Being Ignorant About Funerals Can Add To Survivors' Grief Submitted by: N.O.V.A. April 2005 Source: Times Picayune 09-08-1992 ************************************************* Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ "When I die, they can just bury me in a plain wooden box" is a frequently heard statement. But when that day happens, "they" (read: the loved ones) may have second thoughts about your wishes and decide on a costlier casket. Planning a funeral is an emotionally charged time, and it's not easy to be a cost-conscious consumer when you are grieving. To help consumers be prepared for this difficult time and make the decisions that are best for them, the Federal Trade Commission recently published a new brochure, "Caskets and Burial Vaults." OK, the subject of death makes us uncomfortable. We don't like to be reminded of our mortality. For this reason, many people postpone thinking about funeral arrangements. But after a death there is little time to order booklets such as this one and understand your rights under the FTC's Funeral Rule. A casket (or coffin) is the single most expensive item in a traditional funeral, but it is not always necessary. The FTC says a casket is not required for a direct cremation or an immediate burial in which the body is placed in an alternative container, such as one made of unfinished wood or pressed board, and is interred without viewing and embalming. A casket can be enclosed in a vault constructed of steel-reinforced concrete to prevent the ground from caving in as the casket deteriorates. The FTC's Funeral Rule prohibits funeral directors from making claims that a particular funeral item or service can indefinitely preserve a body. Such statements simply are not true, according to the FTC. Many funeral homes promote pre-paying for funeral goods and services so that decisions are made well in advance. If you are considering this option, the FTC says, the following issues should be considered and questions asked: Are you buying only merchandise, such as a casket and vault, or are you purchasing funeral services as well? What happens to the interest income on money that is pre-paid and put into a trust account? Are you protected if the firm with which you are doing business goes out of business? Can you cancel the contract and get back any money you have pre-paid if you change your mind? What if you should move to a different area or death occurs away from home? Some pre-paid funeral plans can be transferred to another funeral provider, but often there is an added cost in doing so. To get this free brochure, send your name and address to "Caskets and Burial Vaults," FTC, Public Reference Branch, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The American Association of Retired Persons has two informative booklets: "Funeral Goods and Services" and "Pre-Paying Your Funeral?" To get copies, write to AARP Fulfillment, 601 E St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The National Research and Information Center, a private, non-profit group that provides consumers with information on funeral services, has established a Funeral Service Consumer Assistance Program to help consumers resolve disagreements about funeral service contracts. For more information, write FSCAP, 2250 E. Devon St., Suite 250, Des Plaines, Ill. 60018. If you have a question or problem, write to The People Helper at The Times-Picayune, 3800 Howard Ave., New Orleans, La. 70140, or call 821-1727. Consumer complaints about mail-order companies or local businesses must be in writing and should include copies, not originals, of the necessary documentation. Every question received will be considered but only the most interesting and helpful ones will be published. Requests not answered in the column cannot be answered or otherwise acknowledged.