Why We Kept Lantern’s Funeral Planning Experience Free

If you were tasked with creating a short-list of all the things you wish were free, it would be a safe bet that ‘funeral planning support’ wouldn’t be at the top of the list. I’m here to tell you why it should be.

Lantern’s vision is to change our relationship with death, not only to create a product, tool or service. The products we offer are a much-needed stepping stone in reaching this larger vision. The “why” is so deeply ingrained in what we do that we became a Public Benefit Corporation, committing to putting human needs at the center of our work. It’s also why we feel so strongly about offering a free version of our product for anyone to use.

We believe in meeting you exactly where you are as you explore one of life’s hardest but most important topics. Whether you’re a new parent thinking about the future care of your kids, someone facing a recent diagnosis, a family navigating the loss of a loved one, a child helping your aging parents prepare, or simply someone who gets the importance of having a plan in place, we’re here for you. No matter your situation, we walk you step-by-step through planning before and after a death.

One year ago, www.lantern.co went live. Today, we’re releasing our first premium experience. The new product includes a comprehensive, interactive checklist, collaboration (think: utilize Lantern with advisors and loved ones together!), digital sharing, document storage, original content by leading experts, and exclusive access to partner discounts and services. We also offer 1:1 concierge services for funeral planning and logistics after a death.

Still, all of our post-loss customized content is free. Purchasing a pre-plan allows us to keep critical, after death support accessible to all. When you create an account with Lantern, you can still access step-by-step guidance for post-loss, no matter your financial situation. You’ll find most companies charge for the same support Lantern offers free of charge. So, why is this the right thing to do?

1. End of life and death planning is not financially feasible for most people. There’s a reason the term “death debt” exists. Families often face bankruptcy and debt after a death — especially when the deceased was the primary breadwinner. The median price tag for a funeral, viewing, and burial in 2019 was $7,640 (NFDA). That doesn’t include the grave or a tombstone — which each can be thousands of dollars more. Most people do not do advanced planning or save for end-of-life expenses. Lantern helps people better prepare, and, if they haven’t, learn how to navigate the process with cost and time-saving in mind.
2. Building trust is critical to defeat end-of-life taboos. The funeral industry has faced mistrust for decades and developed a predatory market during an already dark time. For example, with limited price transparency, goods and services have significant markup. Most caskets, for example, are marked up by approx. 289% when you don’t purchase them directly. (Forbes) By educating and connecting our users with the latest information and most trusted vendors, we can not only shift industry practices but also improve the experience after a loss allowing people to focus on grieving rather than logistics.
3. End-of-life and death planning needs to be accessible to all. A study found that 82% of people say it’s important to write down their end-of-life wishes, yet only 23% do so. And nearly 80% say they should talk to their doctor about end-of-life care–only 7% ever do. (CHCF) This is partially because clinicians (about 68% of them according to JAMA) don’t feel equipped to discuss end of life. We’ve even created a video for clinicians to help with end of life conversations with patients. We believe facilitating conversation and making information accessible and easy to use will dramatically improve our relationship with and preparation for the inevitable.