Federal Trade Commission | consumer.ftc.gov

Shopping for 

Funeral Services

Contents

Funeral Shopping Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

The FTC Funeral Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Types of Funerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Full-service Funeral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Immediate Burial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Direct Cremation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Choosing a Funeral Provider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Comparison Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Funeral Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Basic Services Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Other Goods and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Embalming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Caskets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Burial Vaults or Grave Liners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Cash Advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Cemetery Goods and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Veterans Cemeteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Pre-need Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Prepaying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Funeral Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Funeral Pricing Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1

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.

What kind of funeral should it be? 

What funeral provider should you use? 

What are you legally required to buy? 

Should you bury or cremate the body, or donate it 

to science? 

What are the choices for a green funeral and 

burial? 

What other arrangements should you plan? 

How much is it all going to cost?

Each year, people grapple with these and many other 

questions as they spend billions of dollars arranging 

funerals for family members and friends.

Many funeral providers offer various “packages” of 

goods and services for different kinds of funerals. The 

Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer 

protection agency, wants you to know that when you 

arrange for a funeral, you have the right to buy goods and 

services separately. You do not have to accept a package 

that includes items you do not want.
2

Funeral Shopping Tips

Here are some tips to help you shop for funeral services:

● Compare prices from at least two funeral homes. 

Remember that you can supply your own casket or 

urn. 

● Ask for a price list. The law requires funeral homes 

to give you written price lists for products and 

services. 

● Resist pressure to buy goods and services you 

don’t really want or need. 

● Avoid emotional overspending. It’s not necessary 

to have the fanciest casket or the most elaborate 

funeral to properly honor a loved one. 

● Recognize your rights. Laws regarding funerals 

and burials vary from state to state. It’s a smart 

move to know which goods or services the law 

requires you to purchase and which are optional. 

● Apply the same smart shopping techniques you 

use for other major purchases. You can cut costs 

by limiting the viewing to one day or one hour 

before the funeral, and by dressing your loved one 

in a favorite outfit instead of costly burial clothing. 

● Shop in advance. It allows you to comparison shop 

without time constraints, creates an opportunity for 

family discussion, and lifts some of the burden from 

your family. 
3

The FTC Funeral Rule

The FTC enforces the Funeral Rule, which makes it 

possible for you to choose only the goods and services you 

want or need and pay only for those you select, whether 

you are making arrangements when a death occurs or 

pre-need. The Rule allows you to compare prices among 

funeral homes. The Rule does not apply to third-party 

sellers, such as casket or monument dealers, or to 

cemeteries that lack an on-site funeral home. 

In brief, the Funeral Rule gives you the right to:

● buy only the funeral goods and services you 

want. You have the right to buy separate goods, 

like caskets, and separate services, like embalming 

or a memorial service. You don’t have to accept a 

package with items you don’t want.

● get price information by telephone. Funeral 

directors must give you price information on the 

telephone if you ask for it. You don’t have to give 

them your name, address or telephone number first. 

Many funeral homes mail their price lists, although 

they aren’t required to; some post them online.

● get a written itemized price list when you visit 

a funeral home. The funeral home must give you 

a General Price List (GPL) to keep. It must list 

16 specific items and services, but it may include 

others, as well. 

● see a written price list for caskets 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 
4

casket price list. Get the price information before 

you see the caskets, so you can ask about lowerpriced products that may not be on display.

● see a written price list for outer burial containers. 

Outer burial containers surround a casket in a grave. 

They are not required by any state law, but many 

cemeteries require them to prevent a grave from 

caving in. If the funeral home sells containers, but 

doesn’t list the prices on the GPL, you have the 

right to look at a separate price list for containers 

before you see them. Look for a range of prices.

● 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. The funeral home must give you an 

itemized statement and the total cost immediately 

after you make the arrangements. The statement 

has to identify and describe any legal, cemetery or 

crematory requirements that require you to pay for 

any particular goods or services.

● use an “alternative container” instead of a 

casket for cremation. No state or local law 

requires the use of a casket for cremation. A 

funeral home that offers cremations must tell you 

that alternative containers are available, and must 

make them available. The containers might be made 

of unfinished wood, pressed wood, fiberboard or 

cardboard.

