YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND A TON OF MONEY ON A FUNERAL, HERE'S WHY...

You Don't Have to Spend a Ton on a Funeral - Here's Why...

 

As the director of Funeral Consumers Alliance, a nonprofit that helps people avoid funeral fraud, I know all about mortuary mythology. (That’s what I call the collective "wisdom" about death, dying, funerals, and dead people.) Most Americans get their information about how to bury the dead from the people we pay to do it for us—not exactly the most disinterested source.

Funeral directors aren’t all crooks... and making your living burying the dead is a perfectly respectable career. But they are in business to pay their bills. Even super-savvy shoppers let their brains go on vacation when they buy one of the most emotionally fraught and potential costly services. You don’t walk into the car dealer with a blank check and you shouldn’t do it at the undertaker’s.

 

It's a fact of life that we're all going to die at some point. While it's not something you probably want to think about, you can make … (Read this link) Consumers call FCA by the thousands and talk about death in the subjunctive mood: “Well, I don’t need your services now, but if anything should ever happen to me. . .” Death is not an optional lifestyle choice that may not be right for you. Having suffered a heart attack at age 36, I can tell you you’re not too young to die, either. That conversation with your kids about how to budget, compare credit card rates, protect your online life? You need to have it about death, too. Funeral planning is family planning, and leaving the ones you love without the tools they need is like sending your kids out of the nest believing the stork is going to deliver their first baby.  

 

The Gleaming Casket or Plain Pine Box. Does it Matter?

 

No gleaming casket will put dear mom on the fast track to sainthood, and no plain pine box will insult dad. Whether you choose something simple or something elaborate, the dead will stay dead and our love for them will live on. So, what's a "dignified" funeral? Whatever you decide and whatever fits your family's emotional needs and budget. I've been to two-day affairs with the dead on display and I've been to homespun potluck memorial services at Uncle Stu's house. There was no difference in the amount of laughter, tears, and hugs.

 

Don't Spend $8,000 to $10,000 on a funeral

This figure gets passed about as if it were a law of nature. The truth is a "funeral" can mean anything from a bare-bones cremation to a three-day viewing and procession to the grave (and anything in between). Local Funeral Consumer Alliance groups do price surveys of burial and cremation costs and they routinely find a difference of thousands of dollars, all for exactly the same service. But if you do like most people and use the same funeral home every time, you'll never know if you're paying more than you need to. Would you make any other major purchase without comparing options? Funerals are a "distress purchase," so the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule gives you specific protections.

The rule requires funeral homes to:

• Give price quotes by phone (HONEST ONES!)
• Let you choose item-by-item (vs. forcing you to buy a package)
• Accept a casket you bought elsewhere or made yourself without charging a fee.
• Be truthful about any laws that do or don't require you to buy specific things.

The Law Says What?

If someone, especially someone in the death care business, tells you that the law requires or prohibits
something, treat it as "it didn't happen or they didn't say it." Insist that they show you the actual law if they are persistent. Nine times out of ten, it never existed in the first place. Sometimes people are just passing along "what everyone knows or what they've heard," and sometimes you're being scammed to pad the bill. Those people are using their assumed experience in the industry to guide you, not maliciously, but still...

 
Here are some things you should know:

• No federal or state law requires embalming for all deaths.(not one)
• No federal or state law requires embalming as a condition of viewing the body. (not one)
• No federal or state law requires a casket or a grave vault as a condition of burial, and there are no government standards for casket construction.
• Dead people aren't a public health problem. You're infinitely more likely to catch the flu from other mourners who are breathing and coughing.
• Most states don't even require you use a funeral home. Yes, I'm saying it's legal to do it pioneer-style and have a simple funeral performed entirely by the family.

Prepaying Isn't Magic - "Except for folks who have to "spend-down" to qualify for Medicaid, prepayment isn't usually in your best interests. Yes, the funeral home probably told your parents they'd lock in today's prices and that everything was "all taken care of." But the fact is, prepaid funerals are regulated differently in every state, and in many cases you can lose a great deal of what you paid if you cancel or change your mind before death. What's more, kids whose parents prepaid for their funerals are some of the hardest consumers to help if circumstances have changed.

 

Bottom line: You can't "take care of everything" for your family any more than you can guarantee them career success or a comfortable environment. Your family doesn't need nice-sounding but unrealistic promises—they need you to help educate them on how to plan and carry out your final arrangements without confusion or overspending. OH! there is no such thing as "UNDERSPENDING" while making arrangements. 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND CREMATION. WHAT IS "THE RIGHT WAY"?

I thought it necessary to give you the rule of Catholic law to assist you in making decision in regard to burial over cremation for Catholics. Seeing how burial is almost becoming a financial impossibility and many Catholic Cemeteries and NOW Mortuaries are charging prices that are unobtainable to families, you need to know your options.

As a Catholic, may I be cremated?

