Know your Rights when Planning a Funeral 

Would you know where to start if someone asked you to help plan a funeral? The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Rule allows you to compare prices among funeral homes, and makes it possible for you to select the funeral arrangements you want at the home you use. The FTC rule also provides:

• Relevant information about funeral services and goods.
• The different types of funerals.
• Knowing your rights will help you make informed choices.

You can choose the things you need or want, and you can compare prices.

The FTC’s Rule states that funeral homes must give you services such as product information, including prices, over the phone. Some funeral homes also provide pricing information online.

Consumer Rights

The FTC has promulgated a rule setting forth consumer rights when purchasing funeral goods and services.  Some of these rights in the FTC rule are as follows:

• -A right to receive price information over the telephone.
• -The funeral home must give the consumer a general price list.
• -The consumer has a right to use an alternative container instead of a casket for cremation. For example, the body could be placed in an unfinished wood, pressed wood, fiberboard or cardboard box.
• -The consumer may purchase a casket elsewhere and the funeral home must accept this casket.
• -Funeral arrangements can be made without embalming of the body. No State law requires embalming for every death. Refrigeration of the body is an acceptable alternative. However many funeral homes have a policy of requiring embalming if the body will be publicly viewed.

You have rights, whether the arrangements are made online, by telephone, or in person. More rights are listed below:

In Summary, You have the Right to:

• Purchase only the services (such as a memorial service) and goods (such as a casket) that you want and are not required to buy a package deal 
• Use a container other than a casket for cremation–such as those made of cardboard, pressed wood, or another material
• Make use of an urn or casket you purchased elsewhere
• Receive a written statement after making decisions and before you pay anything. This statement is required to list the price for every service, any goods you have chosen, and the total cost.

You can use the FTC’s Funeral Pricing Checklist to compare costs and ask about available options at different funeral providers. 

The Funeral Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), allows you to choose only those services and goods you need and want. The Rule will enable you to compare prices between different funeral homes, making it possible to select the funeral arrangements you want at the funeral home you use. 

Basic Services of the Funeral Home 

The Basic Services fee cannot be declined and is included in all arrangements. This fee covers the death certificate, all required permits, planning for the funeral, coordinating arrangements with the cemetery, cemetery plot, basic sanitation, and holding the remains. This fee is included in the prices shown for immediate burial or direct cremation. 

Compassion When You Need It Most

When you are faced with calling a funeral home, I invite you to call the funeral director at Jeff Monreal Funeral Home at any time of the day or night at (440) 527-6294. You can trust that I will treat your loved one with respect and honor. I will also treat your friends and family members with compassion and dignity during the funeral or cremation process. I pledge that every detail be handled thoroughly and within your budget.

When your loved one passes away it is, unfortunately, time to plan a funeral. There are many questions that you should ask yourself. Are you certain what kind of service you would like to host?

There are plenty of options. Jeff will discuss five choices in this article that you can consider.

There are a considerable number of funeral homes in Lake County, Ohio, but none provide the compassion and service that Jeff Monreal Funeral home does. We offer several different types of funeral services and we want you to be aware of what they are. The particular kind of service you choose depends on a variety of factors. It is hard to make a decision if you do not know all of your options.