Mother's Funeral Cost?

I know a retired attorney who made a really good living representing funeral homes. The only fraud bigger than them is medical billing.
He explained it this way: People are sold an expensive coffin, it looks really pretty at the graveside service, then everybody leaves.
Later, the deceased is moved - to a much-cheaper coffin & the pricey one is put back in the showroom & sold again & again. Well....who's gonna know....it's pretty rare for a body to be exhumed.
 
win231 said:
I know a retired attorney who made a really good living representing funeral homes. The only fraud bigger than them is medical billing.
He explained it this way: People are sold an expensive coffin, it looks really pretty at the graveside service, then everybody leaves.
Later, the deceased is moved - to a much-cheaper coffin & the pricey one is put back in the showroom & sold again & again. Well....who's gonna know....it's pretty rare for a body to be exhumed.
Click to expand...

I've rarely been to a graveside service where the coffin wasn't placed in a vault, lowered into the ground, and had mourners each drop a shovel of dirt over it.

Not saying the your attorney friend's story hasn't happened, but it's likely to be exceedingly rare. They'd have to have several people in on the secret -and when more than one person knows something, it's not a secret anymore...
 

When we pass my Husband and I both want to be cremated . We made sure we have insurance that will cover the expenses. My sister had her husband cremated and she has his ashes in an urn at home. My brother was cremated and so was his wife and he requested that his children sprinkle their ashes in the Ocean, because both of them loved going on cruises.
 
StarSong said:
I've rarely been to a graveside service where the coffin wasn't placed in a vault, lowered into the ground, and had mourners each drop a shovel of dirt over it.

Not saying the your attorney friend's story hasn't happened, but it's likely to be exceedingly rare. They'd have to have several people in on the secret -and when more than one person knows something, it's not a secret anymore...
Click to expand...
Doesn't matter if mourners drop a shovel of dirt over it. Obviously, they make the switch after everyone leaves. Even if mourners stay until the coffin is completely buried, they simply bring the tractor back. If necessary, they'll wait until the place closes. Only 1 or 2 people have to know about it & even if they're caught, the fine is much smaller than the profit.
And, it's not rare.
 
My beloved father-in-law passed a few days ago. He wanted to be buried and owned a plot so we are, of course, honoring his wishes.

$7000 for a moderate casket, the required-by-law concrete vault, and minimum services like transport to the cemetery, hearse and interment (no viewing, embalming, mortuary room, service or officiant). We are handling the graveside service. His headstone will undoubtedly run another $1500 - $2000.

The cost of burying someone is beyond ridiculous. He left ample assets to cover this, but that chunk of change would be a big burden on families that aren't as fortunate.
 
win231 said:
Doesn't matter if mourners drop a shovel of dirt over it. Obviously, they make the switch after everyone leaves. Even if mourners stay until the coffin is completely buried, they simply bring the tractor back. If necessary, they'll wait until the place closes. Only 1 or 2 people have to know about it & even if they're caught, the fine is much smaller than the profit.
And, it's not rare.
Click to expand...
Wait a minute.

So both the mortuary AND the cemetery are in on this? The grave diggers bring the tractor back and dig out the casket - the last several inches by hand so as not to damage the casket, rerope and pully the casket somehow and hoist it out of the grave, put it back in the hearse, take the body back to the mortuary, put it in a different casket, bring it back to the cemetery and get the grave-diggers to rebury it?

Wow. That's a lot of work and a lot of opportunity for a low paid grave-digger or random onlooker wandering around a cemetery to pose some questions, and possibly notify authorities.

Google seems to think this is rare. All I could come up with is a 2003 case in Calgary.

Methinks your friend is prone to exaggeration.
 
I've seen where you can buy a casket on Amazon, BJs etc and it can be delivered to funeral home. Not sure what savings, if any, and whether any push back from funeral home. Has anyone ever heard of someone doing this?
 
StarSong said:
My beloved father-in-law passed a few days ago. He wanted to be buried and owned a plot so we are, of course, honoring his wishes.

$7000 for a moderate casket, the required-by-law concrete vault, and minimum services like transport to the cemetery, hearse and interment (no viewing, embalming, mortuary room, service or officiant). We are handling the graveside service. His headstone will undoubtedly run another $1500 - $2000.

The cost of burying someone is beyond ridiculous. He left ample assets to cover this, but that chunk of change would be a big burden on families that aren't as fortunate.
Click to expand...
So sorry for your loss StarSong!
 
Patnono...just getting around to replying to this thread. My condolences in the loss of your mother. Funeral costs just keep rising and caskets are part of the reason. They can be bought wholesale (Costco's sells caskets) but wouldn't do my family any good because of the expedience we Muslims are to be buried. The simple pine box is recommended for us since Muslim funerals are to be simple and not cause a strain on the family's finances. And we are supposed to go in the ground.

I have two insurance policies, more than enough to cover my funeral expenses and I finished paying for my burial plot, including opening and closing fees last year. Your mother's final expenses shouldn't have caused a strain on your finances. I agree that those who make and have more should contribute accordingly.
 
Just wrote this over on Retirement section afew minutes ago, see linked post below.

As I said in the linked post below, we were very surprised at the total cost(s) to get everything took care of and paid for ahead of time.

We did not get a service at Funeral Home or Church - only graveside service and our coffins is on the lower end of the choices, no flowers prepaid for. We have bought our policies for both of with a Funeral home, our plots and have bought and sat our headstone including the memorial company coming to to do final engraving on the headstone.

The total costs for both of us for all the prepaid preparations was ~$31K.

So we understand how come folks opt for Cremation.

As I said in the post below, we are fortunate to be able to afford this cost. This way, our children have no choices to make and we have done everything possible to eliminate any potential arguments or hard feelings and no costs they will have to bear.

https://www.seniorforums.com/threads/how-prepared-are-you-for-your-final-plans.38151/post-1193225
 

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