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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSWhat are my rights as a consumer? Funerals What are my rights as a consumer? The Funeral Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, makes 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 Funeral Rule, 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, funeral homes must provide you a written price list of available goods and services (GPL or General Price List). 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 a list that describes the available selections and their prices. Remember, the funeral provider may not refuse a casket or charge a fee to handle a casket you bought elsewhere. For more information on this rule, click on the FTC or the Calif. Dept of Consumer Affairs website: http://www.dca.ca.gov/cemetery/funeral.htm Why do I need to research funeral prices? The cost of burying a loved one is becoming unreasonable as a result of deceptive trade practices and consolidation in the funeral home industry," according to Jules Polonetsky (NYC Consumer Affairs Commissioner). An investigation by his office found grieving consumes were misled or tricked by funeral directors into buying services or items they didn't want or need. What are my choices as a consumer? No matter what your final wishes, you are entitled to a choice. There is no such thing as a "Traditional" funeral. Your thoughts and wishes are what is important. Rather than spending unnecessary funds on what may be considered the "normal" way to do things, simply take charge of your arrangements and complete them the way YOU want them performed. Embalming is not required by law, except in certain specific circumstances (which actually vary by state). The most common are: death by infectious disease, a prolonged period of time between death and burial, or most commonly, a public viewing or wake. More and more funeral directors no longer do their own embalming or initial pickup of the remains. Ask the funeral director if he is providing these services or is it contracted to an outside source. What accounting of my service should I have? The funeral director must provide an itemized accounting, known as the statement of goods and services, showing the total cost of the funeral merchandise and/or services selected. If a funeral director is making a cash advance for such items as flowers, obituary notices, grave opening and closing fees, clergy honoraria, pallbearers, etc., it must be disclosed if any money is being made on the transaction. It is advised to ask for cash receipts. What is the basic service fee? When you select a funeral home to handle the service portion of the funeral, there is one itemization that is non-declinable: the basic service fee of the funeral director and staff. The basic service fee amounts to somewhat of a cover charge for doing business with the funeral home and does not include any of the other services provided such as transfer of the remains, refrigeration, embalming, or use of the facilities. The basic service fee is a discretionary charge that ranges from the hundreds to thousands of dollars. As with casket prices, we encourage you to comparison shop. |
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