Funeral Price Survey — 2011

Inconsistencies within General Price Lists

GPLs were examined for variations that could cause confusion about the cost of the same items at different funeral homes. Readers who obtain General Price lists for funeral planning should be alert for the following items:

• Several GPLs had arithmetical inconsistencies in their prices for viewing/visitation and funeral ceremonies so that the FTC-mandated combined price for supervision and facilities/equipment was shown as less than the sum of separate prices for supervision and facilities/equipment.

• Failure to list an equipment fee and/or set-up fee for graveside ceremonies, or else to make clear that the price of supervision of a graveside ceremony includes staff and any equipment provided by the funeral home. Many funeral homes list a price for equipment setup and use at a place other than the funeral home. In some GPLs this item refers explicitly to buildings such as churches. In other GPLs the statement is generic and could refer to graveside ceremonies. GPL readers interested in burial prices should be alert to this ambiguity.
      In compiling prices of graveside ceremonies we did not include prices for equipment setup and use unless the GPL explicitly mentioned them in connection with graveside ceremonies, either as required by the FTC or separately. Therefore, prices of graveside ceremonies (supervision plus equipment setup and use) are probably understated for some funeral homes. Readers of table 2, footnote (g) will understand this possible understatement.

• On some lists, the Basic Arrangements charge is as great as or greater than the price of one or more “Alternative Services” that already includes this charge. This means that the funeral home is discounting its Basic Arrangement charge when it is included in an “Alternative Service.”

• Several GPLs had the following statement regarding direct burial: “Prices range from [one price] to [another price] which includes the services described above but with the alternative container supplied by the customer.” According to the Funeral Rule, a customer may supply any burial container, not just one classified as “alternative.”

• Note regarding livery.  Table 2 shows the prices of using a hearse and of the least expensive passenger vehicle for every funeral home. In the absence of adequate information on a few GPLs, we list the hearse price and that of the least expensive vehicle other than the hearse.

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