 YES, YES, YES, In May 1963, the Vatican's Holy Office (now the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith) lifted the prohibition forbidding Catholics to choose cremation. This permission was incorporated into the revised Code of Canon Law of 1983 (Canon # 1176), as well as into the Order of Christian Funerals. It then became standard practice to celebrate the funeral liturgies with the body and then take the body to the crematorium. Most recently the bishops of the United States and Holy See have authorized the celebration of a Catholic funeral liturgy with the cremated remains when the body is cremated before the funeral.

Do I need to ask permission to be cremated?

No, but it is a good idea to discuss your reasons with your pastor or other parish minister.

 When should cremation take place?

The Church prefers that cremation take place after the full funeral liturgy with the body. However, in the American culture, cremation often takes place immediately or soon after death.

"Sometimes, however, it is not possible for the body to be present for the Funeral Mass. When extraordinary circumstances make the cremation of a body the only feasible choice, pastoral sensitivity must be exercised by all who minister to the family of the deceased." Order of Christian Funerals, Appendix II) (in other words, the catholic priest may authorize this, do not let them tell you it is Christian/Catholic rule)

Is it necessary to embalm?

When cremation follows the funeral liturgy, embalming is usually necessary. When cremation follows soon after death, embalming is not necessary in Arizona, (if no viewing is to be had and the funeral home is to refrigerate) Honestly, that is the law, But the funeral home may require if it is their policy. Each state has its own regulations in this matter, but generally the rule is that a deceased human body that is not buried or cremated within 24 to 48 hours is to be embalmed or refrigerated. However, simple embalming and the use of a cremation casket need not involve excessive costs. (Funeral Homes are not required to have refrigeration facilities in Arizona, it is a "catch 22". be cautious if you are told the un-embalmed body must be embalmed. If there is no refrigeration, move on)

Is it necessary to purchase a casket for cremation?



No. The only thing required is a simple container in which the body can be transported and placed in the cremation chamber. (cardboard box, you will need nothing more, do not be oversold on anything else)

If you choose to have the body present for Mass, with cremation to follow, rental is an option. Many funeral directors offer regular caskets for rent, as well as the special cremation or shell casket which you may purchase. (again, do not be sold on a wood "cremation casket", these are very expensive and easy to be over marketed)

What is the proper container for cremated remains?

Appropriate containers (not necessarily expensive) such as a classic urn are proper for the cremated remains. At the present time the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy has determined only what is not a proper container. Although jewelry, dishes, statuary and space capsules are now being offered, they are unacceptable in Catholic funeral practices. It is also unacceptable to have your cremated remains made into jewelry, dishes and the like. (a simple plastic box provided by the funeral home is acceptable. Also sheet bronze cubes are acceptable)

How are cremated remains transported?

It is a matter of personal choice. Individuals personally carrying a deceased person's ashes will often have the added responsibility of packing and transporting the urn. You may wrap the container of cremated remains with the possibility of sending it as accompanying baggage or take it along as carry-on luggage. Some states regulate the transport of cremated remains. Ask the airline office or your state's Department of Public Health for specific before preparing the cremated remains for transport by air. Where no legal regulations exist regarding transport of cremated remains, cremated remains in a standard shipping container are usually sent by U.S. Mail, UPS or another common carrier. (UPS, FEDEX and the like will no longer transport cremated remains, USPS via registered mail)

Must cremated remains be buried/entombed?

Yes. Burial options include a family grave in a cemetery marked with a traditional memorial stone or an urn garden, a special section in a cemetery with small, pre-dug graves for urns, or a columbarium.

People do a lot of different things with cremated remains: some scatter the remains, some keep them at home, some leave the remains at the crematorium or the funeral home. Some choose burial or inurnment in a cemetery.

The Church recommends burial or inurnment of cremated remains as a mark of respect for the human body which was a temple of the Holy Spirit, was nourished at the Eucharistic Table and will share in the Resurrection.

In 1997 the bishops of the United States published a booklet called Reflections on the Body, Cremation, and Catholic Funeral Rites that presents pastoral guidelines for Catholics who choose cremation. In part the US bishops say:

"The remains of cremated bodies should be treated with the same respect given to the corporal remains of a human body. This includes the manner in which they are carried, the care and attention to appropriate placement and transport, and their final disposition. The cremated remains of a body should be entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium; they may also be buried in a common grave in a cemetery. The practices of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires (budget permitting). Whenever possible, appropriate means of memorializing the deceased should be utilized, such as a plaque or stone that records the name of the deceased."

In addition, the value of memorialization is twofold:

• Memorials constitute a visible history of our faith community.

• Memorials are an important aid to survivors, providing a focal point for the expression of grief and a place of comfort as survivors go through the grieving process.

Be very, very careful of this, a cemetery (any cemetery) will try to sell you a full sized grave for burial. You do not need one, also, you can save the cremated remains for a later time for burial with a spouse or family member.

 Burial or Inurnment Options

The first selection related to burial or inurnment of cremated remains is really the last selection, i.e. the urn to hold those remains which are returned from the crematory. That selection will be guided by the following decisions.

 In general terms, there are two options for the final disposition of cremated remains: in-ground burial and above-ground inurnment.

I. Ground Burial of Cremated Remains:

•In existing full grave with arrangements for one or more cremation burials and suitable memorialization.