● provide the funeral home with a casket or urn 

you purchase elsewhere. The funeral provider 

cannot refuse to use a casket or urn you bought 

online, at a local store or somewhere else, and it 
5

can’t charge you a fee to use it. The funeral home 

cannot require you to be on site when the casket or 

urn is delivered to them.

● make funeral arrangements without embalming. 

No state law requires routine embalming for 

every death. Some states require embalming or 

refrigeration if the body is not buried or cremated 

within a certain time; some states don’t require 

those services at all. In most cases, refrigeration 

is an acceptable alternative. Services like direct 

cremation and immediate burial don’t require any 

form of preservation. Many funeral homes have 

a policy requiring embalming if the body is to be 

publicly viewed, but this is not required by law in 

most states. Ask if the funeral home offers private 

family viewing without embalming. If some form of 

preservation is a practical necessity, ask the funeral 

home whether refrigeration is available. 

Types of Funerals

Every family is different, and each wants its own type 

of funeral. Funeral practices are influenced by religious 

and cultural traditions, costs and personal preferences. 

These factors help determine whether the funeral will be 

elaborate or simple, public or private, religious or secular, 

and where it will be held. They also influence whether 

the body will be present at the funeral, if there will be a 

viewing or visitation, and if so, whether the casket will be 

open or closed, and whether the remains will be buried or 

cremated. 
6

Full-service Funeral

This type of funeral, often referred to by funeral providers 

as a “traditional” funeral, usually includes a viewing or 

visitation and formal funeral service, use of a hearse to 

transport the body to the funeral site and cemetery, and 

burial, entombment, or cremation of the remains.

It is generally the most expensive type of funeral. In 

addition to the funeral home’s basic services fee, costs 

often include embalming and dressing the body; rental 

of the funeral home for the viewing or service; and use 

of vehicles to transport the family if they don’t use their 

own. The costs of a casket, cemetery plot or crypt, and 

other funeral goods and services are additional.

Immediate Burial

The body is buried shortly after death, usually in a simple 

container. No viewing or visitation is involved, so no 

embalming is necessary. A memorial service may be 

held at the graveside or later. Direct burial usually costs 

less than the “traditional” full-service funeral. Costs 

include the funeral home’s basic services fee, as well as 

transportation and care of the body, the purchase of a 

casket or burial container and a cemetery plot or crypt. 

If the family chooses to be at the cemetery for the burial, 

the funeral home often charges an additional fee for a 

graveside service.

Direct Cremation

The body is cremated shortly after death, without 

embalming. The cremated remains are placed in an urn 

or other container. No viewing or visitation is involved. 

The remains can be kept in the home, buried, placed in 

a crypt or niche in a cemetery, or buried or scattered in 
7

a favorite spot. Direct cremation usually costs less than 

the “traditional” full-service funeral. Costs include the 

funeral home’s basic services fee, as well as transportation 

and care of the body. A crematory fee may be included 

or added to the funeral home’s fee. There also will be 

a charge for an urn or other container. The cost of a 

cemetery plot or crypt is added only if the remains are 

buried or entombed.

Funeral providers who offer direct cremations must make 

an alternative container available to use in place of a 

casket.

Choosing a Funeral Provider

In most states you don’t have to use a funeral home 

to plan and conduct a funeral. However, some people 

find the services of a professional funeral home to be 

a comfort, because they have little experience with the 

details and legal requirements involved.

People often select a funeral home or cemetery because 

it’s close to home, has served the family in the past, or 

has been recommended by someone they trust. But by 

limiting the search to just one funeral home, they may risk 

paying more than necessary for the funeral or narrowing 

their choice of goods and services.

Comparison Shopping

Comparison shopping may be easier if it’s done before 

the need for a funeral arises. Thinking ahead can help you 

make informed and thoughtful decisions about funeral 

arrangements. It allows you to choose the specific items 

you want and need, and to compare the prices several 

funeral providers charge.
8

If you visit a funeral home in person, the funeral provider 

is required by law to give you a general price list (GPL) 

listing at least 16 specific items and services the home 

offers. If the GPL does not include specific prices of the 

caskets or outer burial containers the provider sells, the 

law requires the provider to show you the price lists for 

those items before showing you the items.

