All about the Funeral Rule

Funeral providers are required by federal law to provide price information for goods and services. This is to protect consumers and ensure they can make informed decisions.

The Funeral Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), ensures that people can choose only those goods and services they need and want, and also protects people by ensuring that they pay only for what they select. This protection applies whether arrangements are made in advance or after a death happens. The Funeral Rule also encourages comparing prices among funeral homes.

Understanding the scope of the Funeral Rule

This protection is enforced so consumers are not tricked, persuaded or led by emotion.

The Funeral Rule gives consumers the right to:

• Purchase only funeral goods, services and arrangement they wish. Furthermore, the Funeral Rule mandates they can buy just piecemeal services like embalming, a coffin and casket, and memorial services without accepting a funeral home’s package deal.
• Buy some items elsewhere. For example, you can buy caskets or cremation urns anywhere you want. 
• Gather price information via a phone call. Funeral providers/directors are required to provide price information on the telephone when asked by a consumer. A person is not required to provide a name or contact information first before being advised of prices.
• Acquire and take with them a detailed, itemized and written price list of goods and services when visiting a funeral home.

Get a written summary of purchases

An added level of protection provided by the Funeral Rule is that consumers must receive a written statement after you decide what you want, and before you pay. The FTC stresses that it should outline what you are buying, and the exact cost of each service or product.