Midlands Telephone Survey
This fall, we decided to try something new—a quick telephone survey looking at
funeral home prices for three items on the General Price List (GPL): basic services (the
charge for general operating expenses, which all clients are required to pay),
immediate burial (not including the price of the casket), and direct
cremation (including the cost of the funeral home’s least expensive cremation
container). We focused the study on three Midlands communities—Camden,
Orangeburg, and Sumter, where we had not previously conducted surveys.
We acknowledge that telephone surveys give us incomplete information. If we do not
have the actual GPLs to review, we cannot tell if the funeral home is following all the
required guidelines. Nevertheless, we thought this project could be useful. We had
two goals. First, to obtain comparative prices, and second, just as important, to see
how well funeral homes responded to a “cold call” telephone request for price
information.
The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule requires them to give prices over the
phone to anyone who calls and asks for them. The caller may be a potential
customer, a member of the press, a competitor, or whoever. The rule applies to all.
We identified 23 funeral homes operating in the three communities. To keep the
survey to a manageable length, we did not include those in the smaller, outlying
towns of the three counties. Our main finding was that a majority of the funeral
businesses either do not know or do not care about the very clear Federal regulation
that requires them to give price information over the telephone. Only 10 of the 23 we
called—43 percent—gave us their prices. In some cases, our board members made
multiple calls without making contact. One staff person said that “I don’t have a price
list.” (You would think that a General Price List should always be on their desk.)
Another receptionist did not know what “basic services” meant and could not give a
price. Several times, the person answering the telephone said something like, “I am
not authorized to give you prices.” When we asked for return calls from someone
authorized, we got no response. That happened several times. One funeral home
employee simply hung up when we identified why we were calling. Another said in
an irritable tone, “I’m not telling you anything. You’ll have to come by the funeral
home and get a price list.” At least that person understood that he had to give a price
list to someone who came to his business.
On the accompanying spreadsheet, you will see the prices supplied by the businesses
that did follow the Funeral Rule. As we have found in earlier surveys, there is a wide
variation in pricing. For example, the cost of Basic Services vary from a high of
$4,999 to a low of $1,695. Immediate burial charges range from $3,995 to $1,000,
while direct cremation rates go from $2,695 to $1,395. In all cases but one, the
crematory charge is included in the quoted price. One funeral home, Nelson-Haile,
said that the crematory fee was $200 extra.
Our finding, that most of the funeral homes did not readily give prices by telephone,
underlines the difficulty consumers face in shopping for funeral goods and services.
The old Yellow Pages advertised “Let your fingers do the walking.” Not easy when
businesses guard their prices. They want you to walk, come to their premises, and
meet with a salesperson. That is feasible when you are planning in advance of need,
as we at FCASC advise, but quite difficult when unexpected deaths occur, and you
need answers quickly.
This fall, we decided to try something new—a quick telephone survey looking at
funeral home prices for three items on the General Price List (GPL): basic services (the
charge for general operating expenses, which all clients are required to pay),
immediate burial (not including the price of the casket), and direct
cremation (including the cost of the funeral home’s least expensive cremation
container). We focused the study on three Midlands communities—Camden,
Orangeburg, and Sumter, where we had not previously conducted surveys.
We acknowledge that telephone surveys give us incomplete information. If we do not
have the actual GPLs to review, we cannot tell if the funeral home is following all the
required guidelines. Nevertheless, we thought this project could be useful. We had
two goals. First, to obtain comparative prices, and second, just as important, to see
how well funeral homes responded to a “cold call” telephone request for price
information.
The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule requires them to give prices over the
phone to anyone who calls and asks for them. The caller may be a potential
customer, a member of the press, a competitor, or whoever. The rule applies to all.
We identified 23 funeral homes operating in the three communities. To keep the
survey to a manageable length, we did not include those in the smaller, outlying
towns of the three counties. Our main finding was that a majority of the funeral
businesses either do not know or do not care about the very clear Federal regulation
that requires them to give price information over the telephone. Only 10 of the 23 we
called—43 percent—gave us their prices. In some cases, our board members made
multiple calls without making contact. One staff person said that “I don’t have a price
list.” (You would think that a General Price List should always be on their desk.)
Another receptionist did not know what “basic services” meant and could not give a
price. Several times, the person answering the telephone said something like, “I am
not authorized to give you prices.” When we asked for return calls from someone
authorized, we got no response. That happened several times. One funeral home
employee simply hung up when we identified why we were calling. Another said in
an irritable tone, “I’m not telling you anything. You’ll have to come by the funeral
home and get a price list.” At least that person understood that he had to give a price
list to someone who came to his business.