Sometimes it’s more convenient and less stressful 

to “price shop” funeral homes by telephone. The 

Funeral Rule requires funeral directors to provide price 

information on the phone to any caller who asks for it. 

In addition, many funeral homes mail their price lists, 

although they aren’t required to; some post them online.

When comparing prices, be sure to consider the total cost 

of all items, in addition to the costs of single items. Every 

funeral home should have price lists that include all the 

items essential for the different types of arrangements it 

offers. Many funeral homes offer package funerals that 

may cost less than buying individual items or services. 

Offering package funerals is permitted by law, as long 

as an itemized price list also is provided. But you can’t 

accurately compare total costs unless you use the price 

lists.

There’s a trend toward consolidation in the funeral home 

industry, and many neighborhood funeral homes may 

appear to be locally owned when in fact, they’re owned 

by a national corporation. If this issue is important to you, 

you may want to ask if the funeral home is independent 

and locally owned.
9

Funeral Costs

Funeral costs include basic services fee for the funeral 

director and staff, charges for other services and 

merchandise, and cash advances. Make copies of the 

checklist at the middle of this booklet. Use it when you 

shop with several funeral homes to compare costs.

After you make arrangments, the funeral provider must 

give you an itemized statement of the total cost of the 

funeral goods and services you have selected. If you select 

a cash advance item, such as obituary notices, that the 

funeral provider will get from another business and the 

provider doesn’t know the exact cost of the item yet, the 

provider must give you a written “good faith estimate” 

of the cost. This statement also must disclose any legal, 

cemetery or crematory requirements that require you to 

pay for any particular goods or services.

The Funeral Rule does not require any specific format 

for this information. Funeral providers may include it in 

any document they give you at the end of your discussion 

about funeral arrangements.

Basic Services Fee

The Funeral Rule allows funeral providers to charge 

all customers a basic services fee. The basic services 

fee includes services that are common to all funerals, 

regardless of the specific arrangement. These include 

funeral planning, securing the necessary permits and 

copies of death certificates, preparing the notices, 

sheltering the remains, and coordinating the arrangements 

with the cemetery, crematory or other third parties. 

The fee does not include charges for optional goods or 

services.
10

Other Goods and Services

Optional goods and services may include transporting 

the remains; embalming and other preparation; use of 

the funeral home for the viewing, ceremony or memorial 

service; use of equipment and staff for a graveside 

service; use of a hearse or limousine; a casket, outer 

burial container or alternate container; and cremation or 

interment.

Embalming

Many funeral homes require embalming if you’re planning 

a viewing or visitation. But embalming generally is not 

necessary or legally required if the body is buried or 

cremated shortly after death. Eliminating this service can 

save you hundreds of dollars. Under the Funeral Rule, a 

funeral provider:

● may not provide embalming services without 

permission

● may not falsely state that embalming is required by law

● must disclose in writing that embalming is not 

required by law, except in certain special cases, 

such as a funeral with a viewing

● may not charge a fee for unauthorized embalming 

unless embalming is required by state law

● must disclose in writing that you usually have the 

right to choose a disposition, like direct cremation or 

immediate burial, that does not require embalming if 

you do not want embalming

● must disclose in writing that some funeral 

arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing, may 

make embalming a practical necessity and, if so, a 

required purchase
11

As far back as the ancient Egyptians, people have used 

oils, herbs and special body preparations to help preserve 

the bodies of their dead. Yet, no methods have been 

devised to preserve a body in the grave indefinitely. The 

Funeral Rule prohibits funeral providers from telling 

you that it can be done. For example, funeral providers 

may not claim that either embalming or a particular type 

of casket will preserve the body of the deceased for an 

unlimited time.

Caskets

For a “traditional” full-service funeral:

A casket often is the single most expensive item in a 

“traditional” full-service funeral. Caskets vary widely 

in style and price and are sold primarily for their visual 

appeal. Typically, they’re constructed of metal, wood, 

fiberboard, fiberglass or plastic. Although an average 

casket costs slightly more than $2,000, some mahogany, 

bronze or copper caskets may sell for $10,000 or more.

When you visit a funeral home or showroom to shop for 

a casket, the Funeral Rule requires the funeral director 

to show you a list of caskets the company sells, with 

descriptions and prices, before showing you the caskets. 

