The Bureau licenses funeral directors and embalmers, regulates funeral establishments, investigates consumer/provider complaints and administers the state examinations for funeral directing. It advocates consumer protection and licensee compliance through education and consistent interpretation and application of the law.
A person who chooses to be a tissue or organ donor must register with the New York State Donor Registry, sign the donor space on their driver’s license, and inform family members of their intentions.
Arrangement Conference
At the arrangement conference, your family will discuss various options to help create a ceremony that is healing and reflective of your loved one. They will also gather vital statistic information that needs to be put on the original death certificate and biographical information for the obituary, if desired.
When planning a service, families are often overwhelmed with making decisions within a short amount of time. Having an idea of what you want before this meeting will help alleviate some of that stress. It is often helpful to have another member of your family or a close friend join you at the Arrangement Conference for moral support and as a second set of eyes. Also, bring any financial documents that you may have with you (insurance policies, estate paperwork etc). By law funeral homes must provide a general price list at this initial meeting.
General Price List
Your GPL should include a complete listing and description of caskets and alternative containers you regularly offer for sale, as well as their retail prices. It also must describe any charges for services that the funeral home buys on behalf of consumers, such as obituary notices and pallbearers.
You must offer the GPL to anyone who asks about your goods or services, whether they are making arrangements for themselves or for a loved one. This includes those who inquire by telephone or mail and anyone who comes in to make arrangements.
You do not have to give a GPL to someone who requests it after hours, but you must give price and other information in person to those who make inquiries. This is also true for people who wish to modify an arrangement made under a pre-need contract.
Itemized Statement
At the end of the arrangements conference you must give the consumer an Itemized Statement. This must include a detailed list of the goods and services selected and their prices. This can be a separate document or it may be incorporated into your contract with the consumer.
If you charge a fee for embalming, you must explain the reason for this on the Itemized Statement. This does not necessarily have to be a family request; it could be that state or local law requires embalming for certain viewing or legal purposes, even if the family has no particular wish to have it done. You must also disclose any cash advance fees that you obtain on behalf of the consumer from a third party. Generally, this is for items such as cemetery or crematory fees, flowers, pallbearers, public transportation and clergy honoraria.
Custodial Care
In order to become a licensed Funeral Director in New York, a person must attend an approved mortuary school and pass the national board exam. Then they must complete a 12-month registered residency at a funeral firm in New York State.
The funeral director must provide the customer with a written copy of their general price list (GPL) which includes the basic services fee and any other non-declinable fees. They cannot add on any additional fees for facilities, service providers or unallocated overhead.
The Bureau regulates 13 different licensing categories which include funeral establishments, funeral directors, embalmers, apprentice embalmers and cemetery brokers/branch/additional, cemetery salespersons, cemeteries, crematories and their managers and owners. The Bureau also investigates complaints against these licensees. The Office of Burial Services provides financial assistance to meet funeral expenses for low-income residents.
Final Disposition
The final disposition is what happens to a deceased person’s body after the funeral. There are many options available for the disposal of a dead body including traditional burial and cremation.
You may not tell consumers that funeral goods or services will delay the natural decomposition of a human body for a long time or an indefinite period. You also cannot make this representation even if you explain that embalming temporarily preserves the body for viewing and other purposes.
The Bureau licenses funeral establishments, funeral directors, embalmers and apprentice embalmers; investigates complaints against these professionals; and oversees nearly 200 licensed cemetery salespersons and cemeteries in New York State. It is also responsible for licensing funeral directing students and administering the NYS Funeral Director Law Examination.