High Cost Of Funerals: NJ Families Get Some Relief Under New Law

NEW JERSEY — Every family deserves to be able to bury a loved one with dignity when the time comes. But like other states across the nation, this isn’t always the case in New Jersey.

In recent years, a rising tide of families in the Garden State have been left scrambling for money to pay for a funeral, sometimes amid tragic circumstances. Many have gone virtual with pleas for help, trying desperately to make up the difference with online fundraisers (see below).

It’s not fair – for the families or the funeral homes. But a new state law aims to take some of that burden off their shoulders, its supporters say.

Earlier this week, Gov. Phil Murphy signed A-6060/S-4272. The Democrat-led bill will help with a portion of reimbursements provided to funeral homes for funeral, burial and crematory services given to eligible individuals in the Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.

According to a joint statement from the bill’s sponsors in the Assembly:

“WFNJ is a welfare reform program that provides temporary cash assistance and other services to residents in need of support while SSI provides income to elderly residents and residents with disabilities. Participants in these programs may be eligible for public assistance funds to help pay for a portion of their funeral and burial expenses.”

The law appropriates $8 million, which will be used to increase payments by an additional $1,000 per person to those who are eligible.

Here’s why the bill was needed, according to Assembly members Cleopatra Tucker, Ralph Caputo and Raj Mukherji:

“Our state’s funeral reimbursement program is intended to help many eligible residents afford funeral expenses so that they can focus on honoring their loved one’s memory rather than scrambling to find money for those services. However, with the increasing cost of funerals, funeral homes and cemetery operators are left without proper reimbursement for their services. This law is a step in the right direction to ensuring this program receives the appropriate funding to enable funeral service providers to continue to offer these critical services to low-income families.”

While the new law may help put a dent in the high cost of dying in New Jersey, it won’t close the gap entirely.

According to the nonprofit New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, a “typical” funeral in the state costs an average of $9,429 – and that’s without the casket. Can’t afford that? A “minimal” funeral, which eschews visitation hours, embalming or church services, still runs about $3,732. Learn what goes into that calculation here.

Mourners will also have to pay additional charges to bury or cremate their loved one, which can raise the total price tag by thousands of dollars.

• See related article: Meet 10 NJ Families Who Had To Crowdfund For Health Care
• See related article: Here Are 9 More NJ Families Who Crowdfunded To Pay Medical Bills

THE HIGH COST OF DYING

It isn’t just low-income families who are struggling to pay rising funeral costs in New Jersey.

Earlier this month, a fundraiser was set up to help pay the funeral expenses for 28-year-old North Bergen police officer Julio Noriega, who died in a car crash while on his way to work. "He was truly a humble soul," organizers said. Read More.

Here are some other households that have put out calls for help via GoFundMe and other online campaigns in the recent past.

In May 2021, a GoFundMe drive raised tens of thousands of dollars to help the family of a Warren County teenager who lost her life in a car accident. Organizers said the GoFundMe drive will help her family to begin picking up the financial pieces of the tragedy, which included mounting hospital and funeral expenses. Read More.

In June 2021, the family of a mother of two from Elizabeth raised funds for her funeral via GoFundMe after she was found deceased in a public parking garage. “In an effort to give her a proper sendoff, we are asking for assistance financing the funeral costs and her two children,” the organizer said. Read More.

In September 2021, a family in Hackettstown launched a fundraiser to pay for a loved one’s funeral and burial expenses after she died unexpectedly at the age of 38. The organizer of the fundraiser described her as a "beautiful soul" who "left an imprint on everyone she met." Read More.

In October 2021, a grief-stricken father in Hopatcong set up a fundraiser in memory of his only son, who died unexpectedly in his sleep. "This was the last thing I could buy or do for him and the monument will literally last forever compared to any of those things," he said. Read More.

In November 2021, an online fundraiser raised thousands of dollars to help a South Jersey woman take care of her niece after the death of her brother and sister-in-law in an apparent murder-suicide. "To ensure the family has adequate funds for funeral services and her niece is well taken care of, every penny donated will make a difference," organizers said. Read More.

In December 2021, family members launched a fundraiser to cover funeral costs for two Hoboken-based artists who died in a fire. “The tragic fire in Hoboken has shaken us to our core but I am so immensely touched by the out pouring of love and support that their friends and co-workers have shown us,” one family member said. Read More.

In December 2021, a GoFundMe campaign raised thousands of dollars for funeral expenses after a 6-year-old boy who "knew how to make everyone's day brighter" was killed in a five-car crash on Route 80. Read More.

Also in December 2021, a funeral fundraiser was launched for a "very dedicated student" in New Jersey who planned to become a mechanic. The 18-year-old was killed in an ATV accident, reports said. Read More.

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