The money conversation no one wants to have despite the inevitability

The average funeral in the US in 2026 is almost US$10,000, with cremation averaging close to $7,000, according to the firm’s research. Despite those figures, only 36% of respondents say they have a life insurance or final expense policy in place to cover burial and funeral costs. Nearly one in five say their family will simply “figure it out” — a response that often translates to debt.

A growing comfort with death but not the planning

The survey reveals a shifting cultural attitude toward mortality. Fifty-seven percent of Americans believe people are becoming more comfortable discussing death and end-of-life preferences, and one in two say they personally feel more at ease with such conversations than they did in recent years. Gen Xers are the most comfortable generation when it comes to discussing their own death, at 43%.

However, this hasn’t translated into financial preparation. While one in three Americans say they have had a serious conversation with someone about their own funeral preferences, and a similar share have discussed organ donation wishes, far fewer have put concrete financial plans in place. About one in four plans to use personal savings to cover funeral costs, while a significant portion have made no arrangements at all.

The shift toward alternative burials

Cost is reshaping how Americans think about burial altogether. Eighty percent say they would consider an alternative to a traditional funeral if it were significantly cheaper, and 73% cite environmental benefits as another motivating factor. Natural organic reduction — sometimes called human composting — is the most-preferred alternative, with 21% saying they would choose it if traditional burial were unavailable. Green burial (20%) and tree pod burial (18%) follow closely.

Cremation remains the most common preference overall, chosen by 48% of respondents in 2026 — the highest figure since Choice Mutual began conducting this annual survey. Of those who prefer cremation, nearly two in five would like their ashes scattered in a meaningful location, while about one in five would opt to have them returned to the earth through a memorial tree or similar arrangement.