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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