What Is a Funeral Consultant?

A funeral consultant is an individual that can save you thousands of dollars on a funeral. How? Simply by educating you and putting you in control of the funeral process. You might ask, “Isn’t that the job of a funeral director?” Quite simply, no. The funeral director represents the funeral home and works for the funeral home. Typically his chief interest is his employer and his own well-being. A funeral consultant works for you and only you. He educates you on state laws and makes sure you are aware of ALL possible options related to the funeral process.

What is the difference between a funeral and a memorial service? What is the difference between an 18 gauge stainless steel casket and a 20 gauge stainless steel casket? What is the difference between cremation and direct cremation? What does your state law declare concerning embalming? Is embalming always required in your state? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered by a certified funeral consultant.

As the familiar saying goes, “knowledge is power.” The truth of that statement has never been more true than when applied to planning a funeral. The average person plans one or maybe two funerals in their life time. It is difficult at best and more likely impossible to become an expert at something that you may do only once or twice in your life. A funeral consultant on the other hand is an expert in the funeral industry and helps families with the planning of funerals on a daily basis. His background and education make him aware of dozens of ways to save money through the funeral process.

Current numbers show that the Death Care Industry is a 17 billion dollar industry. The Hollywood movie industry annually brings in 11 billion dollars. The National Football League brings in 10 billion dollars yearly and Major League Baseball has a 7 billion dollar yearly income. Do you now understand how massive the Death Care Industry has become? The Death Care industry is as large as the NFL and the MLB combined? Quite shocking but true. (These numbers can easily be verified through your favorite search engine.)

Unfortunately, most individuals and families lack the insight to efficiently and cost-effectively navigate funeral planning.

Today, the average funeral including burial can easily cost a family more than $15,000. This doesn’t have to be so.

The key reason cited by a funeral professional for this cost is this: “Families do not discuss death beforehand, therefore emotional overspending tends to drive up costs.” Make sure your family does not have to guess about your final wishes. You must first know all your options because knowing what to ask, what to say and who to call can save you thousands of dollars.

Without a funeral consultant on your side you may very well be manipulated and coerced into spending thousands of dollars on goods and services that you neither want nor need. A funeral consultant will guide you through every step of the funeral planning process. It is critical that you are prepared before you walk into the funeral arrangement meeting.