5 Strategies For Paying For An Unexpected Funeral

There are many people who get surprisingly handed the task of paying for a funeral, and if you are like a lot of people in this situation, you will not have the money to pay for the sudden expense up front. Here are five strategies that you may be able to use if you are ever in charge of paying for an unexpected funeral for a loved one.

1. Build a Cost-Efficient Funeral – Being stuck with a funeral bill that may be $7,000 or more can be scary, but if you carefully build a funeral and weigh all options, you could easily cut your costs dramatically. For example, you can save around $695 just by opting out of embalming.

2. Consider State or County Funding Options – Some states actually offer funding for needy families who are struggling to pay funeral expenses. These indigent funeral expense programs vary by state, but will definitely be worth checking out. Some states may offer nothing, but some, such as North Dakota, have some counties that offer $3,000 or more.

3. Research Scientific Study Programs in Your Area – If you have a medical science institution or college in your state, you may be able to get your loved ones remains handled for free, which usually involves cremation. Even though you may have to wait a bit to obtain your loved ones cremated remains, this option can be a viable choice if your family member was passionate about science or if you have no other options for a traditional service and burial.

4. Create a Crowdfunding Page Online – Crowdfunding websites are used for everything from paying medical expenses to helping families raise money for a new home, and funeral expenses are not left out. Creating a crowdfunding page is simple to do, and with enough promotion, you could spread the word and collect quite a bit of funding.

5. Talk to Affiliated Churches or Religious Organizations – If your loved one was a member of a church or affiliated with a specific religious organization, you may be able to get some help paying for a funeral by paying these places a visit. It is not uncommon for an individual's church to create fundraising events, take up collections from other members, or even just make donations toward the funeral expenses for members and affiliates.

It may be a difficult situation, but if you are left with planning and paying for a funeral unexpectedly, there are ways you can get through. Talk to a funeral home director for more information and ideas about financing a funeral for your loved one.

For a professional funeral home, contact a facility such as Pritts Funeral Home & Chapel PA.