The FTC’s Funeral Rule: Helping Consumers Make Informed Decisions During Difficult Times
When a loved one dies, grieving family members and friends often are confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral – all of which must be made quickly and under great emotional duress. What kind of funeral should it be? What funeral provider should be used? Should the body be buried, cremated, or donated to science? What are consumers legally required to buy? What other arrangements should be planned? And what is it going to cost? Under the FTC’s Funeral Rule, consumers have the right to get a general price list from a funeral provider when they ask about funeral arrangements. They also have the right to choose the funeral goods and services they want (with some exceptions), and funeral providers must state this right on the general price list. If state or local law requires purchase of any particular item, the funeral provider must disclose it on the price list, with a reference to the specific law. The funeral provider may not refuse, or charge a fee, to handle a casket bought elsewhere, and a provider offering cremations must make alternative containers available. The FTC conducts undercover inspections every year to make sure that funeral homes are complying with the agency’s Funeral Rule. The Funeral Rule applies anytime a consumer seeks information from a funeral provider, whether the consumer is asking about pre-need or at-need arrangements.
- Legacy Cremation Services ( )
- Ross-Clayton Funeral Home, Inc., David C. Ross, Jr., and Eleanor Lewis Dawkins ( )
- Service Corporation International and Stewart Enterprises, Inc., In the Matter of ( )
- Harrison Funeral Home, Inc., and John Balsamo ( )
- Carter III, Harry J., individually and d/b/a Carter Funeral Chapels, Ltd. ( )
- B.K. Henry Funeral Chapel, Inc. ( )
- Andrew Torregrossa & Sons, Inc., Andrew L. Torregrossa, and John L. Torregrossa, U.S. ( )
- Donmaz Ltd., d/b/a Blair-Mazzarella Funeral Home, et al. ( )
- Service Corporation International and Keystone North America Inc., In the Matter of ( )
- Service Corporation International, In the Matter of ( )
- Missouri Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, In the Matter of ( )
- Service Corporation International, In the Matter of ( )
- Virginia Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers ( )
- Morehead McKim Gallaher Funeral Directors, Inc., et al. ( )
- FTC to Host Funeral Rule Workshop on September 7 ( )
- FTC Releases Agenda for Funeral Rule Workshop ( )
- FTC to Host Workshop Examining Issues Related to Proposed Changes to the Funeral Rule ( )
- FTC Action Leads to Civil Penalties, Strict Requirements for Funeral and Cremation Provider That Withheld Remains from Loved Ones to Extract Payment ( )
- FTC Extends Public Comment Period on Potential Funeral Rule Changes to January 17, 2023 ( )
- FTC Seeks to Improve the American Public’s Access to Funeral Service Prices Online ( )
- FTC Announces Tentative Agenda for October 20 Open Commission Meeting ( )
- Federal Trade Commission Alleges Funeral and Cremation Services Companies and Their Owner Mislead Consumers About Their Location and Prices, and Withhold Remains to Extract Payment ( )
- FTC Releases Funeral Home Compliance Results, Offers New Business Guidance on Funeral Rule Requirements ( )
- FTC Extends Comment Deadline for Funeral Rule Review to June 15 ( )
- FTC Seeks Public Comment as Part of its Review of the Funeral Rule ( )
- FTC Undercover Inspections of Funeral Homes in 11 States Test Prompt Compliance with Funeral Rule Disclosure Requirements ( )
- FTC Undercover Inspections of Funeral Homes in Nine States Prompt Compliance with Funeral Rule Disclosure Requirements ( )
- Funeral Home Settles FTC Charges it Violated Funeral Rule ( )
- FTC Staff Provides Comments to Pennsylvania General Assembly on Proposals Affecting Pre-Need Cemetery Sales ( )
- Undercover Inspections of Funeral Homes in Six States Prompt Compliance with Funeral Rule Disclosure Requirements ( )
- Funeral Home Settles FTC Charges It Violated the Funeral Rule ( )
- FTC Approves SCI’s Application to Divest Funeral Home in Auburn, California ( )
- FTC Requests Public Comments on SCI’s Application to Approve Sale of Cemetery Assets in Maryland to Parkwood Memorial Association, Inc. ( )
- FTC Issues Updated Consumer Information About Funeral Planning ( )
- Shopping for Funeral Services: Watch today’s webcast(September 6, 2023)
- What’s on the agenda at September 7th FTC Funeral Rule event(August 25, 2023)
- Scammers impersonate funeral home staff to prey on mourning families. Can it get any lower?(June 15, 2023)
- Proposed Funeral Rule changes under consideration at September workshop(May 16, 2023)
- Funeral provider to post key information on its website, due to FTC settlement(April 7, 2023)
