Apples & Oranges By Rudy Lerner
forward to doing. Believe it or not, comparing funeral prices isn’t as complicated as it might seem at first.
W e all do it. We do it online, in
the newspapers, or simply by making some phone calls. I’m talking about comparison shopping. We especially do it when we plan to make an expensive purchase. It’s easy to com- pare the cost of a television, a wash- ing machine, a digital camera, and of course, an automobile. We compari- son shop when we purchase a house. We simply don’t buy the first thing we see without checking for a better price.
People are becoming more educated consumers, and an educated con- sumer makes healthier choices. With the economic recession in full swing, it’s even more important to use our limited resources to our best advan- tage. But, how do we comparison shop for a funeral? Because a funeral is a complex compendium of ser- vices and merchandise, and because there’s usually a deep emotional fac- tor involved, “funeral shopping” isn’t something the average person looks
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Let’s begin with a little history and an overview of the funeral industry and how prices were set. Prior to 1984, the majority of funeral homes priced their services and facilities as part of the price of the casket. So, a single price included everything that the fu- neral homes supplied in terms of ser- vices, personnel, automotive equip- ment, and the casket. Since it was an “all included” pricing structure, families couldn’t reduce the charges by eliminating elements that they didn’t need or want.
In 1984, the Federal Trade Commis- sion began regulating how funeral homes established their fees. No lon- ger could funeral homes have a “one price” fee as part of the cost of the casket. Funeral homes now have to itemize all of their services, facili- ties, equipment, and merchandise. Te fees must be printed in what is called a General Price List, and must be offered to every person who asks for it, asks about charges, or comes in to the funeral home to arrange a funeral. So, you would think that this would make comparing funeral pric- es easier, right? Well it can, but it can also make things more confusing for a family, especially if they are arrang- ing a funeral for a loved one who has just died. I will be posting additional blogs dealing with different aspects of comparing funeral prices, but for now, I want to concentrate on being
able to compare the costs for the “ser- vice” portion of the funeral.
Part of the Funeral Service Rule of the Federal Trade Commission states that funeral homes can have only one (1) “non-declinable service charge.” Tis means that in addition to their “service charge,” there will separate charges for using the funeral home for a visitation or funeral, the re- moval of the deceased from the place of death, the hearse to the cemetery, preparation of the remains, and the funeral home staff to carry out the wishes of the family. Te cost of the casket, burial vault, grave marker, ac- knowledgment cards, clothing, and any other merchandise that is selected will all be additional. Tere will also be what’s known as “cash advance” items. Tese include things such as, cemetery charges, clergy honoraria, newspaper notices, certified copies....
Part 2 will appear in the Nov/Dec Is- sue of Funerals Today.
Rudy is a licensed funeral director in Chicago, IL and an Advisor with Fu- nerals Today! Visit Rudy’s website at
http://www.chesedvemet.com/
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