The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

Average Funeral and Cremation Costs Today: Updated Price Guide and Ways to Compare

Average Funeral and Cremation Costs Today: Updated Price Guide and Ways to Compare

Hearing funeral costs for the first time can feel overwhelming. One funeral home may quote a packaged service while another provides a long, itemized sheet. Articles online reference the average...

How to Plan a Pet Funeral or Memorial: Ceremonies, Costs, and Comforting Rituals

How to Plan a Pet Funeral or Memorial: Ceremonies, Costs, and Comforting Rituals

In many homes, pets are family, and when a dog, cat, or other companion passes away, the idea of simply dropping them off at a clinic without a chance to...

Funeral Costs Broken Down: What You’re Paying For and How to Compare Price Lists

Funeral Costs Broken Down: What You’re Paying For and How to Compare Price Lists

Funeral planning often comes with unexpected financial decisions. Sitting at a funeral home table, reviewing a stack of papers, you may suddenly find yourself facing line items you’ve never seen...

Social Security and Death: Survivor Benefits, One-Time Payments, and What to Report

Social Security and Death: Survivor Benefits, One-Time Payments, and What to Report

The days following the loss of a loved one can feel disorienting and emotionally heavy. Families often find themselves juggling numerous responsibilities at once, arranging a service, coordinating with a...

How Much Does a Funeral Cost?

How Much Does a Funeral Cost?

When you first ask, “How much does a funeral cost?” it rarely feels like a simple budgeting question. This question often arises while you are processing loss, coordinating travel, speaking...

How to Choose a Funeral Home: Questions to Ask, Red Flags, and Comparing Local Options

How to Choose a Funeral Home: Questions to Ask, Red Flags, and Comparing Local Options

The moment you realize you need to start choosing a funeral home rarely comes with a clear head. It might be late at night after a sudden loss, or in...

Casket Choices Explained: Materials, Features, Rental Options, and Saving on Costs

Casket Choices Explained: Materials, Features, Rental Options, and Saving on Costs

When you first sit down to make casket choices, it can feel like you are being asked to make an enormous decision in a very small window of time. A...

How to Choose a Funeral Home

How to Choose a Funeral Home

When someone dies, the first hours can feel unreal. You may be trying to call relatives, looking for a favorite photo, or simply staring at a wall, unsure what to...

Social Security Benefits After a Death

Social Security Benefits After a Death

Losing someone you love is one of life’s most difficult and emotionally draining experiences. Amid grief, funeral planning, and the day-to-day reality of loss, practical details can feel overwhelming—notifying agencies,...

Planning a Funeral on a Budget: Honoring a Life Without Overspending

Planning a Funeral on a Budget: Honoring a Life Without Overspending

For most families, funeral planning doesn’t start with numbers; it starts with shock, love, and a deep urge to “do right” by the person or pet they’ve lost. Then, very...

Preplanning a Funeral: Benefits, Costs, and Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Preplanning a Funeral: Benefits, Costs, and Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Thinking about your own funeral is not easy. But for many people, preplanning a funeral is less about focusing on death and more about giving a practical, lasting gift to...

Life Insurance and Funeral Costs: How Payouts Can Help and What to Watch For

Life Insurance and Funeral Costs: How Payouts Can Help and What to Watch For

When someone dies, two hard realities often arrive at the same time: grief, and bills. Families are suddenly trying to make decisions about funeral arrangements, cremation services, travel, and memorial...

How Much Does a Funeral Cost? Complete Funeral Price Breakdown and Ways to Save

How Much Does a Funeral Cost? Complete Funeral Price Breakdown and Ways to Save

When someone dies, the question how much does a funeral cost often arrives right alongside shock and grief. It can feel jarring to talk about money when what you really...