At a Glance: Funeral Homes

What they do: Provide a full range of end-of-life services for the deceased and their survivors, including picking up, storing, and embalming the body and arranging burial or cremation. Many will host a wake or viewing and help coordinate services at a church or elsewhere, along with ceremonies at a cemetery or columbarium. Most also handle death-related paperwork, such as publishing obituaries and ordering death certificates.

Cost: Funerals arranged by funeral homes typically cost between $4,000 and $15,000 or more -- depending on location, services provided, and the price of goods selected, such as a casket. The average cost is $7,300.

Best for: Those who want someone else to handle all the details during an emotionally difficult time.

Learn more: Planning Ahead for Final Arrangements, Buying a Casket or Urn, Plan a Funeral or Memorial Service, What to Do When Someone Dies