•In a ground burial area designed with smaller graves to accommodate cremated remains and provision for either flush ground or above-ground memorialization.
•In the same grave space as already utilized or reserved for another family member's full burial, with observance of the cemetery's regulation for memorialization in such instances. 

 II. Above-Ground Inurnment of Cremated Remains in a Columbarium: 

•A columbarium with an open face (glass front) may be selected; this is only found inside of a building. 

•A columbarium with a closed face granite construction generally will be found in both interior or exterior settings.

•A columbarium with a closed face marble construction will generally be found in colder and wet climates inside a building only.

•In some instances a cemetery may make provision to allow for the inurnment of one or more cremated remains in a full mausoleum crypt and permit memorialization on the face of that crypt for the remains of the individual inurned.

In making the selection of the cremation urn one should keep in mind the location selected - will it be seen or concealed? Does the urn space selected make provision for identification of the individual? Obviously, a glass fronted niche will not do so and therefore the memorialization or the identification will have to be executed on the urn itself.

 

Burial at a "Catholic Cemetery is not a requirement. DO NOT fall for sales tactics in regards to this. Remember, Catholic Cemetery sales personnel operate on commission just like corporate funeral. Do not be fooled.)

 

Veterans get buried for free at any "Veterans National Memorial Cemetery in the United States", any of the 121 of them.

What is a columbarium?

A common practice is the entombment of the cremated remains in a "columbarium". It is an arrangement of niches, either in a mausoleum, a room or wall into which an urn or other worthy vessel is placed for permanent memorial. Generally, niches range in price per space from $800. to $2,500.

May I scatter the ashes?

No. "The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires." (Order of Christian Funerals, Appendix II) (Sometimes, this is the wish of the deceased, consider their wishes if they served in the military. The difference between scattering at sea or burying at sea is to not scatter all over the sea, just in one spot)

 

May I bury the ashes at sea?

Yes. Burial at sea of cremated remains differs from scattering. An appropriate and worthy container, heavy enough to be sent to its final resting place, may be dropped in to the sea. The burial of cremated remains at sea in this manner seems to be a appropriate alternative to the long-standing and revered custom of a traditional burial at sea. Please consult your local government for environmental regulations. (See Order of Christian Funerals, #405.4)

May anything be added to cremated remains such as the cremated remains of other persons, pets or other objects?

The principle of respect for the cremated remains of a deceased Christian embraces the deeper belief in the individuality of each baptized person before God. Throughout history, the mingling of remains has never been an accepted practice, except in extraordinary circumstances.

Who decides if I am cremated?

In most cases you make the decision to be cremated. However, your survivors may decide to have you cremated, generally due to special family circumstances, but rarely against your will.

 

(PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REVIEW ARIZONA LAW ON CREMATION AUTHORIZATION)

How do I make my wishes known?

If you desire that your body be cremated you can make those wishes knows in your will and in documents designed to help plan and prepare your funeral. (Self Cremation Directive in Arizona)

Do I have to honor my parent's or spouse's wish to cremate them?

No. but out of respect for loved ones, you will want to do all you can to carry out the wishes of the deceased concerning funeral services provided they are in keeping with Church practice (and within your budget). Yet, you must always keep in mind the therapeutic value to the family of celebrating the full funeral liturgy with the body present. This may significantly outweigh your reasons for cremation before the funeral liturgy.

What funeral rites are celebrated when a person is cremated?

 All the usual rites which are celebrated with a body present may also be celebrated in the presence of cremated remains. The United States' bishops have written new prayers and have printed them as an appendix to the Order of Christian Funerals. During the liturgies, the cremated remains are treated with the same dignity and respect as the body.

The following rituals may be celebrated:

Prayers after Death

This ritual is used immediately after death. The presence of the minister, the readings, and the prayers can be of great comfort to the family. (Order for Christian Funerals, #101-108)

Gathering in the Presence of the Body

This ritual can also be of great comfort to family members and friends. It allows for a time of simple prayer and shared silence. (Order of Christian Funerals #109-118)

Vigil for the Deceased

 If cremation has already taken place, friends and family may still gather to pray. While it has been a tradition to pray the rosary in some regions, the Vigil for the Deceased in a Liturgy of the Word service, which includes prayer for the deceased and recognition of his/her Christian life. (Order of Christian Funerals #54-97)

What length of time is there between death, cremation and the funeral Mass?

The answer to this question depends on various factors, just as in the case of funerals with the body. The place of death, the location of the crematory, scheduling a time for cremation, the schedule at the parish church, and other circumstances impact the timing. Once all arrangements have been made, you should generally allow at least one day between death and the celebration of the funeral liturgy. (that is not feasibly possible with today's churches, scheduling can take up to 7 days)

What happens at the Funeral Mass with cremated remains?

Significant attention should be given to the primary symbols of the Catholic funeral liturgy, as stated in the Order of Christian Funerals and its commentaries. The paschal candle and sprinkling with holy water are primary symbols of baptism and should be used during the funeral Mass. However, the pall is not used. Photos and other mementos may be used at the vigil, but are not appropriate for the Mass. During the Mass, the cremated remains should be treated with the same dignity and respect as the body. They are to be sealed in a "worthy vessel." They may be carried in procession and/or placed on a table where the coffin normally would be with the Easter candle nearby.