On the accompanying spreadsheet, you will see the prices supplied by the businesses
that did follow the Funeral Rule. As we have found in earlier surveys, there is a wide
variation in pricing. For example, the cost of Basic Services vary from a high of
$4,999 to a low of $1,695. Immediate burial charges range from $3,995 to $1,000,
while direct cremation rates go from $2,695 to $1,395. In all cases but one, the
crematory charge is included in the quoted price. One funeral home, Nelson-Haile,
said that the crematory fee was $200 extra.
Our finding, that most of the funeral homes did not readily give prices by telephone,
underlines the difficulty consumers face in shopping for funeral goods and services.
The old Yellow Pages advertised “Let your fingers do the walking.” Not easy when
businesses guard their prices. They want you to walk, come to their premises, and
meet with a salesperson. That is feasible when you are planning in advance of need,
as we at FCASC advise, but quite difficult when unexpected deaths occur, and you
need answers quickly.
Price Survey--Charleston
Our latest comparative price survey focuses on Charleston, which we last studied in
2019. Reviewing funeral home listings on the Internet, we identified 19 businesses in
the core metro area, including North Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, and Johns Island. We
did not include funeral homes in nearby communities such as Summerville, Goose
Creek, Moncks Corner, or Awendaw, since we did not want our volunteer helpers to
have to travel far to complete their assignments.
In advance of the survey, we sent letters to 18 funeral homes, asking them to provide
a copy of their General Price List (GPL) via regular mail or email. We were
disappointed, but not surprised, to receive no response.
According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, funeral homes are not
required to send copies of their GPLs in the mail. However, if someone visits their
business in person and requests one, they are required to provide it to them. So we
engaged two volunteers to visit the funeral homes.
The volunteers were able to collect price lists from 15 of the 18. Three of them, all in
downtown Charleston, were closed at the time the volunteers came by. The
nineteenth funeral home, Palmetto Mortuary, was good enough to post a GPL on their
website, a consumer-friendly gesture we wish more funeral homes would emulate.
Dickerson Mortuary, Lowcountry Mortuary, and Pasley’s Mortuary evidently did not
have printed price lists to distribute. They gave our volunteers poor-quality
photocopies. One suspects that these businesses are not accustomed to giving out
GPLs on request.
With GPLs in hand, we tabulated the prices of 12 services commonly chosen by
consumers. Funeral homes offer far more options, but highlighting these twelve
allows you to see quickly where funeral homes rank in the pricing scale. According to
the Funeral Rule, the General Price List is supposed to itemize the cost of each service
offered. Funeral homes can offer bundled services, or “packages,” but you, the
consumer, are under no obligation to purchase one. The Funeral Rule requires funeral
homes to state in their GPL that “you may choose only the items you desire,” except
that you must pay the charge for Basic Services, which covers the funeral homes’
overhead and administrative expenses.
We found two funeral homes, Johnson-Halls and W.M. Smith-McNeal, that did not
make the required disclosure in their GPL, which is a violation. Another important
disclosure relates to embalming. The Funeral Rule says that a GPL must explicitly
declare that “embalming is not required by law” unless there is a state law in effect.
There is no such law in South Carolina, so the declaration must appear. However, the
Rule allows the funeral home to require embalming if the funeral includes viewing of
the remains. If you do not want embalming, you can opt for refrigeration, if the
funeral home offers it (not all do), or you can select immediate burial or direct c
cremation, which does not include viewing.
Two funeral homes did not follow the Rule exactly. Simplicity Funeral Home’s GPL
says, “except in special cases, embalming is not required by law.” That is old
language that was once allowed under the original version of the Funeral Rule, but
that no longer applies. W.M. Smith-McNeal says that “embalming is not usually
required by law.” The word usually makes that statement inaccurate. Three price
categories in the survey relate to transportation. Here, the lack of common
terminology can make information unclear. The terms hearse and limousine have
been standard in the industry, but some funeral homes now use terms like lead
vehicle, funeral vehicle, or utility vehicle instead of the older ones. In showing the
prices, we sometimes had to guess what kind of vehicle was meant.
Transportation prices apply in a defined service area, usually a radius of a specific
distance from the funeral home. Among the funeral homes in the survey, the radius
varies from 15 to 40 miles. Outside that radius, funeral homes add a mileage charge,
which can be anywhere from $2.00 to $5.00 per mile. The survey moves on to
merchandise, more specifically, the cost of caskets and vaults, also known as outer
burial containers. Caskets enclose the body for burial, while vaults enclose the
casket itself. Vaults are usually made of concrete or metal, but recently, some funeral
homes have been selling ones made of hard, durable plastic. Most cemeteries require
the use of vaults to prevent the ground over the grave from subsiding if the casket
collapses.
The Funeral Rule requires each GPL to include a range of prices for both caskets and
vaults, from the lowest price to the highest. At the upper end of ranges, some of the
prices can be stratospheric. And all for something that is to be buried in the ground
and, hopefully, never to be seen again!
