Advisory Opinions
Our staff issue advisory opinions to help clarify FTC rules and decisions regarding either competition or consumer protection issues, often in response to requests from businesses and industry groups. To find a specific opinion, use the filters on this page. Parties may request advice from our staff concerning proposed conduct.
Opinion 07-10
Discusses the circumstances under which the Rule requires funeral providers to list "direct cremation" on their price lists, including whether the disclosure must be made if the provider offers only cremation packages, not direct cremation as defined by the Rule.
Advisory opinion on whether the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits a debt collector from notifying a consumer who disputed a debt that the collector has ceased its collection efforts
Response to request by ACA International regarding whether the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits a debt collector from notifying a consumer who disputed a debt that the collector has ceased its collection efforts, Decisions Volume 144
Opinion 07-2
Addresses whether affiliates must disclose audited financial statements under Item 21.
Opinion 07-9
Discusses the use of computerized displays of casket prices to comply with the Funeral Rule's casket price list requirement.
Opinion 07-8
Clarifies that the Rule's prohibition of casket storage fees discussed in Opinion 07-4 applies only to "at need" arrangements, and not to "pre-need" arrangements.
Opinion 07-6
Discusses whether the Rule requires that the Statement of Funeral Goods and Services include an itemization of the goods and services provided in direct cremations, immediate burials, forwarding of remains and receiving remains.
Opinion 07-7
Discusses the circumstances under which the Rule requires that embalming performed by another funeral home or a third party provider be listed on the Statement of Funeral Goods and Services as a cash advance item.
Opinion 07-5
Discusses whether the Funeral Rule requires a funeral provider to make its facilities available for a memorial service to families who do not make any other funeral arrangements with the provider.
Opinion 07-4
Discusses whether funeral providers may charge fees for storing third-party caskets or for disposing of the containers in which they are shipped; and whether funeral providers may use two separate Statements of Funeral Goods and Services -- one for its own charges and one for third-party cash advance items.
MedSouth, Inc.
Re: Follow-Up to February 9, 2002 MedSouth, Inc. Staff Advisory Opinion
Opinion 07-1
Discusses the application of the Telemarketing Sales Rule to a proposed business plan involving the sale of automobile service contracts.
Opinion 07-1
Addresses whether a franchisor may distribute disclosure documents in a foreign language.
Opinion 07-1
Discusses under what circumstances a funeral provider may need a contract with a cemetery provider to provide either a good faith estimate of the cemetery costs or the actual costs.
Opinion 07-2
Discusses whether funeral providers may routinely charge a fee for the refrigeration of bodies that is separate from the non-declinable basic services fee, and whether funeral providers may charge a fee, separate from the non-declinable basic services fee, for the use of an automobile to obtain death certificates.
