Kim Godfrey, funeral director, Cache Valley Mortuary
The right time to find the best funeral home for you or your loved one is when it’s not needed. When a loved one passes away, the search for a funeral home is often quick. Family members are distraught and may simply use the nearest funeral home or one that has been suggested by a friend.
The difference between funeral home A and B can mean the difference between spending hundreds to thousands of dollars more for the same services. Here are five things to think about ahead of time to help you choose the right funeral home for you.
1. Consult your family and decide on a budget. Have you and your family discussed a budget that is affordable for you? Shopping for a funeral should be like making any major purchase: Know what you can afford before you start shopping. Consider you and your family’s preferences about the type of final arrangement. If you are planning for a loved one, consider their written instructions (if they have them). Be sure to look for any documents that will help in the decision making.
2. Learn about your funeral rights as a funeral consumer. Briefly, the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule affirms your right to:
- Call and get price information over the telephone.
- Receive a written, itemized price list when you visit.
- Buy only the goods and services you want.
- Choose not to have embalming.
- Use an alternative container instead of a casket for cremation.
- Provide the funeral home with a casket or urn bought elsewhere without incurring additional fees.
- Get a written statement after deciding what you want, but before paying.
3. Weigh your priorities. Consider if your priorities lie in location, price, tradition, religious or cultural requirements or simplicity. Determine what matters most to you to narrow the options.
4. Get a list and compare prices. Call a few funeral homes and get their prices for your chosen arrangement. Every funeral home is required by law to make available a general price list of the services and products they offer. Ask for a copy so that you may compare the pricing with other funeral homes in the area. Many funeral homes offer a packaged selection — this may help reduce your overall out-of-pocket costs or they may charge more.
5. Make a decision and put it in writing. After thoroughly evaluating information, write your wishes down to ensure they will be carried out. This will allow your loved ones to act on your behalf. Just as you keep your will and financial documents updated, you should review and update your funeral and cemetery plans.
My mother is quite ill, and we are looking to make the funeral arrangements before she passes. We want to ensure that everything is properly planned beforehand. Thanks for sharing the tips about learning your funeral rights. I didn’t realize that embalming was optional, but that’s good to know.
Thank you for talking about how assessing your needs can help you narrow your list of possible funeral homes to work with. It makes sense that taking the time to do this can help you make sure you get the personalized services your loved one deserves. Personally, would want to make sure I work with a funeral home that helps me plan ahead and work out all the aspects of my funeral so my family doesn’t have to at the time of my passing.
My wife and I have been put in charge of looking for funeral homes for her grandmother’s service, and I wanted to find some tips for us. I like how you talked about being able to learn about your rights with funeral homes beforehand, which I think would be good for our family to be familiar with. I’m going to have to share this with my wife while we’re looking at funeral homes, and make sure that everyone is treating us right! Thanks for the info!
My grandmother’s health is declining. We are looking for good funeral homes in advance to make sure she gets the best memorial service possible. I didn’t realize how important it is to get an itemized price list to ensure you get the best value for cost. I’ll discuss this info with my family.
My grandparents are starting to plan the basics for the end of their life. I like that you mentioned you should take into consideration what your budget is going to be. I’m sure the last time you want in a difficult situation is to not be able to afford what you are needing to do, so it’s important to go into the process know how much you can spend on the services.
I like how you pointed out that consulting about a budget is one of the first things you ought to do when selecting a funeral home. My wife was recently put in charge of planning the funeral of a relative, so this tip would be helpful. I’ll make sure she consults with other family members to ensure she doesn’t end up overspending on a funeral home.
My wife and I are putting together the plan for the funeral services of a friend but aren’t sure about where to hold it. I like that you recommend making a list of possible funeral homes and comparing prices to find the best deal. While we do want to make the service special, we also need to stay within our budget and consider other things like food and transportation. We’ll have to try this out. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate that you mentioned consulting the family and deciding on a budget. This is something I would personally do if I was choosing a funeral home for a loved one. The family’s preferences definitely matter in the decision making. Good read.
We recently have a family member that is close to death and we thought it would be best to search for a funeral home now so we are prepared. That is a good idea to compare prices of all the funeral homes nearby and see which one would offer the best service for the best price. I like the idea of finalizing it on paper as well. Thanks for the tips!
I appreciate your advice on making a list of things you might want and calling a variety of funeral homes to get prices. As my parents get older, they are starting to plan their funerals and don’t always know what to look for or what a good price is. I think that they should take your advice and shop around a little, and also make sure to put their final decisions in writing as soon as possible.
I like what you suggested about counseling as a family in order to determine what preferences are present when it comes to planning a funeral. Working with a reputable funeral home is the best way to lighten the burden of planning in funeral during a time of mourning. If I were to plan a funeral any time soon, I would make sure to contact a funeral home that cares about my budget and goals.