When
a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends
often are confronted with dozens of decisions about
the funeral - all of which must be made quickly and
often under great emotional duress. What kind of funeral
should it be? What funeral provider should you use?
Should you bury or cremate the body, or donate it to
science? What are you legally required to buy? What
other arrangements should you plan? And, as callous
as it may sound, how much is it all going to cost?
Each
year, Americans grapple with these and many other questions
as they spend billions of dollars arranging more than
2 million funerals for family members and friends. The
increasing trend toward pre-need planning - when people
make funeral arrangements in advance - suggests that
many consumers want to compare prices and services so
that ultimately, the funeral reflects a wise and well-informed
purchasing decision, as well as a meaningful one.
Many
funeral providers offer various "packages"
of commonly selected goods and services that make up
a funeral. But when you arrange for a funeral, you have
the right to buy individual goods and services. That
is, you do not have to accept a package that may include
items you do not want.
According
to the Funeral Rule:
- you
have the right to choose the funeral goods and services
you want (with some exceptions).
- the
funeral provider must state this right in writing
on the general price list.
- if
state or local law requires you to buy any particular
item, the funeral provider must disclose it on the
price list, with a reference to the specific law.
- the
funeral provider may not refuse, or charge a fee,
to handle a casket you bought elsewhere.
- a
funeral provider that offers cremations must make
alternative containers available.
Click
here to learn more in the
Consumer Information Section
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