The body is always laid to rest with solemnity and dignity. So too, the Order of Christian Funerals provides for the interment of cremated remains (Order of Christian Funerals, #428).

CANON LAW TITLE III: CHURCH FUNERALS

Canon - 117 S1 Christ's faithful who have died are to be given a Church funeral according to the norms of law.

 S2 Church funerals are to be celebrated according to the norms of the liturgical books. In these funeral rites the Church prays for the spiritual support of the dead, it honors their bodies, and at the same time it brings to the living the comfort of hope.

 S3 The Church earnestly recommends that the pious customs of burial be retained; but it does not forbid cremation, unless this is chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching.

There you have it, that's pretty much the law written by the Catholic Diocese. Now, knowing that Jesus was a poor man that served the poor, do you really think that he would want you to remove food from your mouth to accommodate rules that were written by men? My point being, do the best you can to follow the churches rules, but don't take from yourself to the point were it hurts to follow "GUIDELINES". Do what you can, seek guidance from the church and funeral home. If the only guidance they can give you is "spend more money", reconsider the source. 

One more thing, the diocese is now in the business of funeral service providers, yes, they now have funeral homes and those funeral homes must make a profit to support the church, so, with that, ask yourself when you choose to use these facilities if it is in your best interest when your are being sold a $6,500 funeral package, or you are being suggested a simple cremation to accommodate you budget.

 

Thanks!

Miguel Legaspi

Avenidas Funeral Chapel

HIGH FUNERAL PRICES = GUARANTEED QUALITY FUNERAL SERVICES? THINK AGAIN!

Question - IS IT GUARANTEED THAT HIGH PRICES ENSURE GOOD QUALITY IN THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY?

ANSWER - Not it is not.

Higher prices tell you one of five things;

1. The facility has a very high overhead (bills, Staff & such).
2. The business owner has very rich taste.
3. The business is corporate owned and has shareholders.
4. The business just charges allot.
5. All of the above.
 

I’m sure we all can remember at one time or another that one specific business that charged outrageous prices and we thought that because of that, the services or merchandise or things they sold were going to be of an “above and beyond” quality, but then “BAM!” once we use the services, we realized that the quality was poor and the services are those of days gone by. But wait a minute! they SAID it was going to be "QUALITY", you know, "Beyond Expectation"!

 The funeral industry in general has made it a point of being gobbled up by “Corporations” who have made it a point of buying quality, good named businesses and running them into the ground, all the time ridding on the name of the family or facility that use to own them. This was not their intent but after working in the “Corporate” funeral industry for exactly one year and nine months, It became apparent that there are those within the “Corporate funeral industry that only care about Fridays paycheck. (not all, but they are there).

Now, for an independent funeral home to make such claims like “HIGHER PRICES MEANS BETTER QUALITY” is not only untrue, but also misleading. That is like me saying, “I cook good food, you should pay me to eat my good food”. (I’m a horrible cook). It also is a form of advertising that service providers use to try and get you to believe that funeral home services are really worth $7,000 to $10,000, or a simple metal casket is worth $2,000. (I believe these charges not to be true)

I’ll tell you something about funeral services. Let’s look at cremation. I charge $569 for cremation of a standard size adult. It takes 3 to 7 days maximum to have this process complete.

Our profit = $383

Cremation costs me $186. That’s it! I pay $186 for cremation.

Of that:

$155 is to have the deceased cremated at a local crematorium.
$12 is for the cremation container (cardboard box).
$4 is for the permit.
$15 is for the County Fee’s.

Now, my local competitor the next town over charges you $1,725 for the exact same thing, using the exact same crematory as I do and the exact same guidelines established by the state. (They are not wrong for charging what they charges, this is America, they may charge what they like, the question is...., is it your decision to pay those high prices?)

Their profit = $1,539, That is:

 

 ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDERED AND THIRTY NINE.....................................00/100
 

Of our two facilities, their advertised reason for higher prices is due to the “QUALITY” of service they provide. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, any individuals can charge anything they like for services as long as it is priced as such on the General Price List they provide. The price they charge “MUST” match the price shown on the GPL.

So I ask you, if you are having no services, if you are not using the hearse, if you are not purchasing a casket, if there are no flowers, if you are not having any stationary done, if the only visit you are making to the funeral home is to make arrangements and pick up death certificates….. Then why the difference in cost?

Overhead. Overhead is usually the high cost driving factor. But! remember that initial list up top that we spoke of? Take your pick. Also, using the excuse of overhead is also the second best reason a funeral service provider will give you for high prices.

My original point being is that a vast majority of those things that the “Old School Traditional Funeral Home” charges are WAY overpriced. Not that there is anything wrong with that, if they choose to charge it and you choose to pay it, there is no law broken.

Remember, FUNERAL SERVICES DO NOT COST THAT MUCH!

How do I know? I own a funeral home! 