Industry studies show that the average casket shopper buys 

one of the first three models shown, generally the middlepriced of the three.

So it’s in the seller’s best interest to start out by showing 

you higher-end models. If you haven’t seen some of 

the lower-priced models on the price list, ask to see 

them — but don’t be surprised if they’re not prominently 

displayed, or not on display at all.
12

Funeral Pricing ChecklistMake copies of this page and check with several funeral homes to compare costs.

Company A Company B Company C

Funeral Goods & Services 

Basic services of funeral director and staffTransfer body to funeral homeTransfer body to another funeral homeReceive body from another funeral homeDirect cremation: funeral home chargeDirect cremation: crematory chargeFor cremation: alternative container or rental casketUrn for cremated remainsImmediate burialEmbalmingOther preparation of the bodyCasketCasket model number or description
13

Casket model number or descriptionGrave liner or vaultLiner/vault model number or descriptionUse of staff and facility: - for viewing or visitation - for funeral or memorial serviceUse of staff and equipment: for graveside serviceHearseLimousine or other vehiclesSubtotal

Cemetery Goods & Services

Cemetery plot, crypt or nicheEndowment care feeOpening and closing plot, crypt or nicheMarker or monument and set up feeTotal
14

Traditionally, caskets were sold only by funeral homes. 

But more and more, showrooms and websites operated 

by “third-party” dealers are selling caskets. You can buy 

a casket from one of these dealers and have it shipped 

directly to the funeral home. The Funeral Rule requires 

funeral homes to agree to use a casket you bought 

elsewhere, and doesn’t allow them to charge you a fee for 

using it.

No matter where or when you’re buying a casket, it’s 

important to remember that its purpose is to provide 

a dignified way to move the body before burial or 

cremation. No casket, regardless of its qualities or cost, 

will preserve a body forever. Metal caskets frequently are 

described as “gasketed,” “protective” or “sealer” caskets. 

These terms mean that the casket has a rubber gasket or 

some other feature that is designed to delay the penetration 

of water into the casket and prevent rust. The Funeral 

Rule forbids claims that these features help preserve the 

remains indefinitely because they don’t. They just add to 

the cost of the casket.

Most metal caskets are made from rolled steel of varying 

gauges — the lower the gauge, the thicker the steel. 

Some metal caskets come with a warranty for longevity. 

Wooden caskets generally are not gasketed and don’t 

have a warranty for longevity. They can be hardwood 

like mahogany, walnut, cherry or oak, or softwood 

like pine. Pine caskets are a less expensive option, but 

funeral homes rarely display them. Manufacturers of both 

wooden and metal caskets usually offer warranties for 

workmanship and materials.
15

For cremation:

Many families that choose cremation rent, rather than 

buy, a casket from the funeral home for the visitation and 

funeral. If you opt for visitation and cremation, ask about 

the rental option. For those who choose a direct cremation 

without a viewing or other ceremony with the body 

present, the funeral provider must offer an inexpensive 

unfinished wood box or alternative container, a non-metal 

enclosure — pressboard, cardboard or canvas — that is 

cremated with the body.

Under the Funeral Rule, funeral directors who offer direct 

cremations:

● may not tell you that state or local law requires a 

casket for direct cremations, because none do; 

● must disclose in writing your right to buy an 

unfinished wood box or an alternative container for 

a direct cremation; and 

● must make an unfinished wood box or other 

alternative container available for direct cremations. 

Burial Vaults or Grave Liners

Burial vaults or grave liners, also known as outer burial 

containers, are commonly used to prevent the ground from 

caving in as a casket deteriorates over time. A grave liner 

is made of reinforced concrete and covers only the top 

and sides of the casket. A burial vault is more substantial 

and expensive than a grave liner. It surrounds the casket 

in concrete or another material and may be sold with a 

warranty of protective strength.
16

State laws do not require a vault or liner, and funeral 

providers may not tell you otherwise. However, keep in 

mind that many cemeteries require some type of outer 

burial container to prevent the grave from sinking in the 

future. Neither grave liners nor burial vaults are designed 

to prevent the eventual decomposition of human remains. 

It is illegal for funeral providers to claim that a vault will 

keep water, dirt, or other debris from penetrating into the 

casket if that’s not true.

