The Cost of Dying
Introduction
As with everything today, the cost of dying is also increasing. That final journey can be tough on those left behind – not just emotionally and personally, but also financially.
How is a Funeral costed?
I got this from Consumer 23 September 2023. It gave a rundown of the basic costs of a funeral. The Funeral Directors Association of NZ said that the average cost in NZ for a funeral is $10,000.
And this isn’t all the costs. There are additional costs:
So we can see how quickly the cost could reach $10,000. But what’s the alternative?
DIY Funerals
There has been more talk about DIY funerals. And for some people this is an option. But for the vast majority of people the thought of dealing with a dead person is way down on their bucket list.
It’s not just the financial costs to consider. There is also the emotional costs, the stress dealing with something that can seem quite complicated with the paperwork and making sure the right boxes are ticked.
I have spoken about DIY funerals before and have been more than happy to discuss with people what’s involved and the things to think about. Hopefully well before needing to do anything.
Professional Fees
You may have noticed the professional fees ranging from anywhere between $3000 to $6000. This fee is very much at the discretion of the funeral directors. It is considered similar to fees charged by Lawyers, Accountants, Doctors, Architects, etc for their professional expertise.
Although to be fair the professionals usually have one or two university degrees and has an industry standard to pass as well. Anyone could be a funeral director. There is no degree or industry standard that is needed. The majority of the expertise would be with embalming. Everything else would be similar to say running a restaurant or events centre. Ensuring things like health and safety are followed and the event runs smoothly.
One of the reasons costs have increased is because Funeral homes decided to build their own chapels. In the past it was usually the church where all funerals took place. Of course, church is not something many people have an association with today. Although perhaps after the funeral, their views may change.
Building a chapel and increasing capacity adds costs. Having extra services need to be used – otherwise what’s the point of having them? So their quest to take over everything regarding a funeral has helped to increase these costs. Especially for those who just want the basics.
Other Costs
Just like any business they have increased costs. For example cremation costs alone have risen over over 60% in a few years. Imagine an expense in your business rising that much in only a few years. Along with this are fuel costs, rates – basically most things.
Funeral Homes can’t be expected to carry these increases because it will jeopardise their business. And if all the funeral homes went bust, that would leave a tricky gap in the community. The black humour in me immediately thinks of Monty Python’s “Bring out your dead” scene. Maybe it’s time to have a rethink in how we do funerals.
Conclusion
Costs are increasing everywhere and I don’t think politicians can do much about it – regardless of what they say. In the meantime it doesn’t help dealing with one of the certainties of life, namely death.
Having certainty of costs does help. I had someone visit me a few days ago who discovered the initial estimate of a planned funeral with a local home had almost doubled to $10,000. She wanted to do the right thing by the person and the family, but the cost was overwhelming.
So I was happy to provide a set price that was less than the initial price they were given. Also telling them that there wouldn’t be any additions to that price gave her certainty and allowed her to focus on the event, rather than the cost.
Do not let the cost of saying goodbye add to your grief.