ALSO! ALL FUNERAL HOMES SELL AND USE ALL THE SAME MERCHANDISE, period!

 

So what is their a reason to charge you more? It's all the same stuff, isn't it? Yes, it is.

 

Really? and the difference is...?

You would think good quality service is something you would want to give if you claim to have such a strong passion to serve in the industry, not hold it hostage to the highest payer.

But The high priced funeral industry has nothing to fall back on to counter an affordable funeral homes low pricing other than, “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR” or “QUALITY COSTS MONEY” or something that they cannot prove or show you until you already have used their service. By then, it's to late. Take a good long look at the picture to the right, it speaks leaps and bounds as to the industry, what they are trying to do, and what they are trying to think they are doing. I mean, a hugs a hug when you need one.

So the next time you read, or are told something as outlandish as something about “Quality” and one’s high prices, or shown a list of google reviews that could have been posted by “Anyone”, (Hmmmmm) consider looking a bit farther and if you don’t like what you see, then go back to them. In the end, the choice is still yours, spend wisely.

Thanks,
Miguel Legaspi

DINGITY MEMORIAL, WILL THEY NEVER, EVER LEARN.........

Due to a cease and desist letter I received in the mail by a certain corporation. I can not use them by name, but they will continue to be referred to as Corporation Service International, or CSI.

 

TRAGEDY STRUCK JENNIE MORROW’s family twice this year. After her sister died of lung cancer in the spring, her mother succumbed to a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease in the summer. But the two funerals couldn’t have been more different.

 

While she says her sister’s funeral was fairly priced, she says her mother’s funeral was a costly affair punctuated by forced package deals, misleading funeral directors and disingenuous contracts. In a province with the most expensive traditional funerals in the country, Morrow’s experience sheds light on a potentially troubling underside of the funeral industry.

 

It was a warm July morning just before dawn when her 89-year-old mother passed away quietly in her sleep. Heeding the octogenarian’s wishes for a funeral mass and burial at the Catholic church near her childhood home, Morrow’s family called a funeral home in Digby. Jeyne’s Funeral Home sent a hearse to collect the body and Morrow went to meet with the funeral home. She was dumbfounded by what she was told.

 

“When my mother died and we called to make the arrangements, they didn’t say anything about having to buy a package,” Morrow said in an interview. “But when I sat down with the funeral director, I was told they don’t sell funerals, they sell packages.”

 

 

The funeral director of Jayne’s Funeral Home, a division of Corporation Service International, based in Houston, refused to offer a price list and instead insisted on a package deal, she said. The packages started at $9,099 but didn’t include taxes or the cost of the church mass or reception, Morrow said.

 

After she expressed concern with the cost and asked where her mother’s body was being held, the funeral home did not offer her a price list but instead knocked $1,100 off the price, she said. “It was almost time for the funeral and they already had her body. It’s like they’re holding you hostage.”

 

Jayne’s Funeral Home referred calls to its parent company, which owns funeral homes across the United States and Canada, including nine in Nova Scotia. Jessica McDunn, a spokeswoman for the international provider of funeral goods and services, declined to comment on personal matters. “We’re very sorry for the family’s loss,” she said. “We take very seriously our commitment to our families, and that includes guarding their privacy.”

 

However, McDunn said the firm does not have a policy that requires funeral homes to sell packages rather than select services. “But we believe that our pricing is fair, given the services and benefits we provide. We do follow the guidelines and rules that are set before us for each province, state or country.” Mark Duffey, president and CEO of Houston-based funeral planning and concierge agency Everest, said Corporation Service International is the largest funeral home operator in the world. “They’re a publicly traded company on Nasdaq and their business model is about maximizing revenue,” he said in an interview. “They are generally the high-price leader in every market they’re in. In the United States and Canada, on average, they are 38 per cent more expensive than an independently owned funeral home.”

 

Duffey said the corporation has a package pricing policy that requires employees to show clients a package price. However, he said every Corporation Service International funeral home has a general price list. “If she wasn’t shown a price list, it was probably a violation of their corporate policy.” Shortly after her mother’s funeral, Morrow received a call from the funeral director asking her to come in for a meeting. She said it was not possible, and the director offered to visit Morrow at her home near Yarmouth. “I just told her just to send the paperwork out in the mail but she didn’t want to.” While the funeral director told her it was a bill, what Morrow received in the mail was a “Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected/Purchase Agreement.”

 

The contract broke down the funeral package prices. It included a $499 online obituary (garbage), or what Jayne’s Funeral Home referred to as a “Memorial” Internet archive. It also included a $375 “ Tribute Burial Memorial Package (garbage),” which Morrow described as a black box with thank-you cards and other items. “We didn’t want all this silliness. They charged us for so many trinkets and foolishness that we didn’t need.” Other fees included a $199 compassion helpline (garbage), a $299 aftercare planner (garbage) and $99 estate protection (garbage).

 

And while every service included a fee — $1,065 for transportation, $595 for attending the church ceremony, $395 for “other care and preparation” and $295 for registration and documentation — the funeral home tacked on another $1,948 in professional staff and service fees.