Before showing you any outer burial containers, a funeral 

provider is required to give you a list of prices and 

descriptions. It may be less expensive to buy an outer 

burial container from a third-party dealer than from a 

funeral home or cemetery. Compare prices from several 

sources before you select a model.

Cash Advances

Cash advances are fees charged by the funeral home for 

goods and services it buys from outside vendors on your 

behalf, including flowers, obituary notices, pallbearers, 

officiating clergy, and organists and soloists. Some funeral 

providers charge you their cost for the items they buy 

on your behalf. Others add a service fee to the cost. The 

Funeral Rule requires those who charge an extra fee to 

disclose that fact in writing, although it doesn’t require 

them to specify the amount of their markup. The Rule also 

requires funeral providers to tell you if there are refunds, 

discounts, or rebates from the supplier on any cash 

advance item.
17

Cemetery Goods and Services

The FTC’s Funeral Rule does not cover cemeteries and 

mausoleums unless they sell both funeral goods and 

funeral services.

When you buy a cemetery plot, cost is not the only 

consideration. The location of the cemetery and whether 

it meets the requirements of your family’s religion are 

important, as well. Additional considerations include 

what, if any, restrictions the cemetery places on burial 

vaults purchased elsewhere, the type of monuments 

or memorials it allows, and whether flowers or other 

remembrances may be placed on graves.

Most cemeteries require you to purchase an outer burial 

container, which will cost several hundred dollars. There 

are charges — usually hundreds of dollars — to open a 

grave for interment and additional charges to fill it in. 

Perpetual care on a cemetery plot sometimes is included 

in the purchase price, but it’s important to clarify that 

point before you buy the plot. If it’s not included, look 

for a separate endowment care fee for maintenance and 

groundskeeping.

If you plan to bury cremated remains in a mausoleum or 

columbarium, you can expect to purchase a crypt, pay 

opening and closing fees, and pay for endowment care and 

other services.

Veterans Cemeteries

All military veterans are entitled to a free burial in a 

national cemetery and a grave marker. This eligibility 

extends to some civilians who provided military-related 

service and some Public Health Service personnel. 
18

Veterans’ spouses and dependent children also are entitled 

to a plot and marker in a national cemetery. There are 

no charges for opening or closing the grave, for a vault 

or liner, or for setting the marker in a national cemetery. 

The family generally is responsible for other expenses, 

including transportation to the cemetery. For more 

information, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs. To 

reach the regional Veterans Affairs office in your area, 

call 1-800-827-1000.

In addition, many states have established veterans 

cemeteries. Eligibility requirements and other details vary. 

Contact your state for more information.

You may see ads for so-called “veterans’ specials” by 

commercial cemeteries. These cemeteries sometimes offer 

a free plot for the veteran, but charge exorbitant rates for 

an adjoining plot for the spouse, as well as high fees for 

opening and closing each grave. Evaluate the bottom-line 

cost to be sure the special is as special as you may be led 

to believe.

Pre-need Arrangements

An increasing number of people are designating their 

funeral preferences, planning their own funerals, and 

sometimes paying for them in advance. They see funeral 

planning as an extension of estate planning. 

Thinking ahead can help you make informed and 

thoughtful decisions about the specific items you want and 

need. It also spares your survivors the stress of making 

these decisions. You can make arrangements directly with 

a funeral establishment.
19

When planning a funeral pre-need, consider where the 

remains will be buried, entombed, or scattered. In the 

short time between the death and burial of a loved one, 

many family members find themselves rushing to buy a 

cemetery plot or grave — often without time for careful 

thought or a personal visit to the site.

You may wish to make decisions about your arrangements 

in advance, but not pay for them in advance. Over time, 

businesses may close or change ownership. Prices may go 

up, or in some areas with increased competition, prices 

may go down. It’s a good idea to review and revise your 

decisions every few years, and to make sure your family 

is aware of your wishes.

Put your preferences in writing, give copies to family 

members and your attorney, and keep a copy in a handy 

place. Don’t designate your preferences in your will, 

because a will often is not found or read until after a 

funeral. Avoid putting the only copy of your preferences 

in a safe deposit box. That’s because your family may 

have to make arrangements on a weekend or holiday, 

before the box can be opened.