If you elect cremation, you avoid the cost of a casket and vault. The only item
needed is an alternative container to enclose the body during the process. The
Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to describe the container they use. They are
generally made of cardboard, fiberboard, or unfinished wood, and the cost to the
funeral home is low. But with cremation becoming more common than burial, funeral
homes are getting less income from casket sales, which have large mark-ups, so
some are offering a selection of more elaborate alternative containers at higher
prices. Again, these are items that will be destroyed, so why pay more than
necessary? In our survey, we give the price of the least expensive alternative
container offered.
If you are looking for an economical funeral, you can choose either immediate burial
or direct cremation, neither of which involves a visitation or funeral ceremony. The
funeral home must offer each one and post a set price. These are simplified package
deals. A pro-rated charge for basic services and transportation is included.
In our survey, the price of immediate burial does NOT include the price of a casket,
which can vary enormously. On the other hand, the price of a direct cremation DOES
include the cost of the minimum alternative container. You would think that the price
of a direct cremation would include the cremation fee, but that is not always the
case. J.A. McAlister Funeral Home and Murray’s Mortuary say the fee is not included.
It is an extra charge. Whenever you make arrangements for a direct cremation, make
sure that the price you are quoted includes the fee.
In each expense category, our survey spreadsheet highlights the lowest and highest
prices as well as the average. You can see quickly where each funeral home falls in
the range of prices. The rates quoted are those in effect at the time we collected the
price lists, but funeral homes reserve the right to change prices without notice.
What is always striking about these surveys is the range of costs for what are
essentially the same or very similar services. For example, the top charge for basic
services is 326 percent higher than the lowest; the highest for direct cremation is 432
percent higher; and the highest for immediate burial is 633 percent higher. Funerals
can be extraordinarily expensive, but they do not have to be. You just need to be
clear about the services you and your family want, plan for your needs in advance,
and shop carefully. We hope this survey allows our members in the Charleston area
to do just that.
Our latest comparative price survey focuses on Charleston, which we last studied in
2019. Reviewing funeral home listings on the Internet, we identified 19 businesses in
the core metro area, including North Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, and Johns Island. We
did not include funeral homes in nearby communities such as Summerville, Goose
Creek, Moncks Corner, or Awendaw, since we did not want our volunteer helpers to
have to travel far to complete their assignments.
In advance of the survey, we sent letters to 18 funeral homes, asking them to provide
a copy of their General Price List (GPL) via regular mail or email. We were
disappointed, but not surprised, to receive no response.
According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, funeral homes are not
required to send copies of their GPLs in the mail. However, if someone visits their
business in person and requests one, they are required to provide it to them. So we
engaged two volunteers to visit the funeral homes.
The volunteers were able to collect price lists from 15 of the 18. Three of them, all in
downtown Charleston, were closed at the time the volunteers came by. The
nineteenth funeral home, Palmetto Mortuary, was good enough to post a GPL on their
website, a consumer-friendly gesture we wish more funeral homes would emulate.
Dickerson Mortuary, Lowcountry Mortuary, and Pasley’s Mortuary evidently did not
have printed price lists to distribute. They gave our volunteers poor-quality
photocopies. One suspects that these businesses are not accustomed to giving out
GPLs on request.
With GPLs in hand, we tabulated the prices of 12 services commonly chosen by
consumers. Funeral homes offer far more options, but highlighting these twelve
allows you to see quickly where funeral homes rank in the pricing scale. According to
the Funeral Rule, the General Price List is supposed to itemize the cost of each service
offered. Funeral homes can offer bundled services, or “packages,” but you, the
consumer, are under no obligation to purchase one. The Funeral Rule requires funeral
homes to state in their GPL that “you may choose only the items you desire,” except
that you must pay the charge for Basic Services, which covers the funeral homes’
overhead and administrative expenses.
We found two funeral homes, Johnson-Halls and W.M. Smith-McNeal, that did not
make the required disclosure in their GPL, which is a violation. Another important
disclosure relates to embalming. The Funeral Rule says that a GPL must explicitly
declare that “embalming is not required by law” unless there is a state law in effect.
There is no such law in South Carolina, so the declaration must appear. However, the
Rule allows the funeral home to require embalming if the funeral includes viewing of
the remains. If you do not want embalming, you can opt for refrigeration, if the
funeral home offers it (not all do), or you can select immediate burial or direct c
cremation, which does not include viewing.
Two funeral homes did not follow the Rule exactly. Simplicity Funeral Home’s GPL
says, “except in special cases, embalming is not required by law.” That is old
language that was once allowed under the original version of the Funeral Rule, but
that no longer applies. W.M. Smith-McNeal says that “embalming is not usually
required by law.” The word usually makes that statement inaccurate. Three price
categories in the survey relate to transportation. Here, the lack of common
terminology can make information unclear. The terms hearse and limousine have
been standard in the industry, but some funeral homes now use terms like lead
vehicle, funeral vehicle, or utility vehicle instead of the older ones. In showing the
prices, we sometimes had to guess what kind of vehicle was meant.
