Nationally, a funeral with viewing and burial had a median cost of $8,300 (2023, NFDA).
Help paying in Vermont
Vermont Department for Children and Families. Up to a maximum set by Department rule, lowered by other money in the estate or from a spouse. Paid straight to the funeral director. Covers people on certain public aid, eligible veterans, and others with too little to pay. Official page
Medicaid and burial money
A DCF form says you can set aside up to $10,000 in total for burial. That total counts prepaid burial contracts, cash value life insurance, bank accounts, burial plots and headstones. Interest earned after you name the account for burial is not counted.
Prepaid funeral plans
A funeral home that sells goods or services to be delivered more than 30 days later must follow Vermont prepaid funeral rules. Money goes into an escrow account at a federally insured bank. For an irrevocable account, the person it is for is the owner. A state Funeral Services Trust Account, funded by a $6 fee per funeral, protects buyers if a funeral home defaults.
Where to complain
Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, Funeral Service (Secretary of State). Call 802 828 1505. Website
Plan ahead
A small final expense policy can pay these costs so your family does not have to. Final expense in Vermont.
Common questions
How much does a funeral cost in Vermont?
Nationally, the median funeral with viewing and burial was $8,300 in 2023 and $6,280 with cremation. Prices in Vermont vary by funeral home, so ask for the itemized price list.
Is there help paying for a funeral in Vermont?
Burials at public expense (33 V.S.A. 2301) (Vermont Department for Children and Families).
Who regulates funeral homes in Vermont?
Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, Funeral Service (Secretary of State). Call 802 828 1505.
