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Forbes recently tallied all the financial costs of losing a loved one. That included end-of-life care and funeral expenses. What they found is that not only is the cost of living rising, but so is the price of dying.
Alaska was the priciest place to die, with it costing more than $33,000 on average. That's $24,400 for end-of-life care and an average funeral price tag of $9,300, according to the Forbes study. Hawaii is next, with an average death cost of $32,722.53.
Massachusetts is the third highest, with average out-of-pocket expenses of $29,481.55. Funerals in the Bay State cost $11,134 on average, $3,398.28 more than the national average of $7,736.24, according to Forbes.
New Hampshire and Washington round out the top 5 at $28,279 and $28,156, respectively, the study found.
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama, and Georgia were the most affordable places to shuffle off this mortal coil. However, all of those still averaged more than $20,000.
The National Library of Medicine put out a paper in 2013 about the importance for families to discuss end-of-life care costs with their doctors. Make a plan with your family so they can follow your wishes and prepare for how to pay for it.
The Federal Trade Commission suggests shopping in advance to avoid making a large financial decision while in an emotional state. And ask for a price list. Funeral homes are legally required to provide a list of what everything will cost.
There are life insurance options, as well, to help defray the costs.
The biggest takeaway from these studies and surveys is that planning for the end is the key to keeping costs down. Because, along with death and taxes, the only other certainty in life is the check.
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