What is the average cost of a funeral in Iowa?
The average cost of a funeral service in Iowa is $8,514. This cost is comprised of: • $6133 for professional services, which includes embalming, cosmetizing, visitation/viewing, having the funeral at the funeral home, transfer of remains to funeral home, hearse, service car/van, and casket; • $1310 for a vault, which is a requirement for burial in most Iowa cemeteries; and • $1071 for cash advance items, which the funeral director assists the family in securing but is not a product or service obtainable at the funeral home. Examples of cash advance items are: • $483 for grave opening and closing; • $110 for minister fees; • $153 for flowers; • $36 for copies of death certificates; • $58 for organist; and • $231 for sales tax collected for remittance to the Iowa Department of Revenue. Back To Top Has this cost increased significantly? Funeral costs have increased no faster than the Consumer Price Index for other consumer items. Back To Top Why are funerals so expensive? When compared to