Transportation prices apply in a defined service area, usually a radius of a specific
distance from the funeral home. Among the funeral homes in the survey, the radius
varies from 15 to 40 miles. Outside that radius, funeral homes add a mileage charge,
which can be anywhere from $2.00 to $5.00 per mile. The survey moves on to
merchandise, more specifically, the cost of caskets and vaults, also known as outer
burial containers. Caskets enclose the body for burial, while vaults enclose the
casket itself. Vaults are usually made of concrete or metal, but recently, some funeral
homes have been selling ones made of hard, durable plastic. Most cemeteries require
the use of vaults to prevent the ground over the grave from subsiding if the casket
collapses.
The Funeral Rule requires each GPL to include a range of prices for both caskets and
vaults, from the lowest price to the highest. At the upper end of ranges, some of the
prices can be stratospheric. And all for something that is to be buried in the ground
and, hopefully, never to be seen again!
If you elect cremation, you avoid the cost of a casket and vault. The only item
needed is an alternative container to enclose the body during the process. The
Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to describe the container they use. They are
generally made of cardboard, fiberboard, or unfinished wood, and the cost to the
funeral home is low. But with cremation becoming more common than burial, funeral
homes are getting less income from casket sales, which have large mark-ups, so
some are offering a selection of more elaborate alternative containers at higher
prices. Again, these are items that will be destroyed, so why pay more than
necessary? In our survey, we give the price of the least expensive alternative
container offered.
If you are looking for an economical funeral, you can choose either immediate burial
or direct cremation, neither of which involves a visitation or funeral ceremony. The
funeral home must offer each one and post a set price. These are simplified package
deals. A pro-rated charge for basic services and transportation is included.
In our survey, the price of immediate burial does NOT include the price of a casket,
which can vary enormously. On the other hand, the price of a direct cremation DOES
include the cost of the minimum alternative container. You would think that the price
of a direct cremation would include the cremation fee, but that is not always the
case. J.A. McAlister Funeral Home and Murray’s Mortuary say the fee is not included.
It is an extra charge. Whenever you make arrangements for a direct cremation, make
sure that the price you are quoted includes the fee.
In each expense category, our survey spreadsheet highlights the lowest and highest
prices as well as the average. You can see quickly where each funeral home falls in
the range of prices. The rates quoted are those in effect at the time we collected the
price lists, but funeral homes reserve the right to change prices without notice.
What is always striking about these surveys is the range of costs for what are
essentially the same or very similar services. For example, the top charge for basic
services is 326 percent higher than the lowest; the highest for direct cremation is 432
percent higher; and the highest for immediate burial is 633 percent higher. Funerals
can be extraordinarily expensive, but they do not have to be. You just need to be
clear about the services you and your family want, plan for your needs in advance,
and shop carefully. We hope this survey allows our members in the Charleston area
to do just that.
New Columbia Price Survey
We are pleased to release our latest comparative survey of funeral home prices in the greater
Columbia area, including Cayce, West Columbia, and Lexington. The survey area contains 22
funeral homes.
We sent letters and self-addressed, stamped envelopes to the funeral homes announcing the
survey and requesting copies of their General Price Lists (GPL). A third of them complied right
away, returning their GPLs either by mail or electronically. Those who did not respond received
in-person visits by our volunteer board members. We were able to collect 21 GPLs. The only
exception was the Moseley Funeral and Cremation Service in West Columbia. The proprietor of
that establishment does not keep office hours. When our volunteer contacted him by telephone,
he said he would send us a GPL, but he never did. This makes the third consecutive survey that
we have been unable to obtain price information, legally permissible under the Federal Trade
Commission’s Funeral Rule, from Moseley.
The GPLs followed widely variable formats but all contained the disclosures required by the
Federal Trade Commission. For example, all indicated that the customer could select only the
services desired and that embalming was not required by law. All GPLs listed the price ranges
for caskets and outer burial containers, and all listed prices for immediate burial and direct
cremation.
Most GPLs also gave prices for the alternative containers used to enclose bodies during the
cremation process, but a few did not. We had to infer the price of the container by noting the
difference between the price quoted for a cremation using a container provided by the customer
and the price for a cremation using the least expensive alternative container from the funeral
home.
Regarding alternative containers, we noticed that, with cremation becoming more popular,
funeral homes are offering fancier containers, with prices varying by hundreds of dollars. This
is an attempt to recover income from lost casket sales by playing on survivor sensibilities. But,
since you probably won’t see the container, and it is consumed in the cremation process, we
recommend using the least expensive one offered. The same advice holds for outer burial
containers (vaults).
