Final

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  Consists of five commissioners appointed by the President of the United States for a seven-year term. Their purpose is to maintain free and fair competition in United States businesses. They take action against monopoly, restraint of trade and unfair or deceptive trade practices. They also prevent anti-competitive practices in the marketplace as an aid to consumers.
• Alternative container


  Unfinished wood box or other non-metal receptacle or enclosure, without ornamentation or a fixed interior lining, which is designed for the encasement of human remains and which is made of fiberboard, pressed wood, composition materials (with or without an outside covering) or like materials.
• Alternative price lists


  Price lists which may be prepared for use in certain limited situations such as children/infants, for government agencies to provide for indigent persons, for agreements with religious groups, burial or memorial societies for members of their group.
• Cash advance items


  Any item of service or merchandise described to a purchaser as a "cash advance," "accommodation," "cash disbursement," or similar term. A cash advance item is also any item obtained from a third party and paid for by the funeral provider on the purchaser's behalf. Cash advance items may include, but are not limited to: cemetery or crematory services; pallbearers; public transportation; clergy honoraria; flowers; musicians or singers; nurses; obituary notices; gratuities and death certificates.
• Casket

  Rigid container which is designed for the encasement of human remains and which is usually constructed of wood, metal, fiberglass, plastic, or like material, and ornamented and lined with fabric.
• Effective date


  Date that the specific price list was put into use.
• Non-declinable service fee


  Basic services is the only fee which the consumer cannot decline (unless state or local law requires otherwise). Funeral provider should recover expenses for services, facilities or unallocated overhead in this charge.
• Outer burial container


  Any container which is designed for placement in the grave around the casket including, but not limited to, container commonly known as burial vaults, grave boxes, and grave liners.
• Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected


  Itemized written statement provided for retention to each person who arranges a funeral or other disposition.
• Triggering event


  Occurrence of situation that requires certain action (i.e.) the triggering event for giving out the GPL is face-to-face meeting.
• The Rule (FTC Trade Regulation Rule for Funeral Industry Practices)


  • Requires funeral providers to give consumers accurate, itemized price information. The funeral provider cannot misrepresent legal, cemetery and crematory requirements. They cannot embalm for a fee without permission, require the purchase of a casket for direct cremation, and require the purchase of certain goods or services as a condition to furnish other goods or services.
• Any violation of The Rule may result in penalties of up to $40,654 per violation.
• The FTC requires funeral providers use price disclosures and specific pricing methods, and not adding a handling fee for using an outside casket.
• The FTC also goes over items that families are required to pay such as basic services of funeral director and staff (non-declinable).
• General Price List (GPL)


  Must be given to anyone who asks (in person) about funeral goods, funeral services, or the price of either
• Events that trigger giving the GPL

  Face-to-face meetings, such as at the home during removal, at a person's home, hospital, or nursing home if prices are brought up
• You are NOT required to send (mail) callers a GPL
• You CANNOT tell consumers that the GPL is available, you must actually hand it to them
• You MUST give a GPL in all preneed situations, even when a preneed is in place but a change is made
• The exception is when you request authorization to embalm, but you must explain embalming is not required by law, unless it is a special case
• GPL Labeling


  • Must include the Name, Address and Telephone Number of the Funeral Provider, the caption "General Price List", and the effective date
• Six Disclosures that must be listed on the GPL


  • The consumer's right to select only the goods and services desired
  • Embalming is not required, except in certain special cases, it is not required by law
  • Description of alternative containers and direct cremation
  • The basic service fee can include a charge for the services performed
  • Casket Price List (CPL) - A complete price list will be provided at the funeral home
  • Outer Burial Container Price List (OBC) - A complete price list will be provided at the funeral home
• Goods and Services offered for sale on the GPL


  • Basic services of Funeral Director and Staff
  • Embalming
  • Other preparation of the body
  • Use of facilities and staff for viewing
  • Use of facilities and staff for funeral ceremony
  • Use of facilities and staff for memorial service
  • Use of equipment and staff for graveside service
  • Transfer of remains to funeral home
  • Hearse
  • Limousine
  • Casket Prices
  • Outer Burial Container Prices
  • Forwarding of remains to another funeral home
  • Receiving remains from another funeral home
  • Direct cremation prices
  • Immediate Burial
• Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected


  An itemized list of the goods and services that the consumer has selected during the arrangements conference
• Every person who sits down to make arrangements with your firm must receive a Statement of Funeral Goods and Services
• You must give consumers who telephone your place of business and ask about your prices or offerings accurate information from your GPL, CPL, and OBC
• What's covered on the Statement

  • Cost Information
  • Disclosures
  • Embalming
  • Caskets
  • Outer Burial Container
  • Legal and Cemetery Requirements
  • Preservative and Protective Value Claims
  • Cash Advance Items
• Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected

  A copy must be kept for at least one year from the date of the arrangements conference and made available for inspection by FTC representatives upon request
• Form of the Statement


  • There is no specific format required, but the categories used should generally correspond to items on the General Price List (GPL)
• What must be included on the Statement

  • Itemized written statement identifying the funeral goods and services selected and the prices of each
  • Specifically, itemized cash advance items
• Cash advance items

  Items of service or merchandise that are described to a consumer as a "cash advance," "accommodation," "cash disbursement" or by any similar term, or that you obtain from a third party and pay for on the consumer's behalf
• If you don't know how much a particular cash advance item will be, you should make a good faith estimate, but you should be giving a written statement of the actual charges before the final bill is paid
• You must give the family the total cost of the arrangements selected, meaning individual goods and services plus cash advances items
• Disclosures


  1. Legal requirements

  2. Embalming

  3. Cash Advance Items
• You must put the required disclosures on your Statement of Funeral Goods and Services selected for: Legal, cemetery and crematory requirements; Embalming; Cash Advance Items
• Use the identical wording as set forth in the Rule
• Required disclosures must be placed as the Rule dictates in a clear and conspicuous manner
• Telephone Price Disclosures


  1. Give consumers accurate information from your General Price List, Casket Price List and Outer Burial Container Price List

  2. Answer any other questions about your offerings and prices with reading available information that reasonably answers the quest

  3. Cannot require callers to give their names, addresses or phone numbers before giving the requested information

  4. Cannot require consumers to come to the funeral home in person to obtain price information

  5. Funeral director must respond to more difficult questions
• You do not have to give price or other information "after business hours" if it is not your normal business practice to do so
• If a family calls in an "at need" situation, and you make arrangements after normal business hours, you should provide price or other information as requested