Funeral Price Survey — 2009

Comments on survey

Under rules of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the price list at every funeral home must have the caption General Price List. The list must describe in specific ways the services and merchandise offered for sale and must be constructed so that a customer can order only what he or she wants. Wide variations from one funeral home to another were found in the listed prices of particular services and in the full-service price index. The lowest prices were found in Genoa, Groton, and Ithaca, the highest in Horseheads and Ithaca. Prices for the cheapest burial containers varied greatly. For direct burial two prices are listed for each funeral home. The higher price applies if the funeral home furnishes a minimal casket or an alternative container. The lower price (in parentheses) applies when the client supplies the burial container. Where the two prices differ by a small amount, an alternative container is usually indicated. If a price description specified "alternative container" the figure is marked with an asterisk. For more information about alternative containers, see Rating General Price Lists for Compliance with the FTC Funeral Rule.

The Basic Arrangements charge is added to other elements of full-service funerals. It cannot be declined. This charge is included in the prices of “Alternative Services” on a General Price List: direct cremation, direct burial, transporting a body to another funeral home, and receiving a body from another funeral home. On a few lists, this Basic Arrangements charge was as great as the price of one or more services that include it! Most funeral homes do not list the price of donating a body to a medical institution. The cost of this service can have up to three price elements: Basic Arrangements, acquiring the body, and a mileage charge. As a result, the cost to a donor’s family can be as great as that for a simple funeral. Some medical institutions and organizations provide free pickup and transportation, so donors’ families can be spared these costs.

In the Finger Lakes region as elsewhere, a person arranging for burial can control cost by prudent shopping based on price comparisons and/or by providing a burial container purchased elsewhere. An educated reader can add prices to learn the cost of services and merchandise at funeral homes. Readers are reminded that the full-service funeral price index in the survey tables does not include the cost of a burial container or vault, nor cemetery costs or incidental costs. Readers interested in direct cremation are reminded that a funeral home’s charge does not include the crematory charge.

Back to contents