Dear Savvy Senior: How much does a typical funeral and burial cost today? My wife and I are interested in prearranging our funerals but would like to have an idea of costs before going in so we can plan and budget appropriately. — Planning Ahead

Dear Planning: It definitely pays to know what charges to expect when pre-planning a funeral. Most people don’t have a clue and can often be upsold thousands of dollars’ worth of extra services they might not want or need. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect.

Funeral prices

The first thing you need to be aware of is that funeral costs will vary considerably depending on your geographic location, the funeral home you choose and the choices you make. With that said, here’s a breakdown of what an average funeral costs, nationwide, according to the most recent data from the National Funeral Directors Association.

>> Professional services fee: This is a basic nondeclinable fee that covers the funeral provider’s time, expertise and overhead: Cost is about $2,300.

>> Transfer of remains: This is the cost of picking up the body and transporting it to the funeral home. Fees run about $350.

>> Embalming and body preparation: Embalming is usually mandatory for open-casket viewing; otherwise, it’s not required unless the body is going to be transported across state lines. Embalming costs about $775. Other body preparations, which include hairdressing and cosmetics, run about $275.

>> Funeral viewing and ceremony: If the viewing and funeral ceremony is at the funeral home, you’ll be charged for use of the chapel and any necessary staff. Costs: about $450 for the viewing and about $515 for the funeral ceremony.

>> Metal casket: This is a big moneymaker for funeral homes, with markups of up to 300% over the wholesale price: about $2,500.

>> Funeral transportation: Use of a hearse and driver runs about $325 to transport the body to the cemetery. Use of a service car or van is about $150.

>> Memorial printed package: This includes printed programs and memorial guest books; cost is about $183.

In addition to these costs, there are also a number of cemetery costs, such as the plot or mausoleum fee, the vault or grave liner that most cemeteries require, and the opening and closing of the grave, all of which can run between $2,000 and $3,000; and the gravestone, which typically runs between $1,000 and $3,000.

You’ll also need to budget for related expenses such as flowers for the funeral ($200 to $400), the newspaper obituary fee ($100 to $800 or more), the clergy honorarium ($200 to $300) and extra copies of the death certificate ($5 to $35 per copy, depending on the state).

All told, the average total cost of a U.S. funeral today, with viewing and cemetery burial, is around $12,000.

Ways to save

If this is more than you’re willing or able to pay, there are ways to cut costs. For starters, you should know that prices can vary significantly between funeral providers, so it’s wise to shop around. If you need some help, there are websites you can turn to, such as Parting.com, that let you easily compare prices online based on what you want.

When evaluating funeral providers, be sure you get an itemized price list of services and products so you can accurately compare and choose what you want.

The most significant way to save is to request a “direct burial” or “direct cremation.” With these options, you and your wife would be buried or cremated shortly after death, which skips the embalming and viewing. If you want a memorial service, you can have it at the graveside or at your place of worship without the body. These services usually run between $1,000 and $3,000, not counting cemetery charges.

Jim Miller is a contributor to NBC-TV’s “Today” program and author of “The Savvy Senior.” Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070; or visit savvysenior.org.