February 23, 2012 CareOne Laurie R. Powsner, MSW, LCSW Funeral Consumers Alliance Plan Ahead & Rest in Peace

 Advance Directive/Living Will  Durable power of attorney for healthcare  Power of attorney for finances  Durable or springing  Will  Designated agent for body disposition  Funeral planning Put your House in Order

Disposition Options  Burial –Embalming –Viewing –Casket –Cemetery plot –Marker  Cremation –Urn –Bury, scatter, jewelry, fireworks, etc.  Whole Body Donation to Medical School –Pre-arrange and have a back-up plan  Organ and Tissue Donation

Funeral and Memorial Wishes  If you don’t care, say so  Who do you want involved in the planning? –Clergy –Family –Friends –Funeral Director  Service –Funeral –Graveside –Memorial –Music, readings, participants etc. –Memorial contributions

Do funeral prices scare you to death?

What’s the Problem? Most people: –know little about death, dying & funerals –have little idea about the costs involved –don’t know their rights (FTC Funeral Rule) No other business handles a customer base so uninformed and emotionally fragile Grieving people are not in the best state of mind to make a major purchase

 Is it a “helping profession”? “Funeral directors are caregivers….listeners, advisors and supporters. They have experience assisting the bereaved in coping with death. Funeral directors are trained to answer questions about grief, recognize when a person is having difficulty coping, and recommend sources of professional help.”  They may be nice, but they are business people but they are business people Funeral Directors

“ What will it take to put one of you two into a brand-new Eterna-5000 today? ”

Funeral Directing is a Business  Funeral homes in US: ~21,528  Employees: ~103,258  Annual revenues: ~$13 billion In most states, there are more funeral homes than the death rate can support Sources:U.S. Census of Service Industries National Funeral Directors Assoc IBISWorld

State Existing Needed Iowa Nebraska North Dakota Pennsylvania1, New Jersey Source: National Center for Health Statistics

 Why are so many funeral homes still in business?  What is full time work for a funeral director?  How did this happen?

Some Costs Funeral Service $7,323 plus Plot$300 – $20,000+ $1,300 (average) plus Vault $200 – $15,000+ $1,128 (average) plus Opening & closing $350 – $1,500 plus Headstone/Marker$300 - $$$$$ SubtotalOver $10,000

There are over 21 other charges, some of which cannot be predicted, including:  Autopsy  Extra embalming procedures  Refrigeration  Forwarding and receiving of remains  Obituaries  Flowers  Clergy honoraria  Tent and chairs at cemetery  Certified copies of the death certificate  Music, musicians, reception, video, dove release, etc.  Crematory fee

Average funeral director charge for cremation $2,575 What the crematory charges the funeral director Ewing Crematory $350 East Brunswick Crematory $175

Did you know?  Embalming is never routinely required by state law  Embalming doesn’t preserve the body indefinitely  You can have a viewing at home  No law requires a casket or a vault for burial  No casket/vault will preserve a human body indefinitely  Funeral homes charge a non-declinable fee

Know the FTC’s Funeral Rule  Prices over the phone  A printed, itemized GPL  No handling fee  Not be present when the casket is delivered  Buy a la carte  A written price list before you view the caskets  A written outer burial container price list  A written statement before you pay  Use an “alternative container” for cremation

Advance Planning “Maybe I should have gone with cremation.”

 Don’t –Unless it’s to spend down for Medicaid  Instead –Savings –POD account –Life Insurance Pre-Paying for Funerals

 What if the merchandise no longer exists?  What if the funeral home was sold?  Sometimes prices go down  There are many items that can't be prepaid Why not? If you must  Is your funeral contract "irrevocable"?  Is 100% of prepaid money placed in trust?  Is it refundable if you change your mind?  Is the contract transferable if you move?

Do it Yourself