The FTC Funeral Rule Made Simple: Price Lists, Your Rights, and How to Compare Providers

When a death happens, decisions arrive fast — often faster than your emotions can keep up. You may be arranging care for someone you love while trying to understand paperwork, timing, transportation, and costs. It’s not “shopping.” It’s doing your best in a hard week.

The FTC Funeral Rule exists for that moment. It gives you a clear right to pricing information so you can choose only what you want and pay only for what you select. The Federal Trade Commission explains the Rule is meant to make prices easier to compare, whether you’re arranging now or doing advance funeral planning. And because cremation is now a common choice, many families are comparing providers while also deciding how they want ashes handled. The National Funeral Directors Association projects a U.S. cremation rate of 63.4% in 2025, and the Cremation Association of North America reports a U.S. cremation rate of 61.8% in 2024.

Your rights under the Funeral Rule, in plain language

The Rule is practical. You can request price information over the phone. You can receive written, itemized pricing when you visit and begin discussing arrangements. You can decline items you don’t want instead of being forced into a bundle. That’s the heart of funeral consumer rights and funeral pricing transparency.

For cremation families, the FTC also highlights two protections that prevent unnecessary spending: no state or local law requires a casket for cremation (an alternative container can be used), and a provider cannot refuse to handle a casket or urn you bought elsewhere or charge a fee to accept it. That flexibility matters if you want to choose cremation urns or cremation jewelry on your own timeline, without feeling rushed in a showroom.

The price lists you can request

The anchor document is the general price list GPL — the funeral home’s itemized list of goods and services, with prices. Many people simply call it the funeral home price list, and it’s okay to ask for it exactly that way.

• General Price List (GPL)
• Casket Price List (if casket prices are not fully included on the GPL)
• Outer Burial Container Price List (if prices are not fully included on the GPL)

After you make selections, you have the right to a written statement showing what you chose and the total cost before you pay. If something is described as “required,” the FTC says you’re entitled to a written explanation of any legal, cemetery, or crematory requirement that makes a purchase necessary.

How to read a price list without getting lost

A GPL becomes easier when you separate it into three buckets: the baseline fee, the choices you can control, and third-party charges.

Baseline fee

Most funeral homes charge a basic services fee (sometimes called a professional services fee). The FTC’s Funeral Costs and Pricing Checklist explains this fee covers services common to all arrangements, like coordination and permits. Because it’s typically non-declinable, it’s one of the clearest numbers to compare early if you’re trying to compare funeral homes.

Choices you can control

This is where itemized funeral pricing becomes useful. If your plan doesn’t include a visitation, ask to remove facility charges for visitation. If your family is gathering elsewhere, ask how the total changes when the funeral home is not providing the space. You’re not being difficult — you’re aligning the bill with the plan.

Third-party charges and cash advances

If you’ve searched for funeral home fees explained, this is often the source of surprise. The FTC says cash advance items are goods and services the funeral home buys from third parties on your behalf (like death certificates, obituary notices, flowers, clergy, or cemetery/crematory charges). Some providers charge their cost; others add a service fee. The FTC says if a provider adds an extra fee, they must disclose that fact in writing, and they must also disclose whether refunds, discounts, or rebates from the supplier apply.

A fair way to compare quotes

To compare funeral homes without getting trapped in “package math,” keep the plan consistent and get the totals in writing.

• Describe the same plan to each provider (direct cremation, cremation with a memorial service, or burial).
• Request the GPL and a written total that separates funeral home charges from estimated cash advances.
• Ask which items are required versus optional, and have the requirement noted in writing.

If you want a deeper walk-through of reading price sheets and spotting common sources of confusion, Funeral.com’s Journal article Funeral Home Price Lists Explained is a helpful companion.

Urns, keepsakes, and what to do with ashes

After cremation, families often shift from provider decisions to personal decisions: what to do with ashes. The National Funeral Directors Association reports that among people who prefer cremation, 37.1% would prefer their remains kept in an urn at home and 33.5% would prefer scattering. Many families do a blend over time: a home urn now, a ceremony later, and small keepsakes for close relatives.

If you’re browsing cremation urns for ashes, start with the category that matches your plan. Funeral.com’s cremation urns for ashes collection covers full-size memorials. For sharing, small cremation urns are made for meaningful portions, while keepsake urns are designed for symbolic amounts.

If you’re unsure about sizing, sealing, or whether an urn can be buried, Funeral.com’s guide How to Choose a Cremation Urn can help you choose with less second-guessing.

Keeping ashes at home and water ceremonies

For many families, keeping ashes at home feels comforting and normal. If you want practical household guidance, read Keeping Ashes at Home: What’s Normal, What’s Not. And if your plan involves a lake or ocean, it helps to separate scattering from water burial. Water burial usually means using a biodegradable urn designed to dissolve in water, while scattering is releasing ashes directly. Funeral.com’s guide Water Burial vs. Scattering at Sea explains the differences so you can plan a ceremony with fewer surprises.

Pet urns for ashes: honoring a companion

Pet loss can change the sound of a home. If you’re choosing pet urns after cremation, the same clarity helps: understand what’s included, ask for written pricing if you’re working with a provider, and then choose what feels right.

Funeral.com’s pet urns for ashes collection includes many styles of pet cremation urns, from photo boxes to engravable memorials. For a sculptural tribute, explore pet figurine cremation urns for ashes. And when multiple people want a small portion, pet keepsake cremation urns for ashes can help families share remembrance.

If sizing feels confusing, Funeral.com’s Journal resource Pet Cremation Urns & Sizing Guide breaks it down in a way that’s easy to apply.

Cremation necklaces and memorial jewelry

Cremation necklaces and other cremation jewelry are made for a symbolic amount — a way to carry closeness into ordinary days. If you want to browse options, start with Funeral.com’s cremation necklaces collection or cremation charms and pendants. For a clear, practical overview, read Cremation Jewelry 101.

How much does cremation cost?

The question how much does cremation cost has a real answer only when the plan is specific and the total is written down. For national context, the National Funeral Directors Association reports a 2023 median cost of $6,280 for a funeral with cremation (including viewing and service), compared with $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial. Your local price may be higher or lower — which is exactly why requesting price lists and written totals matters.

If you want a plain-language breakdown of what’s typically included in direct cremation versus cremation with services, and which line items move the total most, Funeral.com’s guide How Much Does Cremation Cost? can help you plan with fewer surprises.

FAQs