To become a licensed funeral director in New Jersey, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree in mortuary science. In addition, you must attend funeral school and obtain a state license.
Funeral homes must disclose whether they will embalm a body when consumers make arrangements and on their itemized statement. However, they cannot refuse to do so unless the cause of death is an infectious disease.
Professionalism
The funeral services sector is a vital component of the death care industry, allowing families to organize and carry out meaningful memorial services and life celebrations for their loved ones. It involves a range of businesses, including funeral homes, crematories, monument sellers and cemeteries. The field requires exceptional marketing and business management skills to attract new clients and nurture relationships with existing ones.
Funeral professionals are empathetic listeners and act as confidants during times of grief. They are also familiar with the nuances of religious and secular funeral traditions and can accommodate the wishes of family members with differing perspectives.
Many people enter the funeral service profession for a variety of reasons, including the desire to help others in a human services capacity and an interest in ceremony. Those considering a career change should speak to a local funeral director to gain an understanding of what the job entails and to ensure they are prepared for the emotional demands.
Availability
The death of a loved one is a traumatic and often confusing time for families and friends. The Bureau serves as a resource to all Tennesseans and is available to answer questions, field complaints or provide information about funeral industry licensees. The Bureau is dedicated to consumer protection and licensee compliance through proactive education and consistent interpretation and application of the laws governing the death care industry.
The Board examines candidates for licensure to practice funeral directing, inspects funeral establishments and revokes or refuses to renew a license after proper notice and hearing. The Bureau also provides online license verifications. It does not license or regulate cemeteries operated by cities, counties, cemetery districts, military or Native American tribal organizations. A list of these privately owned cemeteries can be found in the white pages, internet directory search or by contacting the city or county where the cemetery is located. A copy of the original itemized funeral contract signed by the Funeral Director and notarized in the presence of a Notary Public or Commissioner of Deeds must be submitted to the Bureau if there is any money still owed to the funeral establishment.
Customization
Personalized services transform a difficult farewell into a memorable experience, helping attendees process grief and find closure. Families can include their loved one’s favorite songs in a music playlist, print poster boards with photos and memorabilia to display throughout the funeral home, and add personal touches like memorial keepsakes or a personalized photo slideshow.
Adding these elements to the funeral service ensures that it reflects the deceased’s interests, passions, and contributions, allowing family and friends to mourn together. In addition, incorporating cultural or religious practices into the ceremony helps to make it more meaningful for everyone in attendance.
For funeral homes that rely on an answering service, ensuring their teams have a variety of options for retrieving messages after hours can prevent missed calls and miscommunications. Providing multiple options, from an online portal to a mobile app, reduces friction among team members who have different levels of technical proficiency. ASD’s Deep Archive feature allows funeral directors to keep track of all after-hours communication and follow up on pre-need and shopper calls.
Convenience
Many funeral providers offer packages that include a variety of goods and services. Under the Funeral Rule, you must provide a general price list to anyone who asks about your funeral goods and services in person. This includes representatives of religious societies, burial or memorial societies, and any other group that may arrange a funeral for its members at special prices.
Millions of Americans prepay some or all of their funeral expenses, and various state laws offer some protections for these advance payments. However, family members may not be aware of the prepayments or their location, and they could end up paying for funeral products and services the deceased never wanted.
The Bureau licenses, investigates complaints and regulates 13 different licensing categories in California, including funeral establishments, funeral directors, embalmers, apprentice embalmers, mortuary science students, cemetery brokers/branch/additional, cemeteries and crematories. In addition, the Bureau administers a reciprocal licensure program for qualified out-of-state funeral professionals. License verifications are available for all licensed entities through our online licensing portal.