The funeral bureau is a place where you can find information on funeral services and related topics. You can also contact the funeral bureau if you have a complaint against a funeral home. In addition, you can get information on the rates of a particular funeral home or compare the rates of several funeral homes.
Prepaying for funeral arrangements before passing away
Prepaying for funeral arrangements before passing away can be a great way to protect your family from the burden of funeral costs. It eliminates the worry and stress of planning a funeral, and helps your family focus on grieving.
Whether you choose a traditional memorial service, a religious ceremony, or a more personalized memorial, you can ensure that your wishes will be followed. With prepaid arrangements, you can also secure your final resting place and avoid future price increases.
A pre-need funeral insurance policy is a type of life insurance policy that is used to cover funeral expenses. The money goes to a bank account, and the insurance provider pays out the policy within 14 to 60 days. You can also establish a “payable on death” account, and the money is released without having to go through a probate process.
Another option is to purchase a “Final Expense” or burial insurance policy, which will pay for funeral and burial costs. Generally, a funeral home will name themselves as the beneficiary of a prepaid plan, but you can choose to leave the funds with a friend or family member.
Ensure that the funeral home gives you an itemized statement
The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide consumers with an itemized statement of the services and goods they’ll receive. This is the FTC’s way of keeping consumers from getting taken for a ride when it comes to funeral costs.
Specifically, the rule requires a general price list and an alternative price list, or a GPL and an OPL. In addition, the Rule requires that these price lists include an itemized statement of all the items they are charging for.
If a funeral home does not comply with the Funeral Rule’s requirements, they may be subject to fines up to $46,517 per violation. These violations can also lead to court orders for restitution.
In some cases, the rule also imposes a requirement that a funeral home provide customers with a good faith estimate. In other cases, it mandates that a funeral provider give a written itemized statement of the services and goods they’ll be providing.
Compare prices at a funeral home
When it comes to funeral services, you want to make sure you are getting the best value for your money. One of the easiest ways to do that is to compare prices.
You can also get a sense of the cost of a certain service by browsing websites that post pricing information. Some of these sites also feature ratings from consumers, as well as advice about planning a funeral.
If you have the time, you may want to check out the websites of several different funeral homes. There are several advantages to doing so. The most obvious is that you can save thousands of dollars on the services you need.
Visiting multiple funeral homes will enable you to see which of them offer the best price for the services you need. Depending on your needs, you may also wish to consider other options.
For instance, you can opt to have a cremation, which can lower the cost of your final disposition. It is also possible to have a direct cremation, which involves the urn presented to the family in place of a casket.
Complaints to the funeral bureau
If you are dissatisfied with the funeral or cremation services that a funeral establishment offers, you may want to file a complaint with the funeral bureau. These agencies work to protect the rights of consumers, and they also help to resolve disputes.
Funeral providers are required to adhere to certain regulations and standards. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA), an independent nonprofit organization, helps consumers with complaints, offers advice on resolving problems, and works to improve the funeral industry.
You can also contact your state attorney general to lodge a complaint against a funeral service provider. The rules and regulations for the process vary from state to state, so you should consult your state’s law enforcement authority before filing a complaint.
In many states, you can also resolve a complaint with a professional trade group or consumer advocacy organization. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), for example, sponsors a help line to resolve consumer complaints about NFDA members.