after loss

How to Write an Obituary (and What It Costs to Publish One)

By Jason Su · Updated September 23, 2026

An obituary is a short, factual record of a life: who the person was, what mattered to them, and who they leave behind. Most families publish a death notice — the paid version, written by the family or the funeral home — rather than a staff-written news obituary. Here is how to write one that reads well, and how the cost actually works.

Obituary or death notice: the difference that decides the cost

These two terms get used interchangeably, and the difference is the whole cost question.

• A news obituary is written by the newspaper’s own staff. Whether it runs is the paper’s decision, usually based on how widely known the person was, and it costs the family nothing.
• A death notice is submitted by the family or the funeral home and charged by the paper — by the line or the word, often with a photo fee on top. This is what almost every family actually publishes.

So when someone asks what an obituary costs, they mean the placement charge for a notice. If you are still in the first days of a loss, start with what to do in the first week instead.

The two costs people merge into one

Most families think of the obituary as one expense. On the funeral bill it is two, and they sit in different categories.

Writing it. The FTC’s funeral pricing checklist lists “preparing obituary notices” inside the funeral home’s basic services fee — the mandatory charge that also covers planning, permits, death certificate copies, and cemetery coordination. It is not an optional extra.

If a funeral home offers to write the notice for an added fee, ask whether it is already covered by the basic services fee. Sometimes it is charged twice.

Publishing it. The placement charge is a cash advance — a third-party cost the funeral home pays on your behalf, like flowers or clergy. The FTC requires that if the funeral home adds its own fee on top, it must disclose that in writing. It need not reveal the size of the markup, but must tell you one exists — and whether it receives a rebate or discount from the supplier.

So: the writing is usually already paid for, and the publishing is a pass-through — with any markup required to be shown to you.

What decides the price, and how to ask

We deliberately print no prices here — newspapers set their own rates, and they move. Instead, learn what drives the number, then ask for the rate sheet.

The usual variables:

• Length, charged by the line or the word
• Whether a photograph runs, which is often a separate charge
• The day, since weekday, weekend, and holiday rates differ
• How many papers, which matters if the person lived in one city and worked in another
• Whether the online version is included, along with the guest book

Ask two questions before you write a word: the rate per line, and whether the online notice is included. Then write to fit the space you are paying for, rather than cutting a family member later.

If the funeral home places it for you, ask to see the placement charge listed as a cash advance on an itemized statement — the FTC requires that statement, plus a written estimate when the amount is not yet known.

The facts you need, and where to get them right

Take the basics from the death certificate, not from memory. Spelling, dates, and places should match the official record, because that is what others will check them against.

One practical detail: the federal government does not issue copies of the certificate. You request it from the state where the event happened, which is why a loss away from home takes longer. Our guide to getting a death certificate covers how many copies to order — you will need more than one.

You will need the same facts again later, such as when notifying Social Security. Gather them once: full name as it should appear · maiden name · birth date and place · date and place of passing · most recent town · work or military service · survivors · those who passed before · service details · where donations go.

The five parts of an obituary

Almost every good notice has the same five pieces. Write them in this order and the draft builds itself.

1. The announcement. One sentence: full name, age, town, date. “Margaret Ann Ellis, 78, of Dayton, passed away on September 14, 2026.”

2. The life. Two or three sentences — the part families get wrong by writing a résumé. Specific beats grand: “she spent thirty years at the post office and knew half the town by name” stays with a reader; “devoted and hardworking” does not.

3. The family. Survivors first (“is survived by”), then those who passed before (“was preceded in passing by”). Use the names the family has agreed on — this is where partners, blended families, and stepchildren need a conversation before submission.

4. The service. Time and place, or a single line: “services will be private.”

5. The giving. A named organization and how to give, or a line such as “in lieu of flowers, consider…”

Length, tone, and what to leave out

The paper charges by the line, so set your length before you write — 120 to 200 words covers all five parts without padding. Write plainly. If every sentence carries “beloved,” none of them land.

Then leave a few things out of the published version:

• The street address. The town is enough.
• A full birth date, a maiden name, and a Social Security number together. Those three, side by side, are the raw material for identity theft. The published notice needs the age, not the date.
• Medical details, family disagreements, and anything the family has not settled.

Before you submit: send the finished text to the whole family, and read it out loud for names. A misspelled name is the error nobody forgives.

How to submit it

1. Decide who submits. Many funeral homes file it for you as a cash advance; you can also use the paper’s online form yourself.
2. Ask for the rate sheet, and confirm whether the online version is included.
3. Check the deadline. Most papers need a day’s notice for the next edition; weekends and holidays close earlier.
4. Read the proof twice. You see one before it runs: check names, dates, survivors, and donation details character by character.
5. Keep a copy and check the bill. The electronic version is useful later for a memorial program or a family history. And if the notice was placed for you, the charge should appear as a cash advance, with the funeral home’s own fee disclosed.

Social profiles are a separate decision — see memorializing or deleting an account.

If you are comparing funeral homes

The FTC’s Funeral Rule gives you rights worth knowing, especially when the arrangements are in a city you had to travel to:

• Ask for the General Price List. On a visit, the funeral home must hand you a written, itemized price list, and it is yours to keep.
• Buy only what you want. You can buy item by item, and you do not have to accept a package.
• Prices over the phone. The funeral home must give you prices if you ask, and cannot require your name, address, or phone number first.
• One thing it does not have to do: mailing a price list or posting prices online is voluntary, not required. If you cannot visit in person, the phone is the channel you can rely on.

Frequently asked

Do I have to pay to publish an obituary?

It depends which kind. A news obituary written by the paper’s staff costs the family nothing; a notice you or the funeral home submits does. Ask for the rate sheet before you write.

Can the funeral home charge extra to write it?

“Preparing obituary notices” sits inside the basic services fee, which is mandatory. If you are quoted an added charge, ask whether it is already covered.

Are prices the same at every newspaper?

No. Each paper sets its own rate, moving with length, photographs, the day it runs, and how many papers you use. Compare two or three before you commit.

Should the notice include the address?

The town is enough. Keep the street address, a full birth date, a maiden name, and a Social Security number out of a public notice — together they give an identity thief what they need. Our people to notify list is for the family and friends who should hear the details directly.

Next step

Ask two questions first: the paper’s rate per line, and whether the online notice is included. Then send the text to the family for names, and read it aloud before approving the proof. The free Checklist Builder is a good place to record where the notice and the certificates are kept.

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This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Funeral pricing, state rules, and newspaper practices vary and change over time — please confirm the details with the funeral provider and the newspaper you are dealing with.