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Guide

The FTC Funeral Rule: Rights Most Families Never Use (and Overpay Without)

Federal law requires every funeral home to give you prices over the phone and an itemized price list in person. Knowing this before you call can save thousands.

  1. 1Before visiting anyone, call three funeral homes and ask for prices over the phone. They are required by federal law to give them.
  2. 2At any funeral home you visit, ask for the General Price List before discussing anything. They must hand it to you.
  3. 3Pick only the goods and services you want. You cannot be forced to buy a package.
  4. 4If you buy a casket elsewhere, the funeral home must accept it without charging a handling fee.
  5. 5Ask whether embalming is actually required. In most situations it is not, and they must tell you.
  6. 6Before paying, get an itemized statement showing every charge.

One federal rule, and most families never use it

Since 1984, the FTC Funeral Rule has required every funeral home in the United States to tell you prices over the phone and to hand you an itemized General Price List, called a GPL, whenever you discuss arrangements, goods, services, or prices in person. You do not have to give your name, explain your situation, or promise anything to get it.

This matters because prices for the same services can differ by thousands of dollars between funeral homes in the same city, and grieving families rarely comparison shop. Three ten-minute phone calls are often the highest-value ten minutes in the entire process.

What the funeral home must do

Under the Funeral Rule, a funeral home must:

  • Give you price information over the phone, without requiring your name or a visit.
  • Give you a written, itemized General Price List to keep when you ask in person about arrangements or prices.
  • Show you a casket price list and an outer burial container price list before showing you the products.
  • Let you choose only the goods and services you want, rather than a package, with limited exceptions.
  • Accept a casket or urn you bought elsewhere, such as online, without charging a handling fee or being present when it is delivered.
  • Tell you in writing that embalming is not required by law except in certain special cases, and that you may usually choose direct cremation or immediate burial instead.
  • Give you an itemized statement of the total cost before you pay.

What they cannot do

A funeral home cannot claim that embalming, a casket for direct cremation, or a particular product is legally required when it is not. For direct cremation they must offer an inexpensive alternative container. They cannot refuse or surcharge a casket you bought somewhere else, and they cannot make you buy a package to get the one service you actually want.

If a funeral home refuses to give prices over the phone or will not hand over the General Price List, treat that as a signal and call the next one. You can also report violations to the FTC.

The script to use on the phone

You do not need to explain your situation. A simple version: I am comparing prices. What is your charge for direct cremation, including the alternative container? What is your basic services fee? Can you email or read me the items on your General Price List?

Write the numbers down for each funeral home. The basic services fee is the one fee that cannot be declined, so compare it directly. If money is very tight, ask your county about burial assistance before signing anything with any funeral home, because signing first can disqualify you in many counties.

Questions families ask

Straight answers

Does the Funeral Rule apply to every funeral home?

It applies to funeral providers across the United States. It generally does not cover cemeteries, crematories that do not sell funeral goods and services to the public, or third-party sellers, though some states regulate those separately.

Is embalming ever actually required?

Rarely. No state requires embalming in all cases. It may be required in limited situations, such as certain transports across state lines or longer delays before disposition, depending on state law. Refrigeration is often an alternative. Direct cremation and immediate burial do not require embalming.

What if a funeral home refuses to give prices over the phone?

That is a violation of the FTC Funeral Rule. Take your business elsewhere, and you can report the funeral home to the FTC or your state funeral board.

Can I really bring my own casket?

Yes. The funeral home must accept a casket or urn purchased elsewhere and cannot charge a fee for handling it. Retail and online casket prices are often far lower than funeral home showroom prices.

Sources

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