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 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.
The Rule expressly states that the basic services fee is the only non-declinable fee allowed for services, facilities, or unallocated overhead, unless state or local law requires otherwise. Other than the basic services fee, you cannot charge any separate fee for overhead. Charging a second non-declinable fee, such as a “basic facilities fee” or a “casket handling fee,” in addition to the basic services fee would violate the Rule. Moreover, you cannot list fees for “additional services” of the funeral director and staff if those fees should be included in the basic services fee or in one of the other items required to be listed on the GPL. Example : You have a non-declinable fee for the basic services of funeral director and staff. You also list the following fee on your General Price List: Additional Services of the Funeral Director and Staff. This charge includes: (a) coordinating and directing funeral ceremony, (b) paying competitive salaries to employees, (c) providing 24-hour on-call service to each family, (d) maintaining funeral service licensing, and (e) complying with federal and state codes and regulations. This fee for additional services violates the Rule. All of the charges listed should be included elsewhere on the GPL. You should include charge (a) for coordinating and directing the funeral ceremony in the separate charge for a funeral ceremony. The other items, (b) through (e), relate to basic overhead. You either should include such charges in the basic services fee or allocate these costs among all the items listed on the GPL. Items 6-16 You must list the following items separately with their respective prices. The charge for each item should include all service fees and any equipment or facility charges for providing that particular good or service. (You will not, however, include any portion of the “basic services fee,” discussed above, in any of these items.) ● 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 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
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