What is a home funeral, exactly?
A home funeral is pretty much what it sounds like. Instead of a funeral home handling everything after someone dies, the family takes care of the body themselves, keeps their loved one at home, and holds any services or visitations right there in the living room, bedroom, or backyard.
This isn't new. For most of human history, families washed and dressed the body, sat with it, and buried it themselves. The commercial funeral industry only really took hold in the US after the Civil War. What feels unusual today was completely normal for your great-grandparents.
And it's becoming more common again. The National Home Funeral Alliance has seen steady growth in inquiries over the past decade, with interest picking up noticeably since 2020.
Why families are turning to home funerals
Cost is one reason. But it's rarely the only one.
With the national average for a traditional burial running about $8,762 and even a cremation with a full service costing around $6,630, plenty of families feel squeezed by funeral expenses they didn't plan for. A home funeral can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000 depending on what you choose, since you're cutting out the funeral home's facility fees, staff charges, and many of the markups that come with professional service.
Families who've gone this route often say cost wasn't their main motivation. They wanted more time. Funeral homes typically work on a schedule. Viewings have set hours, services are booked around other services. At home, you can sit with your mother for three days if that's what you need. You can have neighbors stopping by all afternoon. There's no clock.
Some families also describe a sense of reclaiming something. The act of caring for the body, washing hair, choosing clothes, placing flowers, becomes part of grieving. It can feel less clinical than handing everything over to strangers. That said, it's not for everyone, and that's perfectly fine too.
What actually happens during a home funeral
The practical side can feel daunting at first. Here's what it typically involves.
After someone dies at home (or once the body is released from a hospital or medical examiner), the family takes over care. The body needs to be kept cool. This usually means dry ice placed around the torso, or a cooling blanket. In cooler months, turning off the heat in the room and opening windows can help. Most families keep the body at home for one to three days before burial or cremation.
You don't need embalming. That surprises a lot of people. Embalming is not legally required in any US state for a normal timeframe, though some states require it if you're transporting the body across state lines or if burial won't happen within a certain number of days. Dry ice works well for preservation during a home vigil.
Families often set up a room with the bed or a simple cooling board, candles, photos, and whatever feels meaningful. Some hold a formal service. Others just keep the door open for people to come and go.
Legal stuff you need to know
Here's where it gets tricky, because laws vary by state.
In most US states, families have the legal right to handle funeral arrangements themselves without a funeral director. But not all. Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and New York have laws that require a funeral director's involvement at some point in the process, though the specifics differ. Some just need a funeral director to sign paperwork, while others require more hands-on involvement.
You'll need to file a death certificate. In some states, families can do this directly. In others, a funeral director must be the one to file it. You'll also need a burial or cremation permit before final disposition.
We'd strongly suggest checking your specific state's laws before making plans. The FTC Funeral Rule protects your right to buy only the services you want, whether you're working with a funeral home or handling things yourself. And if you do need a funeral director for specific paperwork, they're required by federal law to offer their services à la carte. You don't have to buy a full package.
How the costs compare
The savings can be real. A traditional burial averaging about $8,762 includes the funeral home's basic services fee (usually $2,000 to $3,000 on its own), plus embalming, cosmetic preparation, use of facilities for viewing and ceremony, a hearse, and the casket.
With a home funeral, many of those line items disappear. You might spend $100 to $300 on dry ice over a few days. A simple pine or plywood casket can run $200 to $800, or families build their own. If you're opting for cremation afterward, a direct cremation runs about $2,323 on average, and some families use that as the final step after holding a home vigil.
Even factoring in a burial plot and grave digging, the total often lands between $1,000 and $4,000. That's a big difference from the conventional route.
If cost is your primary concern, our guide on saving money on funeral costs covers other approaches too.
Getting help when you need it
You don't have to do this completely alone. Home funeral guides, sometimes called death midwives or death doulas, are people trained to help families through the process. They can walk you through the legal requirements in your state, show you how to care for the body, help with paperwork, and provide emotional support.
The National Home Funeral Alliance maintains a directory of trained guides across the country. Fees vary, but most charge between $300 and $1,500 depending on how involved they are. Some volunteer their time.
You can also hire a funeral home for just the parts you need. Want to handle the vigil at home but have a funeral director manage the cremation paperwork? That's allowed. The FTC Funeral Rule means they can't force you into a package deal.
Is this something your family could consider?
Home funerals aren't for every family or every situation. If someone died from a highly infectious disease, there may be public health restrictions. If family members are deeply uncomfortable with the idea, pushing it could add stress to an already painful time. And if the death requires an autopsy or lengthy medical examiner review, the logistics get harder.
But for families who feel drawn to this, who want the intimacy and the time and the chance to care for someone they love one last time, it can be deeply meaningful. Many families who've done home funerals describe it as one of the most important experiences of their lives.
If you're curious, start by looking up your state's specific laws. Talk to your family honestly about how they feel. And if you're the planning-ahead type, our guide on green burial options covers natural burial approaches that pair well with home funerals.
You have more choices than most people realize. Choosing to care for your own dead, in your own home, on your own terms — that's one of the oldest and most human things there is.