We also noticed that a few funeral homes specifically indicated that alternative containers could
be used for burials as well as cremations. This has always been possible but was generally not
public knowledge.
The survey spreadsheet in this issue lists the prices charged by each funeral home for 12
representative services. Pay particular attention to the first, Basic Services, because this is the
only charge that you cannot decline if you use the funeral home. In the column for immediate
burial, the price quoted does not include the cost of the casket. On the other hand, the column
for direct cremation does include the cost of the least expensive alternative container.
The prices quoted were current at the time we collected the GPLs. Each funeral home, however,
says that prices may change without notice. Use the surveys as an initial step in your funeral
planning process. We hope you find them useful and that they save you money on end-of-life
expenses.
We are pleased to release our latest comparative survey of funeral home prices in the greater
Columbia area, including Cayce, West Columbia, and Lexington. The survey area contains 22
funeral homes.
We sent letters and self-addressed, stamped envelopes to the funeral homes announcing the
survey and requesting copies of their General Price Lists (GPL). A third of them complied right
away, returning their GPLs either by mail or electronically. Those who did not respond received
in-person visits by our volunteer board members. We were able to collect 21 GPLs. The only
exception was the Moseley Funeral and Cremation Service in West Columbia. The proprietor of
that establishment does not keep office hours. When our volunteer contacted him by telephone,
he said he would send us a GPL, but he never did. This makes the third consecutive survey that
we have been unable to obtain price information, legally permissible under the Federal Trade
Commission’s Funeral Rule, from Moseley.
The GPLs followed widely variable formats but all contained the disclosures required by the
Federal Trade Commission. For example, all indicated that the customer could select only the
services desired and that embalming was not required by law. All GPLs listed the price ranges
for caskets and outer burial containers, and all listed prices for immediate burial and direct
cremation.
Most GPLs also gave prices for the alternative containers used to enclose bodies during the
cremation process, but a few did not. We had to infer the price of the container by noting the
difference between the price quoted for a cremation using a container provided by the customer
and the price for a cremation using the least expensive alternative container from the funeral
home.
Regarding alternative containers, we noticed that, with cremation becoming more popular,
funeral homes are offering fancier containers, with prices varying by hundreds of dollars. This
is an attempt to recover income from lost casket sales by playing on survivor sensibilities. But,
since you probably won’t see the container, and it is consumed in the cremation process, we
recommend using the least expensive one offered. The same advice holds for outer burial
containers (vaults).
We also noticed that a few funeral homes specifically indicated that alternative containers could
be used for burials as well as cremations. This has always been possible but was generally not
public knowledge.
The survey spreadsheet in this issue lists the prices charged by each funeral home for 12
representative services. Pay particular attention to the first, Basic Services, because this is the
only charge that you cannot decline if you use the funeral home. In the column for immediate
burial, the price quoted does not include the cost of the casket. On the other hand, the column
for direct cremation does include the cost of the least expensive alternative container.
The prices quoted were current at the time we collected the GPLs. Each funeral home, however,
says that prices may change without notice. Use the surveys as an initial step in your funeral
planning process. We hope you find them useful and that they save you money on end-of-life
expenses.
Upcountry Price Survey Complete
In this issue, we present our survey of funeral home prices in Greenville County, including the
communities of Fountain Inn, Simpsonville, Travelers Rest, and Greer. This is the second part of
our 2023 survey of prices in
the Upstate, adding to the survey of Spartanburg County performed in the spring. You can find
that survey spreadsheet and the accompanying narrative on our website, www.scfunerals.org,
under the tabs “Price Surveys” and “News.”
A generous volunteer in Spartanburg collected General Price Lists (GPLs) for our spring survey.
We were not able to find similar help in Greenville County, so four members of our board
raveled there and visited 14 funeral homes. Funeral homes must give a copy of their GPL to
anyone who shows up at their door and asks for one. You do not have to be arranging services
at this time.
Federal Trade Commission regulations (the Funeral Rule) require funeral homes to make six
disclosures on their GPLs.
They are:
We examined the price lists to see if Greenville funeral homes were complying with the Funeral
Rule. In general terms most of them did, but we found some exceptions worthy of note.
For example, Beasley Funeral Home, with three facilities in Laurens, Fountain Inn, and Greenville,
omitted the very first disclosure—the right of choice. Instead, the first page of their GPL
explained their payment policy.
Cremation Society of South Carolina/Westville included the choice disclosure but arranged their
GPL as a series of package offerings, making it difficult for a customer to choose or decline
individual items. For example, limousine charges are included in most of the packages except
the one for immediate burial. This GPL defeats the intent of the choice disclosure. Fletcher’s
GPL began by offering two package deals on the first page before the choice disclosure was
stated on page two.
