Information About Funeral Options and Pricing
All cultures across time have had some way of honoring, memorializing and caring for their dead. While they may differ greatly, humans have a need to express their sense of grief in some tangible way. Today's consumers in the United States face many choices concerning funeral and disposition options. Understanding those choices will help you to make decisions that are best suited to both you and your family. A mistake that many make is to base their funeral and disposition decisions around only what they want and fail to consider the long term effects of those decisions on the rest of their family. Any one should have the type of funeral and/or disposition they want, but those decisions should also take into consideration the emotional and spiritual needs of those who survive. While any type of funeral or memorial service honors and remembers the deceased, the real value of any funeral is for those who are left.
Types of Funerals
In arranging for a funeral, whether it is on an at-need or pre-need basis, you will be asked to consider what type of funeral you desire. Some choices include: a public funeral and visitation; a private funeral service; a graveside only funeral; immediate burial, direct cremation and/or a memorial service. A person may also donate their body to medical research, but those arrangements must be made well in advance of death with an Organization, University or Program that is established for that purpose.
Is Using A Funeral Home Necessary?
Contacting a funeral home is not necessary if you are donating your body to medical research (see above paragraph). A direct cremation may be arranged for either by your local funeral home or, in some areas, by a cremation society. For other types of funeral service and/or disposition, your local funeral home can make all the necessary arrangements you desire. A funeral director and staff will: come to the place of death and remove the body back to the funeral home; perform embalming preparation with the family's permission; confer with the family during the arrangement conference; place obituary notices; help arrange for cemetery/crematory needs, hairdresser, family floral arrangements; contact clergy; handle all necessary forms and authorizations ( death certificate, Social Security, Veterans Administration, Burial/Transit permit, etc.); dress, casket and cosmetic the body; supply your choice of casket and outer burial container; conduct the visitation and/or funeral with appropriate staffing at a location of your choice; and provide necessary automotive equipment for the type of service you desire. Your local funeral director and staff can be a valuable resource to your family at a very difficult time.
Funeral Pricing
In 1984, the Federal government, based on a recommendation from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), enacted legislation regulating the way funeral homes disclose their prices to consumers. The FTC is the Agency charged with enforcement of this Funeral Rule. In essence, the rule requires every funeral home to have 3 price lists: a General Price List, a Casket Price List and an Outer Burial Container Price List. Upon request or at the initiation of a face-to-face discussion of funeral costs, the funeral home is required to present to the consumer a copy of their General Price List. Likewise, upon initiation of discussion of casket and outer burial container prices. The General Price List must be offered to the consumer for retention, but the funeral home is not required to offer for retention either the Casket or Outer Burial Container Price Lists. The whole idea of the Government requiring such disclosures is to make it simpler for the consumer to compare costs from funeral home to funeral home.
There are 3 main areas of cost when purchasing a funeral:
1) The first of those is the funeral home's "Service Cost" and contains prices relevant to providing the different types of funeral service available from the funeral home. Most times, the type of service you choose will affect the overall cost of the funeral (see paragraph titled "Types of Funerals"). The more involved the use of funeral home staff, facilities, automotive and other equipment, the more the service charge will be affected. These costs are disclosed on the funeral home's General Price List.
2) The second area of cost for a funeral is termed as "Merchandise". This includes all tangible items purchased from the funeral home such as the casket, outer burial container (burial vault), register book, memorial folders, mass cards, acknowledgment cards, clothing and urns. The funeral home should disclose these costs between their General, Casket and Outer Burial Container Price Lists. In most circumstances, state sales tax applies to all items of merchandise purchased.
3) The third area of cost is termed "Cash Advance Items". These can include such items as the cost of certified copies of the death certificate, clergy honorarium, family floral arrangements, newspaper obituary costs, cemetery opening & closing charge, hairdresser, burial permit fees and monument letter engraving. Typically, if the funeral home arranges for and includes these charges on the funeral bill, the funeral home requires payment of these items prior to the funeral.
Funeral Price Information
The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) conducts an annual survey of member funeral homes to determine the average cost to consumers for purchasing a funeral. NFDA's 2001 General Price List Survey results are based on figures from members General Price Lists as of January 2001. Data was collected from 497 questionnaire responses out of a total random sample of 1,697 NFDA members, a response rate of 29%. The survey is divided into two sections: “Services” and “Merchandise”.
The average national cost for “Services” was $2,832.00. “Merchandise” cost averages were: casket, $2,330.00; burial vault, $950.00; and acknowledgement cards, $18.00.
The total nationwide average cost of funeral Service and Merchandise in 2001 was $6,130.00. This cost does not include “Cash Advance Items” (see # 3 in above section) which can add from $500 - $1,500 to the cost of the funeral. While these costs are considered “average”, costs can vary significantly from area to area. Contact your local funeral home for a detailed cost quote.
Finally, it can be difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison of funeral home costs. Make sure you ask whatever questions necessary to get a complete picture. A reputable funeral home will always be willing to give you all the information you need to make the right decisions for you and your family.
How can I know what is right for me?
While it is uncomfortable for most of us to think about or discuss death, dying and funerals, it is a reality that will confront each of us at various times in our lives; and ultimately, we are faced with our own mortality. Funerals are life events that impact us, our family, our friends and community. Knowing and understanding the choices, options and costs of funerals; discussing with our families our desires for the type of funeral we want; and making adequate financial preparations for these eventual expenses will go a long way in helping you and your family make the decisions that are right for you.
Choosing A Funeral Home
Questions to Ask
- What kind of reputation does the funeral home have? What observations have I made when visiting this funeral home? What experience have others had?
- Is the funeral home's staff knowledgeable and courteous?
- Is it's location convenient for both family and friends who will come?
- Are the facilities large enough to accommodate our service? Is there ample off-street parking?
- Are guests, including children, made to feel welcome? Is there a children's play area?
- What other services or facilities does the funeral home offer? Grief support? Facilities for hosting a post funeral gathering?
- How does the funeral home expect payment of charges to be made?
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