The Funeral Home and Funeral Costs
Published: 03/15/2010 by Funeral Home Resource Team
According to most sources, the cost of a funeral is one of the three or four most expensive consumer purchases. Traditional Funerals can cost upwards of $10,000. They definitely don't have to be so expensive, and there's no reason to believe that paying so much for a funeral shows how much you loved the deceased.
Many morticians or funeral homes will shy away from telling you that you can have a perfectly legitimate funeral, complete with a nice casket, for under $2500. A number of places advertise ‘low cost funerals' for under $2000, and these funerals provide the same sense of memorial as the more expensive ones. They may even be seen as a more appropriate way to honor sensible or more frugal minded decedents.
When it comes to funeral expenses you should definitely shop around and find the best prices. You might want to find a trusted funeral home to help you with your decisions, but you have to remember that they'll have their own interests in your purchases and that might not lead you to the best value. The most important thing to remember is that the cost of the funeral isn't related to how much you cared for or respected the deceased. You shouldn't deal with anyone who tries to guilt you into overspending in this way.
Be willing to go outside of tradition. Is it necessary to have a visitation and a graveside service? Could you combine the two services into one? Or perhaps you could have a visitation and service at the same time and have family members only at the grave. Think about what is comfortable for you and your family and don’t be afraid to step outside of the norm.
See if a military funeral is an option. If the deceased was a military veteran or married to one they may qualify for veterans’ funeral benefits. Burial at a veteran’s cemetery is less expensive than at a public cemetery.
Use your church membership privileges. Many churches have cemeteries on their property. Due to space limitations, some churches limit their burial plots to church members and their immediate family. Using the church auditorium/sanctuary for the funeral services should be much cheaper than renting a funeral home.
Consider cremation. While some people are religiously against cremation, if this is not an issue, it saves quite a bit of money and is becoming quite popular.
Funerals are expensive. There’s no getting around that fact. When ever possible, always try and get more than one estimate from a funeral home for the cost of the funeral service required. Prices can vary greatly between different funeral homes. Locally owned funeral homes are usually more affordable, and give better service than national franchises. All funeral homes in America are required by Federal Law to provide everyone with a written price for all services and funeral related products which they offer. This is known as the General Price List, or GPL. The cost of the funeral will depend on the type of funeral service and options you choose.
When determining the actual price of a funeral service, there are several different things that need to be established before hand. Know your rights as a consumer. Funeral laws are not the same in every state and it is very useful to know which items are required by the law for a funeral service and which items are added extras and are not required by the laws of the state.
A large portion of the funeral cost will depend on the type of casket you select. Costs can have a wide range of price (typically running between $395 and $10,000 plus tax). Within the price ranges, there are services that are provided such as maintenance of the plot, the tombstone, use of the funeral home for service instead.
You do not have to spend a small fortune to have a proper dignified funeral service, whether it be a burial service or a funeral cremation service. Do not allow yourself or your family to be pressured into ordering extra items or services that you feel are you do not want. The prices should be fair as compared to other funeral homes in the area.
Remember, some of the larger corporate owned chains of funeral homes trade under many different names and it can be very difficult to tell the difference between an independent family owned funeral home and a corporate owned funeral chain. Corporations usually retain the family name of the funeral home, so make sure you ask if it is owned by the family, if this is an important aspect for you.
• A funeral home director will walk you through the entire funeral procedure. Funeral directors can help procure copies of the deceased's death certificate, write an obituary, help you follow any religious observances, contact social security, make arrangements with a crematorium, etc.
• Unless you've made arrangements beforehand, you will probably be forced to choose a funeral home quickly and under great emotional duress. Try to get a recommendation from a trusted friend or clergy member.
The Funeral Rule
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the nation's consumer protection agency and enforcer of the Funeral Rule. The Funeral Rule allows consumers to compare prices between funeral homes and select which of the home's services you wish to use without being pressured into buying a "package" of any kind. Amongst its other benefits and protections, the Funeral Rule states that anyone who calls or visits a funeral home MUST be given a Price List of all services.
• The Funeral Rule also provides the following protections:
1. Buy Only the Funeral Arrangements You Want: You do not have to purchase a "package" of goods and services from a funeral home. You can purchase funeral goods, such as a casket, from an outside vendor, and the funeral home has to use it. You can pay for a memorial service and direct burial, but not embalming. It's up to you. Embalming is required in some states and in some situations. If the funeral home states that it is legally required for your specific state or situation, they must provide the statute that pertains to the specific law.
2. Get Prices over the Phone or in their office: Funeral directors must give you pricing information on the phone if you ask for it. The funeral home cannot demand your name, address or phone number before giving you the prices.
3. Get a Written Casket Price List Before Seeing the Caskets: Caskets are expensive, and less scrupulous funeral homes will pressure you into buying the most elaborate one. Ask for the casket price list before looking at the casket showroom.
4. Receive a Written Statement Before You Pay: The funeral home must provide you with a list of the items you've chosen and the total cost of the arrangements.
5. Use an Alternative Container for Cremation: Funeral homes and crematoriums must provide alternative containers made of pressed wood, fiberboard or cardboard for the cremation process. They also cannot require you to buy an urn from them. You can bring in your own container for the remains.
6. Make Funeral Arrangements Without Embalming: According to the FTC, no state law requires embalming. Some states do require that a body be embalmed or refrigerated if it is not buried or cremated in a certain amount of time.
Funeral costs are divided into three basic categories:
1. Basic Service Fees for the Funeral Director: There is a basic service fee which funeral homes are allowed to charge and you cannot decline to pay. This fee includes the cost of securing copies of the deceased's death certificate, preparing death notices, sheltering the remains and coordinating with any third parties like cemeteries or crematories.
2. Services and Merchandise: These are optional funeral-related costs and include things like caskets, embalming, transporting the remains or using the funeral home for a memorial service or viewing, use of a hearse, etc.
3. Cash Advances: These fees are charged by the funeral home for goods and services bought from outside vendors on your behalf. These include things like flowers, obituary notices and an honorarium for the officiating clergy. If the funeral home cannot provide you with an exact cost for these services upfront, they must provide you with a "good faith" estimate.
