After 38 Years as a Funeral Director, These Are the 9 Things I'd NEVER Pay For

After 38 years as a funeral director, I’ve seen families pay for charges they never needed—and sometimes should never have been charged. I’m breaking down the nine funeral expenses I would avoid, what the law actually says, and what I would choose instead. I explain how I’d handle casket-related fees, direct cremation, embalming, burial options, urns, clothing, cash advances, and veterans’ cemetery benefits. My goal is to help families ask better questions, recognize unnecessary markups, and make informed decisions during an emotionally difficult time. 0:00 Nine funeral expenses I'd avoid 0:49 Avoid casket handling fees 2:07 Skip caskets for direct cremation 3:43 Don't pay for casket gaskets 4:44 Avoid unnecessary embalming 5:57 Choose a grave liner 7:25 Buy an urn later 8:20 Skip costly burial clothing 8:56 Avoid marked-up cash advances 9:35 Compare veterans' cemetery benefits #FuneralPlanning #FuneralCosts #ConsumerAdvice #Cremation #BurialPlanning