Prepaying

Millions of Americans have entered into contracts to 

arrange their funerals and prepay some or all of the 

expenses involved. State law governs the prepayment for 

funeral goods and services; various states have laws to 

help ensure that advance payments are available to pay 

for funeral products and services when they’re needed. 

But protections vary widely from state to state, and some 

state laws offer little or no effective protection. Some 

state laws require the funeral home or cemetery to place a 

percentage of the prepayment in a state-regulated trust or 
20

to purchase a life insurance policy with the death benefits 

assigned to the funeral home or cemetery.

If you’re thinking about prepaying for funeral goods and 

services, it’s important to consider the answers to these 

questions:

● What are you are paying for? Are you buying only 

merchandise, like a casket and vault, or are you 

purchasing funeral services as well? 

● What happens to the money you paid? States have 

different requirements for handling funds paid in 

advance for funeral services. 

● What happens to the interest income on money 

you pay? 

● Are you protected if the firm you dealt with goes 

out of business? 

● Can you cancel the contract and get a full refund 

if you change your mind about the items you 

bought or the arrangments you made? 

● What happens if you move or die while away 

from home?

Be sure to tell your family about the plans you made; let 

them know where the documents are filed. If your family 

isn’t aware that you made plans, your wishes may not be 

carried out. And if family members don’t know that you 

prepaid the funeral costs, they could end up paying for the 

arrangements too. You may wish to consult an attorney on 

the best way to ensure that your wishes are followed.
21

Funeral Terms

Here are terms you will encounter when planning a 

funeral.

Alternative container: An unfinished wood box or other 

non-metal receptacle without ornamentation, often made 

of fiberboard, pressed wood or composition material; it 

generally costs less than a casket.

Casket: A rigid container usually made of wood or metal, 

designed to hold remains.

Cemetery property: A grave, crypt, or niche in a cemetery.

Cemetery services: Opening and closing graves, crypts 

or niches; setting up grave liners, vaults or markers; 

maintaining cemetery grounds and facilities.

Columbarium: A room or building with niches that hold 

urns containing cremated remains.

Cremation: A heating process that incinerates human 

remains.

Crypt: A space in a mausoleum or other building that 

holds cremated or whole remains. 

Direct cremation: Disposing of remains by cremation 

without having a formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony 

with the body present.

Disposing, disposition: Placing cremated or whole remains 

in their final resting place.

Endowment care: Maintaining a cemetery facility including 

grounds, plantings, roadways and water systems.
22

Endowment care fee: Money collected from cemetery 

property buyers and placed in trust to pay for cemetery 

maintenance.

Funeral ceremony: A service commemorating a deceased 

person with the body present. 

Funeral provider: Any person, partnership or corporation 

that sells or offers to sell funeral goods and funeral 

services to the public.

Funeral services: Any services that care for and prepare 

bodies for burial, cremation or other final disposition and 

arrange, supervise or conduct a funeral ceremony or final 

disposition of remains. 

Grave: A space in the ground for the burial of remains.

Grave liner: A type of outer burial container that covers 

the top and sides of a casket in a grave.

Graveside service: A service commemorating a deceased 

person held at a cemetery before burial.

Immediate burial: Disposing of remains by burial without 

having a formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony with the 

body present before the graveside service.

Interment: Placing remains in a grave, tomb or niche.

Inurnment: Placing cremated remains in an urn.

Marker: An inscribed stone that stands or is laid over a grave.

Mausoleum: A building in which remains are buried or 

entombed.

Memorial service: A ceremony commemorating a deceased 

person without the body present.
23

Niche: A space in a columbarium, mausoleum or wall to 

hold an urn.

Outer burial container: A structure that partially or 

completely surrounds a casket in a grave.

Urn: A container to hold cremated remains. 

Vault: A type of outer burial container that surrounds a 

casket in a grave.

Contact Information

Most states have a licensing board that regulates the 

funeral industry. You may contact the board in your 

state for information or help. For more information 

about funeral arrangements and options, you can contact 

business, professional and consumer groups including:

AARP

Nonprofit organization that helps people 50 and older 

improve the quality of their lives.

