How to Find the True Cost of a Funeral

Did you know? General Price List 

Talking about finances can be touchy enough.

Add in the sensitivity of subjects like funeral service and grief, and it’s no wonder the Federal Trade Commission initiated the Funeral Rule in 1984.

The intent was to ensure that funeral homes were no longer taking advantage of the bereaved (more on that later), and it set in motion a few key requirements consumers still benefit from today.  

What is the General Price List?

One of the most important requirements resulting from the FTC rule is the General Price List (GPL).

This official document outlines a funeral home’s prices for goods and services, and the funeral home is legally obliged to provide a copy to anyone who asks.

That is, assuming you ask during a face-to-face meeting. One of the loopholes to the current rule is that funeral homes do not have to provide a full GPL for those who inquire over the phone or through email or mail.

Some funeral homes will provide the GPL on their website, and because we work with so many trusted funeral homes across the country, we can help as well.

You can request a GPL from a funeral home in your zip code that we’ll email to you.  

YES! Send me a FREE price list from my local funeral home!

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A closer look at the GPL

Even though the General Price List is heavily regulated, it is still used as a sales tool in many funeral homes.

Services and merchandise are bundled together as packages, and while these can be helpful for those who want it all, it’s also important to know what you can decline.

You see, one of the conditions of the Funeral Rule is to leave it up to you to choose which goods or services you want. Called the “Right of Selection” disclosure, this means you are free to decline anything.

The one exception is the Basic Services fee. The price for this varies among funeral homes, and it covers the costs of the funeral director and staff, and it includes things like securing permits and obtaining death certificates.

The GPL must also disclose that embalming is usually never a legal requirement, and that you can use alternative containers, rather than urns, for direct cremations.

Finally, you should receive pricing for caskets and outer burial containers. If neither of these is part of the GPL, funeral homes are required to add, “A complete price list will be provided at the funeral home.”

Itemizing what you will be charged for

Besides including disclosures for each of the points mentioned above, the GPL should also include itemized prices for a number of other services and merchandise. These include:

• Forwarding of remains to another funeral home

• Receiving remains from another funeral home

• Direct cremation or Immediate burial

• Basic services of funeral director and staff, and overhead

• Transfer of remains to funeral home

• Embalming

• Other preparation of the body

• Use of facilities and staff for viewing

• Use of facilities and staff for funeral ceremony

• Use of facilities and staff for memorial service

• Use of equipment and staff for graveside service

• Hearse

• Limousine

• Either individual casket prices or the range of casket prices that appear on the Casket Price List

• Either individual outer burial container prices or the range of outer burial container prices that appear on the Outer Burial Container Price List

Clearly, there is a lot to consider, much of it potentially meaningful depending on you and the type of ceremony or service you wish to have. This is where becoming familiar with the specific GPL from your local funeral home can help.

It can also be helpful to meet with an Advance Funeral Planner. They can patiently walk you through each of these options so you fully understand what might be best for you and your loved ones.

But wait... how did we get here?

It’s fascinating and sometimes a little scary to think about how some rules come into existence. In the case of the FTC Funeral Rule, it was developed after years of predatory pricing and hidden costs that had been escalating steadily.

The worst culprits intentionally misled grieving families. They did things like push expensive caskets or browbeat people into choosing to embalm because of its higher price point, stating that it was required by law even when it was not.

And they did this primarily because the bereaved do not always behave like typical consumers.

When people are grieving, they seldom spend time examining prices, and they’re overwhelmed by all of the decisions they have to make. They therefore place extraordinary trust in the guidance of a funeral director, a trust that was tarnished for years after the Funeral Rule finally went into effect.   

Now that consumers are better protected, much of the funeral industry has changed for the better. 

For many funeral directors, the emphasis has always been on helping people through their grief so that they can begin to heal. Violating a customer’s trust would be unthinkable simply because they care so deeply about the well-being of the people they serve.     

The FTC Rule only helped to confirm this and to punish those who were in funeral service for the wrong reasons.

Choosing a reputable provider

Since enacting the Funeral Rule, the FTC regularly investigates funeral homes across the country. In years past, they’ve discovered that as many as 20% of the firms they visit undercover “significantly violate” the rules.

The fines can be up to $43,280 per violation, and it’s clear there are still a lot of bad apples out there.

Then again, there are a lot of exceptional providers out there too. 

That is why requesting a General Price List is a great place to start. It immediately lets you identify those funeral homes that are committed to being forthright with their pricing. From there, you can determine whether they are the right choice for you and your loved ones. 

Request a General Price List

Request a general price list from one of our trusted Planning Daisies partners in your neighborhood. Submit your zip code and we’ll deliver a FREE general price list to your inbox.