Choice Mutual
By Anthony Martin
Updated September 8th, 2025
Planning your own funeral is an incredible act of love. If you don’t design and document your final wishes, your family will have to do so while mourning your death.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Planning your own funeral takes the guesswork out of loved ones who will handle the tasks in your absence.
- There are many factors and details of the funeral planning process, primarily the method of burial, type of service, associated costs, and having a will in place to honor your wishes.
- Funeral costs — including viewing, service, burial, and burial vault — can range from $2,000 to $10,000, with the national average being $9,995.
- Prepaid burial plans and final expense insurance can help cover funeral costs and other unforeseen expenses that would otherwise become debt for surviving loved ones.
Planning your own funeral and memorial service probably isn’t your idea of a fun way to spend a weekend. Most people don’t do it, leaving the deceased’s closest surviving family members to handle these morbid tasks.
The usual way of doing things makes sense when someone young dies suddenly and unexpectedly. But one of the only things worse for your survivors than losing you is having to decide what to do with your body, how to honor your life, and how to pay for it—during some of the most difficult moments in their lives.
It takes courage to confront your death, so we commend you if you’re thinking about making your own final arrangements. Most importantly, your loved ones may be relieved to know that they’re carrying out your wishes and not guessing what you would have wanted.
