it gives you the right to:
| Your right under the Funeral Rule | How it lowers what you pay |
|---|---|
| Get prices by phone, without giving your name first | Call three homes and compare before you visit any |
| Receive a written, itemized General Price List to keep | You see every fee, not a package total |
| See the casket price list before you see the caskets | You can ask about lower-priced models not on display |
| Buy only the goods and services you choose | You do not have to accept a package with items you do not want |
| Supply a casket or urn bought elsewhere, with no handling fee | Online and local casket sellers compete on price |
| Use an alternative container for cremation | No state or local law requires a casket for cremation |
| Decline embalming in most cases | The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death |
| Get a written statement of what you chose before you pay | You can check every line before signing |
The FTC also describes the two lower-cost formats. Direct cremation happens shortly after death without embalming or a viewing. Direct burial is burial shortly after death in a simple container, with no viewing. The FTC says both usually cost less than a traditional full-service funeral. You can still hold a memorial service afterward, at a place of worship, a park or a home.
Before you sign: ask for the General Price List and the written statement, and compare them line by line. The Funeral Rule requires a funeral home to give prices by phone and a written price list. If one will not, consider going elsewhere, and you can report the problem to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Which benefits can pay part of the bill?
Check each of these before you borrow. They do not cover a full funeral, but they reduce the amount you would finance.
Veterans burial allowance. The VA pays burial and plot allowances when the person paying is not reimbursed elsewhere and the veteran meets one of several conditions, such as a service-connected death or receiving VA pension or compensation at death. VA's table, last updated December 15, 2025, lists:
- For a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001: up to $2,000.
- For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2025: a $1,002 burial allowance and $1,002 for a plot.
- A headstone or marker allowance of up to $441 for deaths on or after October 1, 2025.
For non-service-connected deaths, you generally must file within 2 years after the burial, with exceptions. VA also says that when it receives notice of the veteran's death, it automatically pays a set amount to eligible surviving spouses to help with the plot, interment or transportation.
Social Security lump-sum death payment. SSA says a surviving spouse might get a one-time payment of $255, and if there is no spouse, some children may be eligible. It is small, but it is money you do not repay.
Crime victim compensation. If the death resulted from a crime, every state runs a victim compensation program. The Office for Victims of Crime says these programs reimburse crime-related expenses including funeral and burial costs.
The estate. Funeral expenses are often paid from the person's own money. The CFPB explains that a person's debts are paid from their estate, and that survivors, including spouses, are not responsible for those debts unless they co-signed, held a joint account, or fall within another exception such as certain state laws for spouses. So do not borrow to pay the person's credit cards or medical bills because a collector called.
Should you crowdfund a funeral?
Many families raise money from friends, coworkers and a congregation, either through an online fundraising page or a collection at the service. It costs nothing to repay, and it stacks with every benefit above. Two practical points: ask the funeral home directly when payment is due and whether it will wait for donations to arrive, and keep the money in a separate account so you can show exactly where it went.
When does a funeral loan make sense?
A loan makes sense when you have already itemized the arrangements, claimed every benefit you qualify for, and still face a gap you cannot cover from the estate or family. At that point a fixed-rate unsecured personal loan gives you one predictable payment and a fixed end date, with no deferred interest that can be charged back later.
To see what borrowing the median amounts would cost, here are illustrative payments using the Federal Reserve's average commercial bank rate for 24-month personal loans, 11.86% APR for the second quarter of 2026 (G.19 release, September 8, 2026). Your own rate depends on your credit, income and the lender, and may be higher or lower.
| Amount borrowed | Term | Monthly payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| $6,280 (median cremation with viewing) | 36 months | $208.17 | $1,214.12 |
| $8,300 (median burial with viewing) | 24 months | $390.17 | $1,064.08 |
| $8,300 (median burial with viewing) | 36 months | $275.12 | $1,604.32 |
Notice that cutting the amount borrowed matters more than the term. Every $1,000 removed through itemizing or a benefit is $1,000 plus interest you never pay. Run your own numbers with the personal loan payment calculator, and if your gap is around that size, our page on a $5,000 personal loan explains what lenders look at.
Representative example. For a $5,000 loan at a 10% APR over 36 months, the monthly repayment would be $161.34. Over the term, the total repayment would amount to $5,808.24, with $808.24 in interest. The loan terms range from 6 months to 12 years, with APRs between 5.99% and 35.99%. The exact rate you receive depends on factors like your creditworthiness, loan size, and repayment schedule. Better rates are typically offered to those with excellent credit.
No lender can promise approval. If your income comes from benefits rather than a paycheck, read personal loans on disability income or personal loans for retirees for how lenders count that income.
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What to do next
- Call at least two funeral homes and ask for prices by phone. Ask specifically about direct cremation and direct burial.
- Get the General Price List in writing and build the arrangement from it, item by item.
- Claim the VA allowance, the SSA payment and any crime victim compensation that applies.
- Find out what the estate can pay, and do not take on the person's debts unless you are legally responsible.
- Borrow only the remaining gap, and compare total cost, not just the monthly payment.
Frequently asked questions
Does the funeral home have to give me prices over the phone?
Yes. The FTC says funeral directors must give you price information by phone if you ask, and you do not have to give your name, address or phone number first.
Can a funeral home make me buy a package?
No. Under the Funeral Rule you can buy goods and services separately and decline a package that includes items you do not want. A home can still charge its non-declinable basic services fee.
Is embalming required by law?
The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death. Some states require embalming or refrigeration if burial or cremation does not happen within a set time, and many homes require it for a public viewing.
How much does the VA pay toward a veteran's funeral?
For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2025, VA lists a $1,002 burial allowance and $1,002 for a plot. For a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the maximum burial allowance is $2,000. Eligibility rules apply.
Do I have to pay my parent's debts after the funeral?
Generally no. The CFPB says debts are paid from the estate, and survivors are not personally responsible unless they co-signed, held a joint account, or a state-law exception applies.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, "The FTC Funeral Rule," accessed October 1, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, "Funeral Costs and Pricing Checklist," accessed October 1, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, "Types of Funerals," accessed October 1, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, "Shopping for Funeral Services by Phone or Online," accessed October 1, 2026.
- National Funeral Directors Association, 2023 Member General Price List Study, as republished by the Montana Funeral Directors Association, accessed October 1, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, "Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits," last updated December 15, 2025, accessed October 1, 2026.
- Social Security Administration, "What you could get from Survivor benefits" and "What to do when someone dies," accessed October 1, 2026.
- Office for Victims of Crime, "Victim Compensation," accessed October 1, 2026.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "Does a person's debt go away when they die?," accessed October 1, 2026.
- Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Credit G.19, release of September 8, 2026, accessed October 1, 2026.
- National Funeral Directors Association (republished by the Montana Funeral Directors Association in Directors Digest), “2023 NFDA General Price List Study Shows Inflation Increasing Faster Than the Cost of a Funeral”
- Social Security Administration, “What to do when someone dies”
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “Does a person's debt go away when they die?”
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, “Consumer Credit, G.19 (release of September 8, 2026)”
Loans Generator is not a loan provider or broker. We connect users with lending partners who may offer loans. Submitting a connection request on our site does not count as a loan application. To receive an actual loan offer, you must apply directly with a lender. We cannot guarantee loan approval or the terms shown on our website. Always review the loan agreement carefully before proceeding. Benefit amounts, rules and rates cited here were checked on October 1, 2026 and change without notice. Availability and terms vary by lender and by state. This page is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice.