What the national number leaves out
The NFDA median covers the funeral home's side: services, the hearse, the casket, embalming and the viewing. It does not cover:
- The cemetery plot, plus opening and closing the grave
- The headstone or marker and setting it
- Flowers, the obituary and printed cards
- The luncheon after the service, which in a lot of Pittsburgh families isn't optional
Prices also vary a lot from one funeral home to the next, even within the same few miles of the South Hills.
You're allowed to shop, and the law backs you up
The FTC's Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to give you written, itemized price lists. You can buy only the goods and services you want instead of a bundled package, and you can supply your own casket or urn. Calling two or three funeral homes for their price lists before a crisis is one of the easiest ways to save real money.
Help most families don't know about
- Social Security's lump-sum death payment is a one-time $255, paid to an eligible surviving spouse or child. It helps, but it won't cover much.
- Veterans may qualify for VA burial benefits, including burial at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Bridgeville, about 20 miles southwest of the city, which can save a family the cost of a plot.
Everyone has enough money to do it wrong three times. A funeral is the one thing you only get to do once.
Four ways families pay for it
| Option | How it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Savings | Money set aside, maybe a payable-on-death account | It can get spent on other emergencies first |
| Pre-need contract | You prepay a specific funeral home | Tied to that funeral home and those choices |
| Final expense insurance | A small whole life policy pays your beneficiary in cash | The health questions decide the price, so shop carriers |
| Kids pass the hat | Family covers it out of pocket | Credit cards, GoFundMe, and resentment |
How to have the conversation at Thanksgiving
Keep it short and practical. "Mom, if something happened, would you want burial or cremation? Is there anything set aside for it?" Write down the answers. That's it. If there's a gap, a final expense policy can usually be priced in a single phone call with your parent on the line. They answer the health questions and sign; you can be the beneficiary and even pay the premium.
Final expense coverage is priced on health questions that every carrier asks differently, so where you apply matters as much as what you buy. See final expense insurance with CraftWright.
Common questions
How much does a funeral cost in Pittsburgh?
Using the NFDA's most recent national medians (2023) as a baseline, a funeral with viewing and burial runs about $8,300, or $9,995 with a vault, before cemetery costs. Add a plot, opening and closing, and a headstone, and a traditional burial around Pittsburgh can run well past $10,000. Cremation with a viewing had a national median of $6,280.
Does Social Security pay for funerals?
Only a little. Social Security pays a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 to an eligible surviving spouse or child. It doesn't cover the cost of a funeral.
Can I compare funeral home prices?
Yes. The FTC's Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide written price lists, lets you buy only the items you want, and lets you supply your own casket or urn.