Losing a loved one is a traumatic experience. The burden of paying funeral costs for a befitting honor for that person’s life can add to the stress. There are a number of alternatives in either direction, but the National Funeral Director’s Association reports the median cost of a funeral in 2024 is $7,848. More families are turning to crowd funding sites like GoFundMe to cover expenses, especially for the sudden deaths of loved ones. The website says it raised some $330 million for funerals last year. We’ll talk about ways to anticipate inevitable end-of-life costs in a culturally and financially feasible way.
To join the discussion, call 1-800-996-2848
GUESTS
Grace Bulltail (Crow Tribe), assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and member of the Not Invisible Act Commission
Ralph Foster, owner of Foster Funeral Home and Crematory and a licensed mortician of 42 years
Tami Truett Jerue (citizen of the Anvik Tribe), executive director of the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center
Michelle John (Oneida), death benefits coordinator for the Oneida Nation