Sullivan Brothers included the choice disclosure but buried it within a longer paragraph that
began by describing a fee for the transfer of a pre-funded service and concluded by asserting
the funeral home’s right to refuse “any offensive material for display or publication.” One
wonders what incidents prompted such defensive statements.
All the GPLs were satisfactory in stating the embalming disclosure, and all described their
charges of basic services adequately. On the other hand, there were some lapses in the casket
and OBC disclosures.
For example, Sullivan Brothers did not quote a full price range for caskets and OBCs, only a base
charge for each and then “up.” Graceland did not quote a price range for OBCs at all. In that
regard, these GPLs do not comply with the Funeral Rule.
With cremation, a less expensive process, becoming more popular, we noticed a trend for
funeral homes to offer more expensive options for alternative cremation containers. Several
price lists mentioned them but did not quote a price, while others offered price ranges for these
consumable items ranging from $175 to $4,450! All to be burned up in the retort! All the
direct cremation prices we list in the survey include the least expensive alternative container
offered. There is no economic reason for anything more costly.
As usual, this survey reveals striking variations in the prices charged for what are essentially
similar services.
For example, the highest immediate burial charge, $4,470, was 380 percent higher than the
lowest, $1,175.
The highest direct cremation fee, $4,230 was 425 percent higher than the lowest, $995. Such
variation means that careful shopping, as an informed consumer, in advance of need, is the best
way to avoid overspending on funerals.
In this issue, we present our survey of funeral home prices in Greenville County, including the
communities of Fountain Inn, Simpsonville, Travelers Rest, and Greer. This is the second part of
our 2023 survey of prices in
the Upstate, adding to the survey of Spartanburg County performed in the spring. You can find
that survey spreadsheet and the accompanying narrative on our website, www.scfunerals.org,
under the tabs “Price Surveys” and “News.”
A generous volunteer in Spartanburg collected General Price Lists (GPLs) for our spring survey.
We were not able to find similar help in Greenville County, so four members of our board
raveled there and visited 14 funeral homes. Funeral homes must give a copy of their GPL to
anyone who shows up at their door and asks for one. You do not have to be arranging services
at this time.
Federal Trade Commission regulations (the Funeral Rule) require funeral homes to make six
disclosures on their GPLs.
They are:
- The right of choice. You, the consumer, can select only the items you want from the GPL. You do not have to buy a “package” that may contain services or goods you do not want.
- Embalming. The GPL must state that “embalming is not required by law,” because in South Carolina that is true.
- An alternative container may be used for direct cremations (i.e., you do not have to buy a casket). The funeral home must describe the type of alternative containers available.
- Basic services fee. The funeral home must disclose the purpose of the fee (basic administrative costs and overhead) and state that the fee will be added to the total cost of services selected.
- Casket price list. The funeral home must tell you that a complete casket price list is available and list the range of casket prices on its GPL.
- Outer burial container (OBC) price list. The GPL must also list the range of prices and tell you that a complete list is available.
We examined the price lists to see if Greenville funeral homes were complying with the Funeral
Rule. In general terms most of them did, but we found some exceptions worthy of note.
For example, Beasley Funeral Home, with three facilities in Laurens, Fountain Inn, and Greenville,
omitted the very first disclosure—the right of choice. Instead, the first page of their GPL
explained their payment policy.
Cremation Society of South Carolina/Westville included the choice disclosure but arranged their
GPL as a series of package offerings, making it difficult for a customer to choose or decline
individual items. For example, limousine charges are included in most of the packages except
the one for immediate burial. This GPL defeats the intent of the choice disclosure. Fletcher’s
GPL began by offering two package deals on the first page before the choice disclosure was
stated on page two.
Sullivan Brothers included the choice disclosure but buried it within a longer paragraph that
began by describing a fee for the transfer of a pre-funded service and concluded by asserting
the funeral home’s right to refuse “any offensive material for display or publication.” One
wonders what incidents prompted such defensive statements.
All the GPLs were satisfactory in stating the embalming disclosure, and all described their
charges of basic services adequately. On the other hand, there were some lapses in the casket
and OBC disclosures.
For example, Sullivan Brothers did not quote a full price range for caskets and OBCs, only a base
charge for each and then “up.” Graceland did not quote a price range for OBCs at all. In that
regard, these GPLs do not comply with the Funeral Rule.
With cremation, a less expensive process, becoming more popular, we noticed a trend for
funeral homes to offer more expensive options for alternative cremation containers. Several
price lists mentioned them but did not quote a price, while others offered price ranges for these
consumable items ranging from $175 to $4,450! All to be burned up in the retort! All the
direct cremation prices we list in the survey include the least expensive alternative container
offered. There is no economic reason for anything more costly.
As usual, this survey reveals striking variations in the prices charged for what are essentially
similar services.
