RESOURCES FUNERAL ISSUES AND INFORMATION Bruce Rauner Bryan A. Schneider Governor Secretary Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Compassion, dignity, and respect – these are the words that Regulation, should describe the fi nal services upon the loss of a loved Jay Stewart Division of Professional Regulation one. However, families can be faced with a barrage of critical Director 100 West Randolph Street, Suite 9-300 Chicago, Illinois 60601 decisions for fi nal arrangements that can be confusing and can General Phone No.: 312-814-4500 create stress during a time of grieving. Cemetery Oversight: 888-756-8331 www.idfpr.com Often, one must be prepared to make important decisions FUNERAL SERVICES www.idfpr.com/PROFS/Info/FunDirEmb.asp within a short period of time. Some decisions may have 10 Questions You Should Ask been previously made by you or your loved one before death, Complaint Intake Unit Phone No.: 312-814-6910 File a Complaint: referred to as “pre-need” - others must be made after death, www.idfpr.com/Admin/Complaints.asp referred to as “at-need.” In either case, you should know what DIVISION OF companies and individuals will be involved in making the fi nal PROFESSIONAL REGULATION State of Illinois Offi ce of the Comptroller arrangements and what services will be required. Commonly Cemetery Care & Burial Trust asked questions are: Pre-Need Licensing and Certifi cation Enforcement  What family member will handle the arrangements? 100 West Randolph Street, Suite 5-625 Chicago, Illinois 60601  What Funeral Director or Funeral Director and Embalmer General Phone No.: 877-203-3401 will be selected? http://www.ioc.state.il.us/index.cfm/departments/ceme- tery-care/  Is a funeral service required? ILLINOIS Federal Trade Commission  Will fi nal disposition be by burial or cremation? Shopping for Funeral Services  How much do these options cost? www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0070-shopping-funeral-ser- DEPARTMENT OF vices The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regu- FINANCIAL AND Some applicable Illinois laws available on the General lation issues licenses to Funeral Directors, Funeral Director Assembly’s website: and Embalmers, Funeral Director and Embalmer Interns, and PROFESSIONAL Cemeteries. The Department asks that you keep in mind these • Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing Code, 225 ILCS 41/ important points as you prepare for the fi nal arrangements of REGULATION • Cemetery Oversight Act, 225 ILCS 411/ your loved one. • Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act, 225 ILCS 45/ • Disposition of Remains Act, 755 ILCS 65/ • Vital Records Act, 410 ILCS 535/ 320 West Washington, 3rd Floor • Illinois Pre-Need Cemetery Sales Act, 815 ILCS 390/ State of Illinois Web site - www.illinois.gov Springfi eld, Illinois 62786

James R. Thompson Center 100 West Randolph Street, Suite 9-300 Chicago, IL 60601

Printed by authority of the State of Illinois June 2015 www.idfpr.com

Having the answers to these 10 questions can assist 3. Where is your loved one going? 7. Embalming Required? in lessening the stress of the decisions surrounding Before you allow a Funeral Director to remove your Embalming is not required in Illinois; however, if the the disposition of your loved one. A licensed Funeral loved one’s remains, you should fi rst decide which body is not buried or cremated within a certain time, Director or Funeral Director and Embalmer (collectively referred to as “Funeral Directors”) should answer funeral establishment will provide the services. In order embalming or refrigeration may be desirable to preserve these questions in a timely manner to help with your to complete plans for fi nal disposition, the Funeral the remains. Preservation is not an issue for certain understanding. Director must have written approval, not merely verbal methods of disposition such as cremation or immediate confi rmation. Licensed Funeral Directors know that burial. before removing or embalming a body the family must authorize the removal. 8. Burial or cremation? If you desire a burial plot, there must be a specifi c price. FUNERAL SERVICES 4. How much will you pay? You should also be aware that some cemeteries require You are entitled to a general price list which itemizes an outer burial vault to prevent gravesites from sinking. 10 Questions You Should Ask the costs of goods and services offered. You should Make sure to ask for and review the cemetery price list, understand that funeral services and items such as caskets rules, and regulations, and memorialization options. vary greatly in price. Many funeral establishments now 1. Is the Funeral Director licensed? have their general price list online and they should be If cremation is the method of disposition, other traditional The Funeral Director will supervise substantially all of able to give you the information over the phone. Any goods and services might be optional. Cremation requires the activities of the fi nal disposition, including removing casket on display must have its price clearly marked. the removal of implants such as pacemakers. Any the body, embalming, cremating, or burial. The Depart- removal of implants or devices should be pre-authorized. ment regulates the activities of Funeral Directors, not the Review descriptions, photographs or other materials Many funeral establishments can receive compensation funeral home or chapel. Ask for the Funeral Director’s very carefully before signing any documents to make for these items. Find out whether you will receive the license number for verifi cation. The number should begin sure it is what you have requested! compensation for the items removed. with 034 or 031.

5. Is the full cost in writing? 9. Who will witness the placement? Licensed Funeral Directors must follow the law! At the time funeral arrangements are made and prior In all instances where the fi nal disposition is a cemetery, to rendering the funeral services, make sure that all the the Funeral Director or the Funeral Director’s designee 2. Is the license active? costs are in writing – this is the law. A Funeral Director must personally witness the placement of the remains. Verify the license of anyone claiming to be a Funeral must furnish a written copy of the Statement of Goods 10. Death Certifi cate? Director on the Department’s License Look-up at: & Services to the person responsible for making the funeral arrangements – this must be signed by you and With few exceptions, the medical certifi cation shall be the Funeral Director. This document should contain completed and signed by a physician within 48 hours www.idfpr.com/LicenseLookUp/LicenseLookup.asp important items, including: the name, address, and after death. The Funeral Director must fi le the completed telephone number of the funeral establishment; the death certifi cate within 7 days after the death and prior If the name is not listed, the individual is not properly date that the arrangements were made; the price of the to the fi nal disposition of the body or the removal of the body from Illinois. Once the death certifi cate is fi led, you licensed! services; and pre-payment or other payment terms. should be able to get a certifi ed copy for your records. 6. Did they seek you out? If the person is not listed or is not listed as “active” – be A Funeral Director’s failure to timely file a death Funeral Directors may advertise their services, but they certifi cate is a violation of the law! cautious. A license may be listed in a status other than cannot solicit at-need arrangements. Also, individuals “active” – such as refuse to renew, not renewed, sus- such as police offi cers, hospice workers, coroner’s staff, pended, or revoked. and others must not seek compensation for soliciting business. A status other than “active” may indicate an individual Be very cautious of individuals who approach you to help is not properly licensed! with funeral arrangements – this is a sign of potential

problems!