Published August 27, 2020

Funeral homes, mortuaries, and cemeteries provide end-of-life planning and support services to individuals and their families.

Funeral homes and mortuaries often offer similar services, including funeral or memorial planning, hosting funeral or memorial events, coordination with crematories and cemeteries, and grief counseling.

The primary difference between a funeral home and a mortuary is that only a mortuary can prepare the body for burial or cremation. A mortuary also may have on-site cremation. Cemeteries prepare and maintain the burial sites.

In most cases, funeral home, mortuary, and cemetery services are privately paid.