A Funeral and its associated products, services and events can be costly, no matter one's financial situation.

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost for a Funeral with Viewing and Burial in 2019 was $7,640.

Therefore, before purchasing anything, it's best to first determine what benefits may be available to a surviving family to help pay for Funeral products and services.

Possible Benefits Available

• If the deceased had a Life Insurance policy, then Beneficiaries should file a claim for their death benefit


• If the death was an accident, and the deceased had an accidental death benefit as part of their Life Insurance policy, then benefits may be available


• If the deceased had been paying into Social Security, then the surviving family may be entitled to benefits, including a lump-sum payment of $255


• While many Pensions may end at death, some private and government offered pensions may provide ongoing payments to a surviving family


• If the deceased was a veteran, then their surviving family may be eligible to benefits from a few different programs


• If the deceased was working at the time of death, contact their employer to collect any final wages, vacation, or sick time payments still available


• If the deceased had been receiving workers compensation, or if the death was due to a work-related injury or illness, benefits may be available


• If the deceased received disability benefits from the state, contact the applicable state agency for possible benefits


• If the deceased was an employee of the federal government agency, contact that agency for more information


• If the deceased was part of a union (teacher, trade, etc) then report the death for more information


• If the deceased received public assistance, contact a local state or county social services agency for more information about possible Funeral assistance


• Some health insurance policies may reimburse funeral expenses