Planning You are not required to purchase a package with items wood, pressed wood, fiberboard or cardboard. It you don’t want or need, such as embalming, funeral can be one provided by the funeral home, bought Appointment of agent. If you are concerned service, hearse, etc. All items must be listed and priced elsewhere, or made at home, as long as it meets the that your next-of-kin might not follow your wishes separately on the funeral home’s General Price List. A size, rigidity and combustibility requirements of the about the disposition of your body, in most states Basic Services fee will be included in all arrangements crematory. you can designate another person as your agent to and cannot be declined. This fee covers funeral plan- carry out your wishes. To find your state’s laws, and Urn. You cannot be required to purchase an urn ning, getting necessary permits and the death certifi- links to appropriate forms, see “Who has the legal from the funeral home. You may supply your own, cate, preparing the death notice, holding the remains, right” on FCA’s website, funerals.org. or use the plain container in which the ashes are re- coordinating arrangements with the cemetery, crema- turned from the crematory. This cardboard or plastic Price lists. To plan arrangements within your tory or others, and overhead. It is already included in container is perfectly adequate for burial, shipping, budget and find an affordable funeral provider, you the prices shown for direct cremation and immediate storing, or placing in a columbarium. can request a price list in advance from one or more burial—a simple cremation or burial without embalm- funeral homes. The funeral director is required by ing, viewing or service. Scattering. You may disperse the remains on law to give you a General Price List if you come and your own property, or almost anywhere as long as ask in person, or give you prices over the phone. He Embalming you are discreet. Remains can also be scattered at or she cannot require you to disclose any personal sea. While federal regulations technically require The funeral director must inform you that embalming information before giving out prices. Some funeral cremated remains to be scattered at least three is NOT required except in certain special cases. Direct providers may be willing to mail or email their price miles out from shore, the EPA does not enforce this cremation and immediate burial do not require any lists, others may post them online, but they are not regulation with private individuals. preservation whatsoever, and in other cases, refrigera- required to do so. tion may be a viable alternative. Though it is never Transporting. You can legally ship cremated a legal requirement for viewing a body, most funeral remains, but only through the US Postal Service; the Making arrangements homes will insist on embalming if an open casket ashes must be placed in an inner container within a Do-it-yourself. In the majority of states, a fam- viewing or funeral is planned. Embalming is mandated padded outer container. For plane travel, they must ily, community or religious group can handle a death when a body crosses state lines from Alabama. Minne- be in a non-metallic container to pass through the without a funeral director. You can do everything on sota, Nebraska, and New Jersey require embalming if x-ray machines. It is best to keep the remains in the your own or hire a home funeral consultant or death the body is shipped by common carrier. Several other original box from the crematory, with the official midwife to assist. You can prepare the body, acquire states require either embalming or a sealed casket if documents still attached. the necessary paperwork, hold a vigil or service, and the body is shipped by common carrier. However, this transport the body to the burial site or crematory. is rarely enforced and funeral homes in those states Burial Nine states, however, require you to hire a funeral will routinely ship unembalmed bodies (for Jewish Casket. This can be one of the most expensive director: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisi- clients, for example). parts of a funeral. The funeral home must give you ana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and New York. the complete listing of caskets, with descriptions Write to [email protected] for advice in those states. Cremation and prices, before showing you any, and you can Using a funeral home. The Federal Trade Com- Alternative container. No law requires the use of ask to see lower-priced ones not on display. You mission’s Funeral Rule guarantees your right to buy a casket for cremation. Instead, you may specify a less have the right to buy a casket from a third party; the only the funeral services and goods that you want. expensive alternative container, a box of unfinished funeral director is required by law to accept it, and FUNERAL CONSUMERS ALLIANCE not charge an illegal “handling fee.” In addition, you company, or even online, depending on the cem- cannot be required to be present when the casket is etery’s restrictions. Because regulation is so lax, delivered. cemeteries frequently insist that the customer buy the headstone from them, or impose a ludicrous Vault. State and federal laws do not require the “inspection fee” for markers purchased elsewhere. use of an outer burial container to enclose the cas- ket. However most cemeteries will require one for a Veterans. All veterans are entitled to burial in casket burial, and some will insist on a vault for an a national cemetery at no charge; this includes the urn. The vault prevents the ground from subsiding plot, opening and closing the grave, perpetual care, and facilitates mowing with heavy equipment. You a headstone and flag. The family must pay for all may specify a less expensive concrete grave liner in- funeral home expenses, such as casket, service, and stead of a vault. The funeral provider must give you transportation to the cemetery. The spouse and de- a full listing of outer burial containers, with descrip- pendent children of an eligible veteran are entitled Your Funeral tions and prices, before showing you any. to burial and a marker in a national cemetery as well. State-run veterans cemeteries offer similar benefits, Cemetery. Unlike funeral homes, cemeteries with some restrictions. See www.cem.va.gov for are not required by law to give you a printed price Rights more information. list before you buy, and no federal regulations give cemetery customers the right to buy only the ser- Payment vices and merchandise they want. Only a few states require cemeteries to give you a copy of the rules You have the right to receive a written, itemized pertaining to allowable markers, grave decorations, statement after you make arrangements, but before and visiting hours before the sale. In addition to you pay. It must show exactly what you are buying, the cost of the grave, the cemetery can charge an the cost of each item, and total price. The statement opening and closing fee at the time of burial, and must also spell out any legal, crematory or cemetery a maintenance fee to cover upkeep of the grounds rules that require you to buy merchandise or services and graves. from the funeral home. The funeral home can de- mand full payment in advance. Home burial. Most states permit burial on private property outside city limits, but each mu- Complaints nicipality has its own zoning restrictions and permit requirements. Unless you have established a family To report a violation of your rights or other unfair cemetery on your property, the land may be sold for business practices, you can file a complaint with your other purposes, and the remains may not be easily state’s Funeral Board, state Attorney General, or the accessible. Home burial is prohibited in California, Federal Trade Commission (consumer.ftc.gov or toll- Funeral Consumers Alliance™ Indiana, and Washington. free 1-877-382-4357). For more information, see “Filing Dedicated to protecting a consumer’s right to choose a Complaint” on FCA’s website, funerals.org. Please a meaningful, dignified, and affordable funeral Marker. The marker or headstone for a grave send FCA a courtesy copy of any complaint you file. can be purchased from the cemetery, monument 33 Patchen Road • South Burlington, VT 05403 © Funeral Consumers Alliance 11/20 Rev. 802-865-8300 • www.funerals.org.