6 ms·

Federal law prohibits funeral homes from not accepting caskets from another supplier, or charging more for services if you bring your own. FTC... The Funeral Ru

by _wldu 7y ago

Federal law prohibits funeral homes from not accepting caskets from another supplier, or charging more for services if you bring your own. FTC... The Funeral Rule. There are lots of other restrictions on the industry as well (due to past misdeeds) https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/complying-funeral-rule https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/com...

rahimnathwani 7y ago
That link you sent says that they can charge more if you bring your own casket. One of the options explicitly offered there is for the funeral home to inform potential customers: "Please note that a fee of (specify dollar amount) for the use of our basic services and overhead is included in the price of our caskets. This same fee shall be added to the total cost of your funeral arrangements if you provide the casket. Our services include (specify)." It doesn't sound like you can negotiate a price including a casket, but later say you'll make your own casket, saving the bulk of the fee.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- red-indian 7y ago
  > "Please note that a fee of (specify dollar amount) for the use of our basic services and overhead is included in the price of our caskets. This same fee shall be added to the total cost of your funeral arrangements if you provide the casket." Correct, and if your casket fee is $7000, then $6500 is "basic services". Casket is only $500. So you say, hey I just want that mahogany and silk casket, no services. Then they say "Oh sorry, that's not a bundle we offer."
- op00to 7y ago
  Everything is negotiable. I negotiated everything when I cremated my mom.
cprayingmantis 7y ago
The caskets aren’t the only expensive part. Cemeteries often charge exorbitant amounts for headstones and plots. With headstones they lock you in with rules about bronze composition or charge installation fees for outside dealers while still making those dealers do the installation. My family owns a tombstone shop in a rural part of the country so I’ve seen a trick or two they use to keep folks out. Also I would feel remiss if I didn’t say if you order a tombstone online please pay someone to install it. You will most likely do it wrong and either you’ll get hurt or make the cemetery unsafe for others.

by _wldu 7y ago

rahimnathwani 7y ago

That link you sent says that they can charge more if you bring your own casket. One of the options explicitly offered there is for the funeral home to inform potential customers: "Please note that a fee of (specify dollar amount) for the use of our basic services and overhead is included in the price of our caskets. This same fee shall be added to the total cost of your funeral arrangements if you provide the casket. Our services include (specify)." It doesn't sound like you can negotiate a price including a casket, but later say you'll make your own casket, saving the bulk of the fee.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
red-indian 7y ago
> "Please note that a fee of (specify dollar amount) for the use of our basic services and overhead is included in the price of our caskets. This same fee shall be added to the total cost of your funeral arrangements if you provide the casket." Correct, and if your casket fee is $7000, then $6500 is "basic services". Casket is only $500. So you say, hey I just want that mahogany and silk casket, no services. Then they say "Oh sorry, that's not a bundle we offer."
op00to 7y ago
Everything is negotiable. I negotiated everything when I cremated my mom.

cprayingmantis 7y ago

The caskets aren’t the only expensive part. Cemeteries often charge exorbitant amounts for headstones and plots. With headstones they lock you in with rules about bronze composition or charge installation fees for outside dealers while still making those dealers do the installation. My family owns a tombstone shop in a rural part of the country so I’ve seen a trick or two they use to keep folks out. Also I would feel remiss if I didn’t say if you order a tombstone online please pay someone to install it. You will most likely do it wrong and either you’ll get hurt or make the cemetery unsafe for others.