Most people would rather not deal with death and dying until it is imminently near, but as our population gets older, many technology companies are setting out to specialize in funeral and cemetery needs. The millennial generation, those who have grown up online, is creating new tech start-ups to capture a little sector of the $18 billion death industry. Additionally, clients are seeing the hassle and expense of having to consult a lawyer, so they are turning to start-ups that provide state-specific estate planning documents online. There are other start-up technology companies that allow users to compare prices and services for funeral homes, taking 12%–15% of the funeral bill as a fee. As the technology industry continues to expand, we will begin seeing more companies helping out those in need of end-of-life services.
See Eilene Zimmerman, Start-Ups for the End of Life, N.Y. Times, November 2, 2016.
Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) & Amy Ziettlow for bringing this article to my attention.
