FAQ
What families ask most
The 23 questions Maria hears most often in consultations. For anything else, just call.
No matching question. Call and ask Maria directly.
Costs
Q1.How much does a funeral cost in California?
For a traditional burial in 2026: funeral home $6,595 – $31,900, cemetery $21,200 – $50,115, and additional costs $3,600 – $9,200. The casket and the cemetery make the biggest difference.
Q2.Which items make the biggest difference in cost?
The casket and the burial space. A wood casket alone ranges from $1,750 – $25,950, and cemetery costs depend heavily on which cemetery and which space you choose.
Q3.Is there a way to lower funeral costs?
Choosing cremation lowers the cemetery portion significantly, and a county cemetery or niche costs far less, about $1,450 – $7,000. Prices differ between funeral homes, so compare their price lists and remove items you do not need. A higher price does not make a better funeral.
Q4.What is a funeral home's General Price List (GPL)?
It is the itemized list of prices for the services and merchandise a funeral home offers. Every funeral home has one. Always ask for it before you sign, and compare the prices and what is included.
Q5.Are the amounts on the cost tables exact prices?
They are estimated ranges for 2026. Actual costs depend on the funeral home, the cemetery and the items you choose, and funeral and cemetery prices can change every year. Maria can narrow the range for your family in a consultation.
Planning ahead
Q6.What is funeral pre-planning?
It means deciding your own funeral while you are alive: burial or cremation, which funeral home and cemetery, the kind of service, and how it will be paid for. When the wishes are written down, adult children do not have to guess what their parents would have wanted.
Q7.Do we have to pay up front to pre-plan?
No. You can make the plan without paying anything, or you can prepay as well.
Q8.Is a funeral home contract the same as buying a cemetery plot?
No. A pre-need funeral home contract buys funeral services and merchandise; a cemetery purchase buys the resting place (plot, niche or mausoleum). They are often arranged together, but they are two separate contracts.
Q9.Where is prepaid funeral money held?
In California there are two main ways. With a trust-funded plan the money is held in a trust account; with an insurance-funded plan you buy a policy for the cost of the funeral, and the benefit pays for it at death. Before you sign, ask where your money is held and in whose name.
Q10.What should we ask before signing a contract?
Ask whether the price is guaranteed; what is included and what is not (flowers, the reception meal and death certificates are often left out); what you get back if you cancel; what happens if you move to another state or back to Korea; and, if you receive Medi-Cal, whether you need an irrevocable contract.
Q11.My parent is on Medi-Cal. Can we still set money aside for the funeral?
Funeral costs prepared in the right form are not counted toward the Medi-Cal asset limit: an irrevocable burial plan, burial plots, and designated burial funds up to $1,500 per person. Confirm eligibility with the county or a counseling agency.
Right after a death
Q12.My parent just passed away. What do I do first?
Have the death pronounced, tell the family, and ask a funeral home to bring your loved one into their care. If you are not sure where to start, call.
Q13.If a death happens at home, who do we call first?
If your loved one was on hospice, call the hospice first; the nurse confirms the death and then contacts the funeral home. If the death was sudden, call 911 right away. In a hospital or care facility, staff handle this.
Q14.We have not chosen a funeral home yet. What now?
You do not have to rush; a hospital can usually hold the body for a short time. Still, choosing a funeral home in advance and making sure the whole family has its name and number is the first thing you can do for your family.
Q15.What should we bring to the funeral home?
Bring the clothes your loved one will wear, their ID, their Social Security number and other basic information. The death certificate also needs the legal name, date and place of birth, parents' names, occupation, education, marital status and military service.
The service and cemetery
Q16.Where can the funeral service be held?
In the funeral home chapel, as a Mass at a Catholic church, at a church, at home or outdoors, or at a temple. Make an appointment with the funeral home to set the date and place, and choose the casket and flowers then. Ask for the itemized price list before you decide.
Q17.How do we decide between burial and cremation?
Your loved one's wishes come first. Look into the location and setting of the cemetery or columbarium. Burial needs a separate cemetery contract, and if a plot was already purchased, find the deed. Choosing cremation lowers the cemetery cost significantly.
Paperwork afterwards
Q18.How many death certificates will we need?
Banks, insurers, pension offices and title changes each ask for a certified copy. The funeral home usually orders them for you. With several accounts and policies you may need 5 to 10.
Q20.If our parent was a Korean citizen, do we report the death in Korea too?
Yes. From the U.S. this can be done through the Korean consulate general for your area. Bank accounts, property or pensions in Korea also need a separate inheritance process there.
Consultation
Q21.Is the consultation really free?
Yes. A 30-minute consultation about pre-planning, cremation, cemeteries and costs is free, in English or Korean.
Q22.How do we request a consultation?
Calling ((310) 987-0736) is fastest. If you cannot talk, fill in the form on the contact page and send it by text or email. Maria helps families in Southern California in Korean and English.
Q23.Who is Maria Cho?
Maria has helped Korean families in Southern California prepare for funerals since 1995. She is Certified in Thanatology (CT) by ADEC and has worked as a family counselor for a Catholic mortuary and cemetery, Korean Garden Development Coordinator at Westminster Memorial Park, and family counselor at Green Hills Memorial Park.
These answers are general guidance, not legal or tax advice. Prices differ by funeral home and cemetery and change every year. Please confirm your family's situation in a consultation.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask in a free 30-minute consultation, in English or Korean.
Q19.How do we notify Social Security?
The funeral home usually reports the death, but it is safer for the family to confirm. A spouse or minor child may qualify for survivor benefits, and an eligible spouse or child can receive a one-time payment of $255. Confirm amounts and eligibility with Social Security directly.
Checklist for after the funeral →