January 2022

Page A19 JANUARY 2022 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A Easiest to Use  Flexible System  Unbeatable Value & Cost  In The Cloud & On Mobile  Management Software for Funeral • Crematory • Pets • Trade “Halcyon is straight forward, very intuitive, and easy to use ... I could not imagine running our busy business and serving our families without it.”  – Larry Calcaterra, Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons, Inc. SCHEDULE A FREE DEMO TODAY HALCYONDCMS.COM • (770) 877-1158 ©2021 MKJ Marketing BROOKFIELD,WI— While the prices for many goods and services are increasing rapidly, the cost of a funeral is not grow- ing as fast as the rate of inflation. Accord- ing to the 2021 National Funeral Direc- tors Association (NFDA) Member General Price List Study, the median cost of a fu- neral has increased only 6.6% over the past five years to $7,848 and the median cost of a funeral with cremation has in- creased 11.3% over the past five years to $6,970. The overall rate of inflation was 13.98% for the same period. “Funeral homes offer a wide variety of options to meet financial needs and wish- es. The primary role of funeral directors remains helping families understand the many options available to help them in or- der to commemorate the life of their loved one in meaningful way,” said NFDA Re- search Manager Deana Gillespie . “Every funeral home offers a unique services and pricing structure. Families should look for a funeral home that has a strong reputa- tion with licensed funeral directors who understand their emotional needs and will be sensitive to their budget.” National Median Cost of an Adult Funeral with Viewing and Burial Since the 1960s, NFDA has calculated the national median cost of a funeral with burial by totaling the cost of the following items: basic services fee, removal/transfer of remains to funeral home, embalming and other preparation of the body (cas- keting, cosmetology, dressing and groom- ing), a metal casket, use of facilities and staff for viewing and funeral ceremony, use of a hearse, use of a service car/van, and a basic memorial printed package (e.g., memorial cards, register book, etc.). The cost does not take into account cem- etery, monument or marker costs or mis- cellaneous cash-advance charges, such as for flowers or an obituary. 2021 NFDA General Price List Study Shows Funeral Costs Not Rising as Fast as Rate of Inflation Item 2021 2016 % Change Nondeclinable basic services fee $2,300 $2,100 9.5% Removal/transfer of remains to funeral home $350 $325 7.7% Embalming $775 $725 6.9% Other preparation of the body $275 $250 10.0% Use of facilities/staff for viewing $450 $425 5.9% Use of facilities/staff for funeral ceremony $515 $500 3.0% Hearse $350 $325 7.7% Service car/van $150 $150 0.0% Printed materials (basic memorial package) $183 $160 14.1% Metal burial casket $2,500 $2,400 4.2% Median Cost of a Funeral with Viewing and Burial $7,848 $7,360 7.8% Vault $1,572 $1,395 12.7% Total with vault $9, 420 $8,775 7.6% Continued on page A20