PUBLISHED: June 2026
By Jason Gazaille, Vice President of Finance at Funeral Directors Life
You became a funeral professional to serve families, not to crunch numbers.
But your funeral home’s financial health is the foundation of your legacy. By staying on top of your numbers, you ensure your business remains a pillar of support for your community for generations to come.
The good news is that you don’t need to be an accountant to stay on top of your funeral home’s finances. You just need to know what numbers to track, why they matter, and what they mean for your business.
Because when you understand your numbers, you can spot trends early and make smarter decisions.
However, we know you don’t have time to keep track of every financial metric out there. That’s why we’ve narrowed it down to the 4 most important accounting numbers every funeral home owner should track.
Keep reading to get a breakdown on the metrics that matter most.
Average revenue per call (ARPC) shows you the typical amount a family spends when they walk through your doors for a service. It’s a simple way to see the financial value of a single case without getting lost in the weeds of your total monthly income.
In my experience working with funeral homes, I’ve seen how a slight dip in ARPC can be an early warning sign of shifting consumer preferences in your market.
Tracking ARPC consistently helps you stay ahead of shifts in your market before they become problems. And when you break down your ARPC by service type, you can get an even better idea about what's driving changes and where to focus your attention.
Gross profit margin is the percentage of money left over after you pay for the direct costs of a service, like the casket, urn, or vault.
Think of gross profit margin as what you actually earn from providing services before you pay for "big picture" expenses like rent, payroll, and utilities.
Keeping an eye on this number helps you stay on top of vendor costs. If a supplier raises their prices, your gross profit margin will drop. By tracking this regularly, you can catch those changes early and adjust your own pricing before it impacts your bottom line.
Net profit margin is the percentage of every dollar you keep as actual profit after every single expense is paid, from the light bill and payroll to taxes and insurance.
This is the number that tells you whether your business is actually making money. You might have strong margins on your services, but if your overhead is too high, it won't matter. Net profit margin gives you the full picture.
It's also a great way to measure progress. When you compare this number over time, you can see whether the changes you're making are moving the needle or if something still needs attention.
EBITDA tells you how much money your funeral home is really making from the work you do every day before loans, taxes, and accounting adjustments come into play.
EBITDA removes the variables so you can see how your business is actually performing.
It's also the first number that comes up in almost every financing conversation. If you're thinking about expanding, taking out a loan, or planning for a future sale or transition, lenders and buyers will want to see your EBITDA. A strong, consistent number tells them your business generates real cash flow, and that's what gives them confidence to work with you.
You don't need to be an accountant to keep a pulse on your funeral home's financial health.
By consistently tracking these four metrics, you'll have a better understanding of how your business is performing and the confidence to make smart decisions about your future.
But you don't have to do it alone.
If you're not sure where to start, our team is here to help you make sense of your numbers.
Click here to learn more or fill out the form below to schedule a meeting with our team!