 

Total Extra Fees is $5,769 that has nothing to do with burial. Total funeral package was $9,099 before tax. The difference in cost is $3,330 for merchandise and services.

 

“Their methods of doing business are appalling, given the vulnerability of the people who they do business with.” But Morrow said the most alarming thing about the contract wasn’t the fees but the fine print. Below the list of costs is a paragraph indicating that Morrow acknowledged having the option to purchase either a package or select services a la carte. The purchase agreement says: “You also confirm that you have been informed of your right to select only such services and merchandise as you desire.”

 

 Unlike the wording of the contract, Morrow said she had specifically asked for a price list and was told by the funeral home she had to buy the package normally provide clients with contracts before the funeral, McDunn said it depends on the situation. Morrow complained to the Digby funeral home that she was being asked to sign a contract that indicated she had the option of obtaining services a la carte when she was compelled to purchase a package. The funeral home called her and tried to negotiate a lower price, asking what would make her happy, she said. “I said what would make me happy is to go to bed at night knowing they couldn’t do this to anyone else.” deal.

 

Another red flag was the date above where she was to sign. It had been filled out by the funeral home as July 24, the day before her mother’s funeral. “I realized this was a contract, not a bill, and that by signing it using a date before the funeral, it appeared as though I agreed to all this in advance.” Morrow also noticed that the third and final page of the contract was missing and called the funeral home. A few weeks later, she received the third page, the terms and conditions of the purchase agreement. The sixth item says: “You acknowledge that you were offered a copy of the current price lists.” When Corporation Service International was asked if its funeral homes. Morrow said that out of respect for her mother she wants to be clear that she has the money to pay the $10,172.17 bill. 

 

 “My mother had plenty of money, and I have excellent credit and pay all my bills on time. “It’s a matter of principle. It’s wrong for them to do this.” Morrow made a complaint to the Nova Scotia Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.

 

Two months later, the board responded with a letter. “The board is not in a position to intervene in the settlement of an outstanding account,” the letter said. Morrow said the issue is not about an outstanding bill but rather what she considers the shady business practices of a funeral home. No one from the board was available for an interview this week. According to the provincial Embalmers and Funeral Directors Act, these sorts of complaints are within the board’s mandate.

 

The act says the board can “investigate a complaint of any misrepresentation, negligence, professional misconduct or fraud by (a)funeral home.” The average cost of a traditional funeral in Nova Scotia is $10,495, according to a recent survey conducted by Everest. That makes the province the most expensive place for a traditional funeral in the country.

 

Halifax is the priciest city to die in Canada, with an average funeral cost of $11,152, the survey found. Everest’s Duffey said the cost of a funeral has increased and recommended planning ahead to cut costs. Morrow’s “experience, unfortunately, is not uncommon. It shines a light on the fact that you need to plan ahead or have a funeral planner so that you’re not negotiating these matters under emotional duress or strain.”

 

 

CREMATION AND DEEP DOUBTS ABOUT "NEPTUNA" SOCIETY.

NOTE - Due to the cease and desist letter I received from a specific corporation, all names are to be considered fictitious, but then again, I did not write the article.

I found this article on the "Funeral Consumer Alliance" website, it is a good article. "Naptune Society" sells cremation in the Greater Phoenix area. Use caution. The purpose for this blog is to instill "guilt through association and Corporate responsibility.

C.S.I. or Corporation Service International Is a corporate funeral provider owned by investors, the largest in North America, if not the world. They are the Parent Corporation of : 

• Neptuna Society
• Tredent Society
• Dingity Memorial
• Funeraria de Loss Angel
• Advantageous Cremation and Burial
• National Creamation Society

Dated 22 February 2013 

 

by Lamar Hankins, past president of Funeral Consumers Alliance (credentials speak for themselves)

 

Selling Cremation Door-To-Door

I just had the opportunity to be a “secret shopper” – from the convenience of my dining room table. Over the years, I have occasionally received solicitations from funeral homes or cremation services to encourage me to “pre-arrange” funerals or cremations. In recent months, I received two such solicitations from the Naptune Society. I responded to the last one, sending back their card and checking the box that indicated I wanted to receive more information.

 That information came through a phone call a couple of weeks ago asking if one of their representatives could visit me in my home. I said “yes” and a nice fellow showed up. His card identified him as an “Austin Area Counselor,” for Naptune Society, “America’s Most Trusted Cremation Services.” I was treated to a sales pitch full of misleading or outright false claims, all to get me to pay more than double the cost for a simple cremation in the Austin area.
 

(This is not an uncommon practice with most C.S.I. firms, the counselors and sales people are under great pressure to make quota and beat last months numbers. I know, I worked for them.)
 

It was obvious that he knew nothing about me, or he probably would not have made the 45-minute drive to my home from his Austin location. I have spent the last twenty years as a volunteer advocate for funeral consumers with the Austin Memorial & Burial Information Society (AMBIS), as well as 18 years working as a volunteer with the national organization with which AMBIS is an affiliate, Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA).

 

The counselor and I spent an hour and a half discussing pre-arrangement options that Neptune offers. The best one, from Neptune’s perspective, is being offered right now at a $150 discount, so the cost to me would be only $2,255.

