This is a question most people put off asking until they have to. But the hard, cold reality is that we all will have to think about paying for a funeral one day. Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy way to answer this question. But let me try and break it down for you.

Currently the average funeral in the United States costs just under $8000. That’s the average. Many costs upwards of $10,000 and some educated buyers can get their costs significantly lower.

Cremations can be much cheaper, but depending on where you go, they can run over $4000.

Here’s an itemized list of common costs:

• casket: $2,400
• headstone $1,300
• funeral director fee: $1,500
• embalming and preparing the body: $5-600
• funeral ceremony: $450
• transporting the body): $650
• viewing ceremony: $4-500
• miscellaneous costs for the service: $500-$600
• burial site: $1200-$1400
• grave digging: $500
• cremation of the body: $500-600
• cremation urn: $200