Texas Funeral Ebook Continuing Education

● Transfer of remains to funeral home . You can choose any pricing method, such as a flat fee, an hourly charge, or a mileage charge. For example, you can charge a flat fee with or without an additional mileage charge for distances beyond a certain specified radius. ● Embalming . Your price for embalming should include use of the preparation room, as well as the professional services, equipment, and materials involved in performing embalming. In addition, you must tell consumers that the law does not require embalming. ● Other preparation of the body . This charge should include such services as cosmetic work to prepare the deceased for viewing. Under this category, you can also show a price for washing and disinfecting when that procedure is used instead of embalming. ● Use of facilities and staff for viewing . You may charge a flat fee or an hourly fee for the use of your facilities for viewing. Your price for a viewing should include charges for both the services of staff and the facilities used in connection with a viewing. You should not list two separate charges relating to a viewing, such as one for the facilities and another for the staff services. However, if you provide staff services for viewing held at another facility, such as a church or a home, you should list a separate fee for such services. (In this situation, a facilities charge would not be appropriate because your own facilities are not being used.) ● Use of facilities and staff for funeral ceremony . The charge for a funeral ceremony, that is, a commemorative service with the body present, at the funeral home should include both the use of facilities and the necessary staff services. You should not list two separate charges relating to a funeral ceremony, such as one for the facilities and another for the staff services. However, if you provide staff services for a funeral ceremony at another facility, such as a church, you should list a separate fee for such services. ● Use of facilities and staff for memorial service . This is a charge for a commemorative service without the body present. The charge should include both the use of facilities and the staff services. You should not list two separate Alternative price lists for special groups In certain limited situations, discussed below, you may use alternative price lists. Remember : Even if you use alternative price lists, you still must comply with all Rule provisions, including mandatory disclosures and itemized prices. 1. Children and Infants. You can set different prices for funeral arrangements for children and infants. You can list the different fees in two ways. You can place these items on your General Price List, Casket Price List and Outer Burial Price List, along with your regular offerings; or you can prepare separate price lists for these arrangements. If you prepare separate price lists, you need not give them out to anyone except those persons inquiring about a funeral for a child or an infant. 2. Government Agencies. Some funeral providers enter into agreements with government agencies to provide funeral arrangements for indigent persons (or other persons entitled to a government benefit). When entering into such arrangements, you must follow all Rule requirements, including giving price lists to the government agent at the time you make or discuss such arrangements. You can add the prices for these special situations to your regular price list or prepare a separate price list for these arrangements. If you prepare a separate price list, you need not make it available to anyone except the government agency or persons who qualify for the special arrangements. Some government agencies choose to contract for funeral arrangements on a package basis. You can offer funeral

charges relating to a memorial service, one for the use of facilities and another for the staff services. However, if you provide staff services for a memorial service at another facility, such as a church, you should list a separate fee for such services. ● Use of equipment and staff for graveside service . Some families may choose to have a graveside service instead of a funeral ceremony at the funeral home. Your charge for this service should include both staff services and any equipment you may provide (such as a tent and chairs). You should not list two separate charges relating to a graveside service, one for equipment and another for staff services. If your charge for a funeral ceremony normally includes a committal service at the grave following the funeral, you can continue this practice, or you may offer a separate charge for a committal service following a funeral ceremony. The separate charge for a graveside service is intended for those situations where there is no funeral ceremony at the funeral home or elsewhere. ● Hearse . You can use any pricing method for the use of a hearse, such as a flat fee, an hourly charge, or a mileage charge. For example, you can charge a flat fee with or without an additional mileage charge for distances beyond a certain specified radius. ● Limousine . You can use any pricing method for the use of a limousine, such as a flat fee, an hourly charge, or a mileage charge. For example, you can charge a flat fee with or without an additional mileage charge for distances beyond a certain specified radius. ● Casket prices . You can list casket prices in either of two ways: (1) you can list a casket price range, with the disclosure about the availability of the Casket Price List; or (2) you can list the prices of individual caskets on your General Price List. ● Outer burial container prices. As with casket prices, you can list outer burial container prices in either of two ways: (1) you can list an outer burial container price range, with the relevant disclosure about the Outer Burial Container Price List; or (2) you can list the prices of individual containers on your General Price List. arrangements to anyone — including a government agency — on a package basis, as long as the funeral packages are offered in addition to, not in place of, itemized prices. When qualifying persons inquire about these package funeral arrangements, you still should provide the GPL, with itemized prices and disclosures, and comply with all other Rule requirements at this time. Note : You should check your state laws to determine whether arrangements handled as part of an agreement with a government agency can be supplemented or modified by qualifying persons. 3. Religious Groups and Memorial Societies. Some funeral providers enter into agreements with religious groups, burial societies, or memorial societies to arrange funerals for their members at special prices. You are free to enter into such arrangements, but you must still comply with the Rule’s requirements. You must provide price lists to representatives of these groups when they inquire about funeral arrangements on behalf of their members. In addition, if an individual group member inquires in person about funeral arrangements, you must provide the individual with your price lists. Even if a member chooses a package available only to society members, the member must have the opportunity to look at your price lists. You can either have separate price lists for qualifying members or include such prices on your regular price lists.

Book Code: FTX1624

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