Council on Aging Answers 2015 - 129

COUNCIL ON AGING - ORANGE COUNTY

Cost Considerations
The casket and the funeral home's fee for the basic
services of the funeral director and staff are typically
the most expensive items in a full-service funeral.
Council On Aging-Orange County | 714-479-0107 | www.coaoc.org

Compare prices before deciding on a casket and funeral home; you may find a wide variation in pricing.
If cost is a consideration, look at lower-price caskets
and outer burial containers offered by the funeral
home, local casket providers, or online retailers. Caskets and outer burial containers with warranties may
not be worth the extra cost because no casket or container can delay the decomposition of human remains
indefinitely, and the Funeral Rule prohibits statements
to the contrary.
If you don't want to hold a viewing, you can avoid
charges for embalming and "other preparation of
the body," and the charges for a viewing. Most states
do not require embalming except in special cases.
The Funeral Rule requires that an explanation of any
charge for embalming be included in the written
statement you receive immediately after making the
funeral arrangements.
Immediate burial and direct cremation usually are
the least expensive options. The cost of permits, preparing death notices, and coordinating cemetery or
crematory arrangements must be included in the price
for direct cremation and immediate burial. If you
choose cremation, ask if the direct cremation price
includes any crematory fee. If you want additional
services, including the use of staff and facilities for a
memorial service, the funeral home may charge an
additional fee.
In most states, you are not legally required to use
a funeral home to conduct a funeral. These functions
may be handled by a religious or other organization,
or by your family. In addition, veterans, their immediate family members, public health workers, and some
civilians who provide military-related service are
entitled to burial in a national cemetery with a grave
marker. Burial for the veteran is free, but the family
is responsible for all funeral home expenses, such as
the funeral ceremony or memorial service, and transportation to the cemetery. Many states have low-cost
cemeteries for veterans.
For more information on the Funeral Rule go to:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pusb/consumer/products/pro26.
shtm
For more information on funerals in California
visit: www.cfb.ca.gov
Answers Guide 2015

129

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

name, address or telephone number first.
n Get a written, itemized price list when you visit a
funeral home. The funeral home must give you a General Price List (GPL) that is yours to keep. Ask the funeral home for referrals. Visit/tour the entire facility.
n See a written casket price list before you see the
actual caskets. Sometimes, detailed casket price information is included on the funeral home's GPL. More
often, though, it's provided on a separate casket price
list. Get the price information before you see the caskets, so that you can ask about lower-priced products
that may not be on display.
n See a written outer burial container price list.
An outer burial container, also known as a vault, is
the container that surrounds the casket in the grave.
Outer burial containers are not required by California
law, but some cemeteries require them to prevent the
grave from caving in.
n Receive a written statement after you decide
what you want, and before you pay. It should show exactly what you are buying and the cost of each item.
n Get an explanation in the written statement you
receive from the funeral home that identifies and describes any legal, cemetery or crematory requirement
that compels the purchase of any funeral goods or services for which you are being charged.
n Use an "alternative container" instead of a casket
for cremation. A casket is not required for cremation.
Alternative containers are made of unfinished wood,
pressed wood, fiberboard, or cardboard.
n Provide the funeral home with a casket or urn
you purchase elsewhere. The funeral provider cannot
refuse to handle a casket or urn you bought elsewhere
or require that you are present when it is delivered to
them.
n Make funeral arrangements without embalming. Refrigeration may be an acceptable alternative if
the body is not going to be publicly viewed. Embalming is used to delay decomposition.
n Consider the value of a ceremony to celebrate
the life of the deceased and to allow family members
to remember and say goodbye.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pusb/consumer/products/pro26.shtm http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pusb/consumer/products/pro26.shtm http://www.cfb.ca.gov http://www.coaoc.org

Council on Aging Answers 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Council on Aging Answers 2015