Most families plan a funeral only once or twice in their lives. That lack of experience, combined with the emotional weight of the moment, can make it hard to know what's fair and what's not. The FTC Funeral Rule exists specifically to protect you during this vulnerable time.
Enacted by the Federal Trade Commission in 1984, the Funeral Rule is a federal regulation that applies to every funeral home in the United States. It gives you specific, enforceable rights that no funeral provider can take away.
Your Right to a Price List
Before any discussion of arrangements, a funeral home must hand you a written General Price List (GPL). This isn't optional. It's the law.
The GPL must include itemized prices for every service and product the funeral home offers. This means you can see exactly what each component costs, from the basic services fee to the casket to the transportation of the body.
If you call a funeral home and ask about prices, they must give you pricing information over the phone. They cannot tell you to come in person to discuss pricing. This allows you to comparison-shop without leaving your home during a difficult time.
Your Right to Choose Only What You Want
Funeral homes cannot require you to purchase a package of services. You have the right to select individual items and services. Want a simple graveside service without a viewing? That's your choice. Prefer cremation with a memorial gathering at home? Perfectly fine.
Some funeral homes do offer package pricing, and sometimes packages represent genuine savings. But you should never feel forced into a package that includes services you don't want or need.
Your Right to Buy a Casket Elsewhere
This is one of the most important protections in the Funeral Rule. You can purchase a casket from any source: an online retailer, a warehouse store, a local craftsperson, or anywhere else. The funeral home must accept it without charging any handling fee or penalty.
This matters because casket markups at funeral homes can be substantial. A casket that costs $800 wholesale might be priced at $2,500 or more through a funeral home. Online retailers like Titan Casket, Trusted Caskets, and others offer the same products at significantly lower prices.
Your Right to Decline Embalming
No state requires embalming for every death. The Funeral Rule says that a funeral home cannot tell you that embalming is legally required unless it actually is (and in most circumstances, it isn't). They also cannot embalm the body without your explicit permission and then charge you for it.
Alternatives to embalming include refrigeration, dry ice, and prompt burial or cremation. If you're unsure whether embalming is necessary for your situation, ask the funeral director to explain the specific legal requirements in your state.
What to Do If Your Rights Are Violated
If a funeral home refuses to provide a price list, charges you for accepting an outside casket, or pressures you into services you don't want, they are breaking federal law. You have several options:
- File a complaint with the FTC at ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP
- Contact your state's attorney general office
- Reach out to your state's funeral board or consumer protection agency
- Document everything: save receipts, contracts, and notes about conversations
Most funeral directors are honest professionals who genuinely want to help families. But knowing your rights means you can recognize the rare situations where that isn't the case.
Knowledge Is a Form of Care
Learning about the Funeral Rule isn't about being suspicious of funeral homes. It's about making sure you can advocate for yourself and your family during one of the hardest moments of your life. When you know your rights, you can make decisions based on what matters to you, not what someone else is selling.