Step 4: understand the “funeral rule”

In preparation for your meeting with a funeral director, you want to be confident in your knowledge and understanding of decisions you face. In most cases, funeral directors will do their best to take your needs and desires into consideration as they make arrangements for the funeral and burial. To ensure that concerns are appropriately handled, it is helpful to have knowledge of federal laws that affect funeral decisions.

Know how much a typical, full-service funeral costs.
Funerals can be expensive. Traditional arrangements, including a casket and a vault, can exceed $6,000. When you factor in extra costs such as flowers, obituary notices, acknowledgement cards, and limousines, the total can increase significantly. The cost for many funerals exceeds $10,000.  Funeral Cost highlights the expenditures traditionally made for an adult funeral in 2006. Current costs may be even higher.

Be aware of the ability to purchase individual goods or services.
While a funeral director may prefer describing service “packages”, it is important to know that goods and services can be purchased individually.

Understand requirements of the funeral director to describe all options.
Industry studies have shown that the average consumer will buy one of the first three casket models or outer-container options they are shown - usually the middle-priced of the three. The funeral director is required by federal law to show you descriptions of all available selections and their prices before you view them in person.

Ask for itemized prices and an estimate for services.
The funeral director is required to provide itemized prices in person and over the phone, if asked. Additionally, if asked about funeral arrangements in person, a written price list must be provided that shows goods and services.

Be aware of laws regarding embalmment.
If a viewing or visitation is planned, most funeral homes require that the body be embalmed. However, embalming is generally not necessary or legally required if the body is buried or cremated shortly after death. Eliminating this service may save hundreds of dollars. Under the Funeral Rule, your funeral provider:

• may not provide embalming services without permission
• may not falsely state that embalming is required by law
• must disclose in writing that embalming is not required by law, except in certain special cases
• may not charge a fee for unauthorized embalming unless embalming is required by state law
• must disclose in writing the right to choose a disposition, such as direct cremation or immediate burial, that does not require embalming
• must disclose in writing that some funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing, may make embalming a practical necessity and, if so, a required purchase

Be aware of purchasing options.
A casket or urn from a third party retailer may be purchased and shipped directly to the funeral home. The funeral home may not charge a fee for using these items.