601 E Street, NW

Washington, DC 20049

Toll-Free: 1-888-687-2277

www.aarp.org

Council of Better Business Bureaus

Private, nonprofit organization that promote ethical 

business standards and voluntary self-regulation of 

business practices.

3033 Wilson Blvd. Suite 600

Arlington, VA 22201

1-703-276-0100

www.bbb.org/us/
24

Cremation Association of North America

Association of crematories, cemeteries, and funeral homes 

that offer cremation.

499 Northgate Parkway

Wheeling, IL 60090-2646

1-312-245-1077

www.cremationassociation.org

Federal Trade Commission

Federal agency that enforces the funeral rule and works 

to prevent business practices that are anticompetitive, 

deceptive, or unfair to consumers.

600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20580

Toll-Free: 1-877-FTC-HELP

www.ftc.gov

Funeral Consumers Alliance

Nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting a 

consumer’s right to choose a meaningful, dignified, 

affordable funeral.

33 Patchen Road

South Burlington, VT 05403

1-802-865-8300

www.funerals.org

Funeral Ethics Organization

Organization that promotes ethical dealings in all deathrelated transactions.

87 Upper Access Road

Hinesburg, VT 05461

1-802-482-6021

www.funeralethics.org
25

Green Burial Council

Nonprofit organization that encourages environmentally 

sustainable death care practices and helps consumers 

identify “green” cemetery, funeral, and cremation services.

1601 North Sepulveda, Suite 152

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Toll-Free: 1-888-966-3330

www.greenburialcouncil.org

International Cemetery, Cremation and 

Funeral Association

International trade association representing the cemetery, 

funeral service, cremation, and memorialization profession. 

It offers informal, free mediation of consumer complaints 

about cemetery services or policies.

107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100

Sterling, VA 20164

Toll-Free: 1-800-645-7700

www.iccfa.com

Jewish Funeral Directors of America

International association of funeral homes serving the 

Jewish community.

107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100

Sterling, VA 20164

Toll-Free: 1-888-477-5567

www.jfda.org

National Funeral Directors and 

Morticians Association

Educational and professional association of funeral providers;

provides consumer infomration and advice by telephone.

6290 Shannon Parkway

Union City, GA 30291

Toll free: 1-800-434-0958

1-770-969-0064

www.nfdma.com
26

National Funeral Directors Association

Educational and professional association of funeral 

directors; provides consumer information and advice by 

telephone.

13625 Bishop’s Drive

Brookfield, WI 53005

Toll-Free: 1-800-228-6332

www.nfda.org

Order of the Golden Rule

International association of independent, family-owned 

funeral homes.

3520 Executive Center Drive, Suite 300

Austin, TX 79731

Toll-Free: 1-800-637-8030

www.ogr.org

Selected Independent Funeral Homes

Association of independent locally-owned funeral homes.

500 Lake Cook Road, Suite 205

Deerfield, IL 60015

Toll-Free: 1-800-323-4219

www.selectedfuneralhomes.org

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Federal agency that provides care and services to veterans 

and beneficiaries.

810 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington DC 20420

Toll-Free: 1-800-827-1000

www.va.gov

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

National Cemetery Administration

Provides burial services in veteran’s cemeteries for veterans 

and family members. Maintains cemeteries nationwide.

810 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington DC 20420

Toll-Free: 1-800-827-1000

www.cem.va.gov
27

Solving Problems

If you have a problem concerning funeral matters, it’s 

best to try to resolve it first with the funeral director. If 

you are dissatisfied with the funeral services you receive, 

the Funeral Consumers Alliance offers advice on how 

to resolve a problem. You also can contact your state or 

local consumer protection agencies. Check your telephone 

directory for phone numbers or visit www.naag.org for a 

list of state Attorneys General.

In addition, you can file a complaint with the FTC. 

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and 

unfair business practices in the marketplace and to 

provide information to help consumers spot, stop and 

avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information 

on consumer issues, visit consumer.ftc.gov or call 

toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 

1-866-653-4261.

Watch a video, How to File a Complaint, at 

consumer.ftc.gov/media to learn more. The FTC 

enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel 

Network, a secure online database and investigative tool 

used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement 

agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Federal Trade Commission

consumer.ftc.gov

September 2013