Tips for Dealing with Funeral Homes
by: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
Tips for Dealing With Funeral Homes
* You should receive a General Price List before you get down to business.
* Make sure you receive a casket price list before you purchase your casket at the funeral home.
* Yes you are allowed to purchase a casket from somewhere other than the funeral home, such as a Casket Outlet or even from the Internet and still do business with the funeral home.
* Casket models generally come in other colors or prices and are usually readily obtainable.
* There should be a casket on display for less than $600 because they do exist.
* The lower priced caskets should be displayed with just as much dignity as the more expensively priced ones.
* Lower priced caskets should not be discouraged or referred to in derogatory terms such as "morgue boxes" or "welfare or poverty caskets."
* If you are told that "the law requires" or that "the state requires" that information should be provided to you in writing.
* Ask if something is required before allowing yourself to be pressured into purchasing it, such as vaults, outer containers, sealer caskets, or grave liners.
* You should have a clear understanding of what is "included in the regular services" of the funeral home and what has to be paid for separately.
* If you decided to do business with the home, you should receive an itemized Statement of Goods and Services Selected prior to the funeral so that you know what the full cost of the funeral will be.
Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Aging Services NatalieThomas, State Legal Services Developer (404) 657-5328
Revised September 2001
Last Reviewed On: 05/06/08
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Copyright and Use Notice
This material is copyrighted by the authoring organization or individual. Legal information can change rapidly. Provided links are kept updated, permission is given to link to this material from a nonprofit, court or government website. Website material may be printed, copied and distributed only in its original format for non-commercial, informational purposes. The material may not be altered from its original format. Reproducing the material to promote a commercial purpose is expressly prohibited. Commercial enterprises are expressly forbidden from linking to our material or using our material in other ways. Legal Aid and GLSP are not liable for the distribution of out-of-date material or links. To inquire about appropriate use of this material, please contact 404-524-5811.
Information Not Legal Advice
LegalAid-GA.org provides general information only. This is not legal advice and cannot replace legal advice. You can get legal advice only from a lawyer. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Viewing this web site or sending an e-mail message through this web site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship.
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