For example, the highest immediate burial charge, $4,470, was 380 percent higher than the
lowest, $1,175.
The highest direct cremation fee, $4,230 was 425 percent higher than the lowest, $995. Such
variation means that careful shopping, as an informed consumer, in advance of need, is the best
way to avoid overspending on funerals.
Spartanburg Price Survey, 2023
We are pleased to give you our comparative survey of funeral home prices in Spartanburg
County, which we last surveyed in 2017.
Our first step was to identify the funeral homes currently doing business. We did that through
Internet searches. Back when telephone companies were still producing Yellow Page directories,
it was rather easy to tell which funeral homes were active. Now, it is not as clear. Defunct
businesses can “live” online for quite some time. In this case, we found that one of the funeral
homes on our list was out of business, and another had changed its name. We finally identified
17 operating throughout the county.
The next step was to collect General Price Lists (GPLs) from the funeral homes. The Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to give a copy of their GPL to
anyone who comes to their business in person and asks for one. We enlisted the aid of a
volunteer who lives in Spartanburg County, and she visited, or attempted to visit, the listed
establishments. She gathered GPLs from 14 of them. Two homes were closed at the time of her
visit, so she was not able to collect their documents. Instead, one of our board members
telephoned those two and obtained their prices, although we were not able to evaluate their
GPLs. One funeral home of the 17 considered the convenience of its customers reason enough
to post its GPL on its website.
Every funeral home is allowed to set a fee for “basic services,” which covers overhead expenses,
administrative and equipment costs. This is the only fee that you, the consumer, cannot decline
to pay. Charges for basic services ranged from a low of $1,500 to a high of $3,995 for a
difference of $2,495. The average among the 17 was $2,421. This price is usually the first one
quoted on a General Price List (GPL) and can serve as a rough indicator of how expensive a
funeral home is going to be.
Not all General Price Lists are created equal. They follow no standard format, and some are
easier to read and understand than others. The group from Spartanburg was no exception. For
example, J.M. Dunbar fits all their information on one two-sided sheet with a single fold, while
J.F. Floyd offers an 8-page booklet. The worst GPL in the group was that of J.W. Woodward. The
document is supposed to state a range of prices for both caskets and vaults. Woodward’s did
neither. There was no casket price list attached but there was a list for vaults. Furthermore,
Woodward did not state a price for immediate burial. Instead, it listed something called a
“carnation package,” said to be “economy.” The price for direct cremation said nothing about an
alternative container, and there were several options available bundling additional services with
the cremation. Both the burial and cremation options were presented as “packages.” This
approach is problematic, according to the FTC, because consumers are supposed to be able to
pick and choose particular services without being compelled to purchase items they may not
want.
The national Funeral Consumers Alliance is urging the Federal Trade Commission to require all
funeral homes to present their prices in a standard format, so that consumers can more easily
compare them. However, the FTC has not yet acted on this proposal.
Another area of the GPL that can be misleading is the disclosure statement on embalming that
funeral homes are required by FTC rules to include. The FTC says that the statement should
begin by stating, “embalming is not required by law.” However, some funeral homes are still
stating that embalming is not required by law, “except in certain special cases,” language that
was formerly based on FTC guidance but no longer is. The Floyd, Stribling, and Woodward GPLs
all say that, which is not accurate. In South Carolina embalming is never required by law. It may
be required by the funeral home if the consumer chooses a funeral service with viewing of the
remains.
We found vague and confusing statements in several of the GPLs. Community Mortuary lists a
charge of $2,220 in bold face type for direct cremation, but just below that quote, it lists a price
of $1,895 for a direct cremation with an alternative container provided by the funeral home. No
explanation for the discrepancy was given. We quoted the lower price in the survey.
J. M. Dunbar lists confusing prices for cremation. In one place it says that a cremation with a
container provided by the purchaser is $1,685. The container provided by the funeral home is
priced at $95. But then, just below, under the heading “direct cremation,” Dunbar states a price
of $2,465, which includes local removal of the body, necessary documentation, and the
crematory charge. We infer that the lower price does not include the actual cremation, but this
is not stated. If that is the case, the GPL should say so clearly.
J. F. Floyd offers what it calls a “rental cremation casket.” At first glance, that sounds
ridiculous. How could one rent a casket that would then be burned in the crematory? What the
funeral home most likely meant is a casket that can be rented for a funeral service with the body
present prior to the cremation (which would then be done using an alternative container). The
funeral home should have called it simply a rental casket.
