No. In Massachusetts, as in most states, it is legal to care for your own dead without using a funeral home. You can keep the deceased at your home, take care of all of the necessary paperwork yourself, transport the body to the crematory and conduct a service without a funeral director. There are funeral directors who will work with you to provide only those services that you would like to purchase (see the most recent FCAEM funeral home survey for a list of those funeral directors who will work with families on customized arrangements and Caring for Your Own Dead — both located on the FCAEM website.)