- Funeral Rule retained, but FTC also wants to know if amendments to the Rule are warranted(October 20, 2022)
- Cremation companies exploit grieving consumers, alleges FTC(April 22, 2022)
- Essentials for complying with funeral price list disclosures(June 8, 2020)
- Public comment periods for Funeral Rule and Endorsement Guides extended(April 13, 2020)
- Next on the regulatory review roll(February 4, 2020)
- BCP Business Center: Your Link to the Law(September 2, 2010)
- Funeral Rule Review WorkshopNovember 18, 1999
- Statement of Chair Lina M. Khan Regarding the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Funeral Industry Practices Rule ( )
- Joint Statement of Commissioners Christine S. Wilson and Noah Joshua Phillips in the Matter of CoreLogic, Inc. ( )
- Statement of Commissioner Rohit Chopra in the Matter of CoreLogic, Inc. ( )
- One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Sound Policy on Consumer Protection Fundamentals ( )
- Concurring Statement of Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter Regarding the Request for Comment on the Funeral Rule ( )
- Statement of Commissioner Rohit Chopra Regarding the Request for Comment on the Funeral Rule ( )
- American Dream Nutrition, LLC (PhytoZon dietary supplement) ( )
- One Agency, Two Missions, Many Benefits: The Case for Housing Competition and Consumer Protection in a Single Agency ( )
- Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical, Inc. (Salonpas Pain Relief Patch, Salonpas Arthritis Pain Patch, and Salonpas Gel Patch Hot) ( )
- FTC Policy Statement on Deception ( )
- FTC Policy Statement on Unfairness ( )
- Opinion 16-2 ( )
- Opinion 16-1 ( )
- Opinion 15-1 ( )
- Opinion 13-2 ( )
- Opinion 13-1 ( )
- Opinion 12-1 ( )
- Opinion 11-1 ( )
- Opinion 10-2 ( )
- Opinion 10-1 ( )
- Opinion 09-6 ( )
- Opinion 09-7 ( )
- Opinion 09-4 ( )
- Opinion 09-5 ( )
- Opinion 09-3 ( )
- Opinion 09-2 ( )
- Opinion 09-1 ( )
- Opinion 08-1 ( )
- Opinion 07-10 ( )
- Opinion 07-9 ( )
- Opinion 07-6 ( )
- Veterans Consumer Protection: Preventing Financial Exploitation of Veterans and Their Benefits ( )
- Protecting Military Servicemembers and Veterans from Financial Scams and Fraud: Prepared Statement of the Federal Trade Commission Before the House Subcommittee on National Security ( )
- Stopping COVID-19 Fraud and Price Gouging ( )
- Frauds, Scams, and COVID-19: How Con Artists Have Targeted Older Americans During the Pandemic ( )
- Transforming the FTC: Legislation to Modernize Consumer Protection ( )
- Opening Statement Of Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter before the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce: The Urgent Need To Fix Section 13(B) Of The FTC Act ( )
- Prepared Statement of the Federal Trade Commission: Curbing COVID Cons: Warning Consumers about Pandemic Frauds, Scams, and Swindles ( )
- Prepared Statement of the Federal Trade Commission: The Urgent Need to Fix Section 13(b) of the FTC Act ( )
- Prepared Statement of Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter: Strengthening the Federal Trade Commission's Authority to Protect Consumers ( )
- Prepared Statement of Commissioner Rohit Chopra: Strengthening the Federal Trade Commission's Authority to Protect Consumers ( )
- Prepared Statement of Commissioner Christine S. Wilson: Strengthening the Federal Trade Commission's Authority to Protect Consumers ( )
- Prepared Statement of Commissioner Noah Joshua Phillips: Strengthening the Federal Trade Commission's Authority to Protect Consumers ( )
- Prepared Statement of the Federal Trade Commission: Strengthening the Federal Trade Commission's Authority to Protect Consumers ( )
- Prepared Statement of Federal Trade Commission Acting Chair Rebecca Kelly Slaughter Concerning "Reviving Competition Part 3: Strengthening the Laws to Address Monopoly Power" ( )
- Opening Statement of Acting Chair Rebecca Kelly Slaughter Before the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law Of the Judiciary Committee U.S. House of Representatives ( )
- Statement of Commissioner Noah Joshua Phillips Regarding the Hearing on Oversight of the Federal Trade Commission ( )
- Oversight of the Federal Trade Commission ( )
- Prepared Statement by the Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Protection Issues Arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic ( )
- Opening Statement of Commissioner Chopra Before the House Judiciary, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law: “Hearing on Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 3: The Role of Data and Privacy in Competition” ( )
- Written Testimony of Commissioner Chopra Before the House Judiciary, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law: “Hearing on Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 3: The Role of Data and Privacy in Competition” ( )