 

Leading up to my request to know the price of the service was about an hour of information about the plan, and information he had gathered about what a few other funeral homes in the Austin area charge. The counselor had no way of knowing that just four days earlier, Nancy Walker (President of the AMBIS board) and I had finished surveying the prices of funerals and cremations for the 51 funeral services located in the Austin area.

 

  Corporation Service International, Who are they?

CSI is the parent owner corporation of:

Naptuna Society

Tredent Society

Dingity Memorial

Funeraria de Los Angel

Advantageous Cremation and Burial

National Creamation Society

C.S.I. sells stock on the New York Stock exchange and is currently valued at $15.52 a share. It has a  trade volume of 1,659,908 shares, those shares are what need to be kept happy. THEY ARE CALLED INVESTORS. The investors "need" your money to be happy, more money than they needed last month to be happy, If they become unhappy, they will pull their investment or sell off their shares and the price falls on the stock thus making the corporation worthless. Get it?

 

It is noteworthy that the counselor mentioned that Naptune is owned by CSI the largest funeral provider in the world. Based on his inflection and the look on his face, I think I was supposed to be impressed by this. But I have written about CSI many times over the last twenty years, discussed legal problems with CSI’s legal staff, and had my own battles with them on behalf of my family over cemetery plots. Their world-wide activity and reputation was not news to me.

 

It surprised me that Naptune uses the outrageous charges at CSI facilities to show how much better its prices are – its counselor cited rates at several CSI locations  that were much higher than Neptune’s. But it wasn’t a fair comparison; in most cases, what the counselor showed me were prices for elaborate cremation and related services, not Direct Cremation prices. Direct Cremation is universally defined as a simple cremation without a viewing or ceremony.
 

When the counselor did show me a price from other providers for Direct Cremation, he pointed out that there were many hidden costs not covered by their price (e.g., refrigeration, crematory fee). But all of his examples were for prices higher than Neptune’s.

 For a few people, the best part of Neptune’s plan is that it includes – for $474 – a “Transportation and Relocation Plan.” This is worthwhile if you are traveling overseas and die on the trip, but the contract for transportation services is not with Naptune. Instead Naptune is a third-party seller for the Medical Air Services Association (MASA). Based on the contract, it appears that MASA will transport the body to the nearest licensed crematory and will return the cremated remains as per the Naptune agreement.  



The counselor tried to convince me that the transport agreement was also very useful in the event I died while on a trip to the Texas coast (about a three and a half hour drive). He explained that a funeral home at the coast would have to take custody of my body and be paid for shipping it back to Austin for cremation. He did not know that I knew this was complete nonsense.

 

If I die down at the coast, my chosen cremation provider in the Austin area could merely arrange for a funeral home, mortuary service, or crematory in the area where I died to handle the cremation for a low wholesale trade price – probably about $400 – and send the cremated remains to the Austin area funeral service. My family would pay my chosen provider’s cost for direct cremation and receive my cremated remains. I’ve had personal experience with this. When my brother died twelve years ago, an Austin funeral home arranged his cremation in the county of his death, and my parents, who lived in that county, picked up his cremated remains directly from the local funeral provider where he died, paying the Austin funeral home for the entire cost. 



Next, the counselor tried to shock me by saying that funeral prices double every seven to ten years. I happen to have funeral cost surveys that AMBIS has done for many years, so I compared the costs from 2000 with those in 2012. Direct cremation averaged $1,468 in our 2000 survey. In 2012, the average cost was $1,899 – a 29% increase, not twice the cost from twelve years earlier. Of course, a lot of those increased costs can be attributed to CSICI funeral homes. Their cremation costs rose about 62% during this same period.

 

In addition, the counselor told me that cremation in central Texas averages $2,700+, which is just not true. The 2013 AMBIS annual survey just published and available on-line at fcaambis.org.  It shows the average cost of cremation for the 51 funeral providers in the Austin Texas area priced is $2,053, nearly $650 less than the counselor claimed. 



Of course, the counselor also did not tell me that I do not have to pay the average price. I can get Direct Cremation for as little as $695 from two providers, and for $775 or less from three others. This compares favorably with 2000 prices, which were $725 from two providers and $740 from another. So competition has made the lowest-cost Direct Cremation less in 2013 than in it was in 2000.

 

But those were not the only misleading statistics the Counselor gave me. He told me that most funeral homes have two price increases yearly. Because we do an annual survey, we know that this is not true for most funeral homes. A handful have annual price increases, but many go two or three years without increases. In my experience, the number of increases has more to do with the general economy and the popularity of cremation, which takes business away from funeral services, than with any other factors. However, one funeral director told me recently that CSI was the best thing that ever happened to him. Because of CSI’s high prices, he can charge more and still offer a better deal than CSI funeral homes. Most of the Cook-Walden chain, which is owned by CSI, charges $2,740 for Direct Cremation at four of its five locations.

