The Bureau licenses funeral establishments and their directors; embalmers and apprentices; cemetery brokers, salespersons and managers; cremation facilities and their operators. It also investigates consumer/licensee complaints and provides examination services, licensing information and training for funeral professionals.
Job duties, education and pay for funeral service workers vary by state. Learn about these differences here.
Locations
The Bureau licenses and regulates 13 different licensing categories: funeral establishments and their directors; embalmers and apprentice embalmers; cemetery brokers, salespersons, and managers; cremated remains disposers and crematoriums; and burial grounds. It advocates consumer protection and licensee compliance through proactive education and consistent interpretation and application of the laws governing the death care industry.
A room in a funeral home where visitors view the body; also known as a visitation chamber. The remains of the deceased reduced by intense heat and flame to ash and bone fragments; also known as cremation.
A book made available by the funeral director for recording names of people who pay their respects to the deceased during the visitation period and at the service. The names are used to notify relatives and friends who may wish to attend. A portion of the burial plot cost set aside in a trust fund to pay for future funeral expenses. Typically, a family’s choice of funeral provider is indicated in the obituary.
Services
The funeral services profession prepares the body for burial or cremation; arranges funeral ceremonies; provides support and assistance to family members; records and files legal documents; assists survivors with insurance and social security claims; and helps communities adjust to loss through after care services. Professionals in this field are licensed by State boards and follow strict health related rules.
Licensing requirements for funeral directors and embalmers vary by State. Those interested in entering this career should contact the licensing agency for their State for specific information. In addition, the American Board of Funeral Service Education offers a Scholarship program to help students with tuition costs.
HRA’s Office of Burial Services (OBS) can provide financial assistance for funeral expenses incurred by low-income New York City residents. Payment may be authorized for funeral expenses that have already been paid or pre-approval for payment may be granted for the cost of a planned funeral. To apply, you must submit an original itemized funeral contract signed by the Funeral Director and stamped “Paid-in-Full.” You also must submit an affidavit that verifies your income.
Pricing
Planning end-of-life arrangements is a complicated task that can involve many decisions and expenses. Many consumers have questions about how much things cost, and they need accurate information to make choices that fit within their budgets.
The federal Funeral Rule requires that funeral homes give you a General Price List (GPL) at the beginning of any face-to-face discussion about funeral goods and services. The funeral home must also show you a Casket Price List if you ask for it. If you ask for a GPL by telephone or mail, the funeral home must send it to you to keep.
Some funeral homes try to hide their prices by lumping them into other charges. For example, some have “required” casket fees that are the same as or higher than the price of a casket they sell. This is an illegal practice, and you should refuse to sign a contract with such a charge. It is better to choose a funeral home that openly discloses their prices.
Insurance
Millions of Americans enter into pre-arrangement contracts and prepay for funeral goods and services. Many states have laws to help ensure that these advance funds are available when needed. Some require that a percentage of the advance payments be placed in a state-regulated trust or in an insurance policy assigned to the funeral establishment.
A funeral trust is a good option if you want the peace of mind that comes from knowing your final arrangements are paid for. The downside is that your beneficiaries could end up paying more in premiums than the death benefit they receive from the trust.
Burial insurance, on the other hand, is a life insurance policy that pays out a guaranteed amount to your funeral home or other provider. It can offset inflation and save your loved ones from having to make decisions at a time of grief. However, burial insurance policies typically have lower death benefits than life insurance plans and are more expensive to buy.