Your Funeral Guy:#3 of Five Things to Know When Shopping For a Funeral

The Funeral Rule is a Congressional Law that protects your rights as funeral customer and helps you lower funeral cost. Many People are forced into lower cost funeral planning when someone suddenly dies. We must understand- that no one likes to think about death and many folks do not want  plan for it.  Even one hour of planning can save you thousands on a Funeral if the time is spent wisely.

The Funeral Rule, gives you the right  to choose only those goods and services you want or need and to pay only for those you select. This applies to making  arrangements when a death occurs It also is true if you choose to make arrangements and pay in advance (not recommended). Be sure to make your arrangements in advance but do not pay for them.

It is also very important under the funeral rule that you be shown a casket and vault price list.  By looking at these lists beforehand you can lower the cost of a traditional funeral and and the lower cost funeral option can be yours.

Many times funeral home owners do not show you all their caskets in the casket display or the casket room. Be sure to see the list. Some of the lower price caskets can be stored in the backroom or the basement.

Essentially the funeral rule gives you the right to compare prices among funeral homes, and makes it possible for for your lower cost funeral. This is done through the General Price list or the GPL. We will address that later.

Under this law,

The funeral rule states that you have the right to refuse embalming (in most jurisdictions)and the funeral director must state it in writing.

This is very important because it opens up the door to low cost funeral options of direct burial and cremation.

Here is my summary of Embalming and the funeral rule.

The main point about embalming is that it is a funeral cost you are not required to pay for. Again,  this is outlined in the funeral rule ( Congressional Law ) designed to protect your Funeral Rights

Many funeral directors require embalming if you are planning a viewing or visitation. Embalming generally is not necessary or legally required if the deceased body is buried or cremated shortly after death. Eliminating this  embalming service can save you many hundreds of of dollars. Under the Funeral Rule, a funeral director:

may not provide embalming services without permission; this sometimes happens.

may not falsely state that embalming is required by law; you should be informed of this by your funeral director.

must disclose in writing that embalming is not required by law, except in certain special cases;

may NOT charge a fee for unauthorized embalming unless embalming is required by law;

must disclose in writing that you have the right to choose another disposition, such as direct cremation or immediate burial, that does not require embalming if you do not want this service;

must in writing disclose that some funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing, may make embalming a practical and a safety necessity and, if so, a required purchase. Your Family can have a private viewing even without embalming.

This come from the experience of your funeral guy.

So whenever you go into a funeral to price shop or set up your funeral

“Make em follow the Rule” the funeral rule, it is the law in the USA.

Sadly some funeral home owners and funeral industry professionals do not follow the rule, the law.

Blog by Your Funeral Guy, Funeral Director, Author, State of Illinois

You  may find it best to check out the funeral rule.

Check out the facts for consumers.

Note you can effectively deal with lowering your Funeral costs and expenses. Take a few hours and deal with it.

Read the funeral book: Rest in Peace: Insider’s Tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral

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