Funeral Rule

The Funeral Rule, enacted by the Federal Trade Commission on April 30, 1984 and amended it effective 1994, was designed to protect consumers by requiring that they receive adequate information concerning the goods and services they may purchase from a funeral provider.

All funeral providers must comply with The Funeral Rule. The Funeral Rule defines such terms as, among others, funeral provider, funeral goods and funeral services and specifies various consumer rights, as well as specific parameters in which funeral industry goods and service providers must respect consumer rights and conduct their business.

The Funeral Rule defines and provides parameters in the following key subject areas:

- The GPL must contain a written acknowledgement that consumers have the right to choose the funeral goods and services desired, with some exceptions

The Funeral Rule defines clearly several funeral types to minimize the chance of miscommunication or misunderstanding between the funeral service provider and customer.

The Funeral Rule describes a traditional, full-service funeral as including a viewing or visitation of the deceased, usually held in the funeral home, a formal funeral service, transportation of the deceased to the cemetery (hearse), the burial, entombment or cremation in addition to the funeral director's basic service fee.

Extra costs not included in the aforementioned arrangements include embalming and the dressing of the body, the funeral home's basic service fee, funeral home rental for the viewing or service, use of vehicles (limousine) to transport the family or pallbearers, the casket or urn, the cemetery plot or crypt, flowers, obituary notice, and others.

The Funeral Rule describes immediate burial as a burial that occurs shortly after death with no viewing or visitation and is usually in a simple container or casket. There is generally no viewing or visitation, so embalming is not necessary or required. A memorial service is generally held at the burial site, or at a later date.

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