 

I was a bit startled when the counselor told me that Clark Howard, the radio consumer advisor, recommends the Naptune Society. For many years, Howard was a member of the Honorary Advisory Board of the Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA), for which I spent about eight years serving as a member of its board of directors, including four as President. To my knowledge, Howard has never endorsed pre-paying for funerals or cremation. A search of his website turned up no mention of the Naptune Society.

WHY I DON'T WEAR A SUIT (AT WORK) & CAN"T FIGURE OUT WHY ANYONE DOES!

To be on RECORD, this Blog is my PERSONAL opinion. Professionally, That which concerns me the most is that:

• You are well taken care of
• You are not lied to
• You receive all that you have been charged for
• You are treated with great dignity
• Your loved one is treated as family

When I started Avenidas Funeral Chapel I was 48 years old. I had lost my job as a Drag line Operator and Heavy Equipment operator due to the recession and was close to losing my home (I did lose it)  I was behind on allot of payments on everything, but I did have about 8 suites.

I bought all these wonders, Grey pinstripe, Hunter Green, Royal Blue and on and on and on for some ridiculously stupid price during my career in the funeral industry......  To go with those fashion forward wonders, I had several white polo button downs that I had purchased new and used from a re-sale shop or sears or wherever, and about a million ties that I had bought on sale or had gotten as hand me downs from friends. I realize now that other than an on the job requirement for the many funeral homes I was employed by, OH! How important I felt and THOUGHT I was respected by the community. (I was wrong...)

SWEAT!

I wore those babies when it was cold. I wore them when it was 120 degrees plus outside. I wore them in the sun, late at night doing removals, graveside in the middle of summer, In the cooler. I wore them when families obviously looked at me across the table feeling RELAY uncomfortable with the guy in the suite in the room. I ironed them and when I could I got them dry cleaned. Avenidas Funeral Chapel was started in September of 2010 and over the next few months, starting with those first suits; I wore a suit every work day. I never bought new suits as the business grew. I bought shirts and ties and shoes new instead of used. I went 2 1/2 years without a vacation to make that company work, but I didn’t go a work day without a suit, IN THE BEGINNING!

Someone had once told me that you wear to work what your customers wear to work. That seemed to make sense to me, so I followed it, and expected those who worked for me to follow it as well. BUT I DID NOT MAKE THEM (I insist on name tags); there dress code was a personal preference that they take great pride in enforcing amongst themselves. They must look neat and clean and never ever promote the attitude that they are better than the families we serve. (we are not)

 

Sorry, I'm to Damn Humble to Wear One

 

After I hired a manager, (Lorena) I decided that I never would wear a suit to work again. I was able to hold true to that, and up till now, the community really has not expected any more from me other than what I wear now. You see, I am not a suite man. It is not me.  I do not need to doll myself up to convince you I am respectful or respectable. I do not need to sell you this false image, for I am and I hold those character traits without placing them behind fancy clothes to impress you with $900 suits or Cuff Links or lapel pins or any of that nonsense. I am a simple guy that owns a funeral home that wants to help you, that’s all!

When Lorena was hired as my manager, the suit went out the window completely. I vowed to never wear one again other than weddings and funerals (not even my own), and only then because it wasn’t worth the hassle to deal with people asking why you didn’t wear a suit. I’m certain the people getting married didn’t care, and I don’t think anyone is going to be looking down at me wondering why I showed up at their funeral without a suit. Suits make no sense whatsoever.

Why am I such a suit hater? I’m not a suit hater, I just could never think of any good reason for any sane person to wear a suit in the first place (especially in Arizona in the summer).

Exactly what purpose does a suit serve? Why in the world are so many people required to wear a suit to work? Do the clothes make the man or woman in the western world today? Does wearing a tie make us work harder or smarter? Is this a conspiracy by the clothing, fabric or dry cleaning industry to take our money?

Or are we all just lemmings following a standard we all know makes zero sense, but we follow because we are afraid not to?

If you are a CEO, are there not better things your employees could spend money on than multiple suits, ties, dress shirts, dress shoes, dress socks, dry cleaning, and all the other associated costs ? Gee, no suits would be the same as giving your employees a tax free raise. Think that might make them happy? Or do employees consider having to spend money on suits a perk?

 

I Am The KING!
 

Now I understand some people think wearing a suit provides them with a certain level of stature. It gives them confidence. It helps them feel good about themselves. Well let me be the first to tell you that if you feel like you need a suit to gain that confidence, you got problems. The minute you open your mouth, all those people who might think you have a great suit, forget about the suit and have to deal with the person wearing it.

Is there a reason other than “that’s just the way it is”? Haven’t you looked at someone in a suit, trying to look important and just thought how stupid and out of place it is? Why do we do this to ourselves?

I know this all is a crazy rant, but come on now. If you have had to wear a suit to work every day, haven’t you wondered why? If you are the CEO or in charge of a company, haven’t you wondered yourself why you are making your employees waste all that money and come to work and spend the day in uncomfortable clothing?

Give your suit wearing employees a raise. Tell them every day is casual day. And if they choose to dress to impress anyways? RECOGNIZE THEM! Take them to lunch, fill up their tank, do something other than making or demanding they wear a suite to work in 120 degree weather...