Tips for Purchasing Funeral Services |
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Each year,
Americans arrange more than 2 million funerals for family and friends. Because funerals
can cost thousands of dollars, you should be aware of federal regulations that can help
protect you from overpaying. Federal laws in the US, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, make it easier for you to choose only those goods and services you want or need and to pay for only those you select. According to the law, you can find out the cost of individual items whether you shop by telephone or in person. If you inquire about funeral arrangements in person, the funeral home must give you a written price list of available goods and services. Keep in mind that when you arrange for a funeral, you can buy a package of goods and services or individual items. If you want to buy a casket for example, the funeral provider must supply lists that describe the available selections and their prices. Telephone Price Disclosures You can shop by phone to compare prices among funeral providers. Getting price information over the phone may help you select a funeral home and the arrangements you want. When you call a funeral provider to ask about terms, conditions, or prices of funeral goods and services, the funeral provider must give you prices and other information from the price lists to answer your questions reasonably. General Price List If you inquire in person about funeral arrangements, the funeral provider will give you a general price list that contains the cost of each funeral item and service offered. Use this information to help select the funeral provider and funeral items you want, need, and can afford. The price list also must include information about embalming, caskets for cremation, and required purchases. Embalming Information The law requires funeral providers to give consumers information about embalming. Under the law, a funeral provider:
Cash Advance Sales The law requires funeral providers to disclose in writing if they charge a fee for buying cash advance items goods or services that funeral providers pay for on your behalf. Examples of cash advance items are flowers, obituary notices, pallbearers, and clergy honoraria. Some funeral providers charge you their cost for these items. Others add a service fee to their cost. The law requres funeral providers to tell you when a service fee is added to the price of cash advance items, or if there are refunds, discounts, or rebates from the supplier on any cash advance item. Caskets for Cremation Some consumers may want to select direct cremation cremation of the deceased without a viewing or other ceremony where the body is present. If you choose a direct cremation, the funeral provider will offer an inexpensive alternative container or an unfinished wood box. An alternative container is a non-metal enclosure pressboard, cardboard, or canvas to hold the deceased. Because any container you buy will be destroyed during the cremation, you may wish to use an alternative container or an unfinished wood box. These could lower the funeral cost because they are less expensive than traditional caskets. Under the law, funeral directors who offer direct cremations:
Required Purchases You do not have to buy goods or services you don't want, or pay any fees as a condition to obtaining the products and services you do want, except one permitted fee for the services of the funeral director and staff, and the fees for the goods and services you select or state law requires. Under the Funeral Rule:
Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected The funeral provider will give you an itemized statement of the total cost of the funeral goods and services you select. This statement also will disclose any legal, cemetery, or crematory requirements that require you to purchase any specific funeral goods or services. The funeral provider must give you this statement after you select the funeral goods and services that you would like. The statement includes the prices of the individual items you are considering for purchase, as well as the total price, in one place. You can decide whether to add or subtract items. If the cost of cash advance items is not known at this time, the funeral provider must write down a good faith estimate. The law does not require any specific form for this information. Funeral providers may include it in any document they give you at the end of your discussion about funeral arrangements. Preservative and Protective Claims The Funeral Rule prohibits funeral providers from telling you a particular funeral item or service can preserve the body of the deceased indefinitely in the grave. For example, funeral providers may not claim that embalming or a particular type of casket will preserve the deceased's body for an unlimited time. The law also prohibits funeral providers from making claims that funeral goods, such as caskets or vaults, will keep out water, dirt, or other gravesite substances if that is not true. Other Considerations Most decisions about purchasing funeral goods and services are made by people when they are grieving and under time constraints. Thinking ahead may help you make informed and thoughtful decisions about funeral arrangements, allow you to choose the specific items you want and need and compare prices offered by one or more funeral providers. If you decide to make advance plans about funeral arrangements either for yourself or a loved one, you can choose among several types of dispositions and ceremonies. Your choice will affect the cost. Some people prefer a ceremonial service, religious or secular, with the body present. Others prefer cremation, which may be performed directly or after a ceremony. In addition, the deceased body may be donated (either directly or after a ceremony) to a medical or educational institution. To help ensure that your wishes are carried out, you may want to write down your preferences, and tell relatives and family friends what you decided. For More Information Most states have a licensing board that regulates the funeral industry. You may contact the licensing board in your state for information or help. If you want additional information about how to make funeral arrangements and the options available, you may want to contact interested business, professional, and consumer groups. Some of the largest include:
For Further Help You can file a complaint with the FTC by contacting the Consumer Response Center by phone: toll-free 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357); TDD: 202-326-2502; by mail: Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20580; or through the Internet, using the online complaint form. Although the Commission cannot resolve individual problems for consumers, it can act against a company if it sees a pattern of possible law violations. Source: Federal Trade Commission, November 1996 |
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