How to choose and compare funeral homes

Start with what you want

Before you call anyone, take a few minutes to think about what kind of farewell fits the person and your family. The main choices are:

• A traditional funeral with a viewing and burial.
• Cremation, with or without a service beforehand.
• A memorial service or celebration of life held later, without the body present.
• A direct burial or direct cremation with no formal service.

Check whether the person left written wishes, a prepaid plan or a note with their will. Knowing the basic plan makes it easier to compare funeral homes fairly. If you are still deciding, our guide on burial or cremation can help.

Location, facilities and fit

Most families choose a funeral home near where the person lived, or near where the service and burial will take place. But the closest one is not always the best fit.

• Does it have a chapel or room large enough for the gathering you expect?
• Is there parking and easy access for older guests or wheelchairs?
• Does it serve families of your faith or culture, and know your traditions?
• Does it have its own crematory, or does it work with one nearby?
• Can it livestream or record the service for people who cannot attend?

Know your rights under the Funeral Rule

The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule protects families when they buy funeral goods and services. It applies to funeral homes across the United States. Under the rule:

• You can ask for prices over the phone, and the funeral home must give them to you.
• When you meet in person to discuss arrangements, you must be given a written, itemized General Price List to keep.
• You can choose only the goods and services you want, rather than a full package, with some limited exceptions.
• You can use a casket or urn bought somewhere else, and the funeral home cannot charge a fee for handling it.
• You must be told that embalming is not required by law in most cases.
• You must receive a written statement listing everything you chose and its price before you pay.

Knowing these rights helps you ask clear questions without feeling awkward.

How to read the General Price List

The General Price List can look long, but it follows a similar pattern at every funeral home. There is usually a basic services fee that covers planning, permits and overhead. This fee is often not optional. Then there are separate lines for things like transfer of the body, embalming, use of the facilities for a viewing or service, a hearse, and printed materials.

Caskets and outer burial containers usually have their own price lists. Direct cremation and direct burial are often listed as single prices.

Some items, such as cemetery fees, flowers, death certificates and newspaper notices, are cash advance items. The funeral home pays them for you and adds them to your bill. Ask for an estimate of these too, so there are no surprises. For more on overall costs, see how much a funeral costs.

Questions to ask each funeral home

• Can you send or give me your General Price List?
• What does your basic services fee include?
• Do you offer packages, and how do they compare to choosing items one by one?
• What are the likely cash advance costs for our plan?
• Who will be our main contact, and how can we reach them?
• Will you write and post the obituary, and submit it to newspapers?
• When is payment due, and what forms of payment do you accept?

Write the answers down for each funeral home. Seeing them side by side makes the choice much clearer.

Trust, reviews and red flags

Price matters, but so does how you are treated. A good funeral home listens, explains your options patiently and respects your budget. Read recent reviews, and ask friends or clergy who they would trust.

Every state licenses funeral homes and funeral directors. You can usually check a license with your state’s funeral or mortuary board.

Be careful if a funeral home will not share its price list, pushes you toward the most expensive options, or says something is required by law without explaining why. It is fine to take your time, bring a relative and leave to think it over.

Once arrangements are made, the funeral home will usually post the obituary on its website. Friends who want to know when that happens for someone they care about can use an obituary monitoring service to be emailed when a matching notice appears.