Leeside Funeral Home priced a direct cremation with the container provided by the funeral home
at $1,295 and one with the container provided by the purchaser at $1,595, a difference of
$300. This looks like the charging of a “handling fee” for a container purchased elsewhere,
which is a clear violation of the FTC’s Funeral Rule. More generously considered, it might be
simply a misprint. Elsewhere, the price range quoted for direct cremation is $1,095 to $1.295;
therefore, the actual price for cremation with the container supplied by the purchaser may be
$1,095, with the alternative container costing $200. But that is just a guess. The GPL quotes
no price for an alternative container, which it should do.
The Kings Family Funeral Home’s description of immediate burial was confusing. First of all,
they quoted a range of prices for immediate burial – from $1,400 to $9,900 with no clarifying
description. Evidently, there is a range of burial “packages” that include additional services and
merchandise. Then, they listed a cost of $1,675 that includes a “casket” provided by the funeral
home. Since the price is $275 more than the cost of an immediate burial with the casket
provided by the purchaser, it seems that the funeral home, for the $1,675, is using its
alternative container in place of a casket. If so, that fact should be stated. Elsewhere on the
GPL, Kings lists its bottom tier casket at $2,795, so it could not be part of a burial costing
$1,675.
Stribling quotes a charge of $2,800 for an immediate burial “on weekdays” but lists no price for
weekends. Does that mean burials do not take place on weekends? That is possible but not
explained. On the other hand, the funeral home says that direct cremations on weekends cost
$100 more than the weekday rate. Stribling’s charge for direct cremation includes a “memorial
service (with the body not present).” There is no indication of the price a customer would pay if
they do not want that service.
In perusing the GPLs, we found occasional oddities. For example, Community Mortuary lists a
specific charge of $35 for transferring cremated remains from one container to another. It also
charges $150 to allow up to 10 people a “fifteen-minute” viewing of unembalmed remains.
Like all our previous surveys, this one showed wide variations in prices for similar services.
Here are some examples:
Embalming – from a low of $665 to a high of $1,175 (difference of $510)
Immediate burial – from a low of $1,400 to a high of $5,215 (difference of $3,815)
Direct cremation – from a low of $1,225 to a high of $3,790 (difference of $2,565)
The prices quoted were current at the time we solicited the GPLs; however, all funeral homes
reserve the right to change prices at any time.
If you shop carefully and compare prices before a time of need, you can save a lot of money.
Since all members of our FCASC board live in the Columbia area, we could not have surveyed
Spartanburg County without the help of our volunteer, who prefers to remain anonymous. We
thank her for her generous service.
We also would like to recognize the staff of the Harris-Nadeau Mortuary in Chesnee. Unlike their
competitors, they posted their complete price list on their website. If only all funeral homes
would adopt this consumer-friendly practice. The National Funeral Consumers Alliance is
presently urging the FTC to revise the Funeral Rule to require funeral homes with websites to
post their GPLs online. We are optimistic that reform is coming, but no definitive ruling has
been issued to date. Meanwhile, thanks, Harris-Nadeau.
We are pleased to give you our comparative survey of funeral home prices in Spartanburg
County, which we last surveyed in 2017.
Our first step was to identify the funeral homes currently doing business. We did that through
Internet searches. Back when telephone companies were still producing Yellow Page directories,
it was rather easy to tell which funeral homes were active. Now, it is not as clear. Defunct
businesses can “live” online for quite some time. In this case, we found that one of the funeral
homes on our list was out of business, and another had changed its name. We finally identified
17 operating throughout the county.
The next step was to collect General Price Lists (GPLs) from the funeral homes. The Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to give a copy of their GPL to
anyone who comes to their business in person and asks for one. We enlisted the aid of a
volunteer who lives in Spartanburg County, and she visited, or attempted to visit, the listed
establishments. She gathered GPLs from 14 of them. Two homes were closed at the time of her
visit, so she was not able to collect their documents. Instead, one of our board members
telephoned those two and obtained their prices, although we were not able to evaluate their
GPLs. One funeral home of the 17 considered the convenience of its customers reason enough
to post its GPL on its website.
Every funeral home is allowed to set a fee for “basic services,” which covers overhead expenses,
administrative and equipment costs. This is the only fee that you, the consumer, cannot decline
to pay. Charges for basic services ranged from a low of $1,500 to a high of $3,995 for a
difference of $2,495. The average among the 17 was $2,421. This price is usually the first one
quoted on a General Price List (GPL) and can serve as a rough indicator of how expensive a
funeral home is going to be.
Not all General Price Lists are created equal. They follow no standard format, and some are
easier to read and understand than others. The group from Spartanburg was no exception. For
example, J.M. Dunbar fits all their information on one two-sided sheet with a single fold, while
J.F. Floyd offers an 8-page booklet. The worst GPL in the group was that of J.W. Woodward. The
document is supposed to state a range of prices for both caskets and vaults. Woodward’s did
neither. There was no casket price list attached but there was a list for vaults. Furthermore,
Woodward did not state a price for immediate burial. Instead, it listed something called a
“carnation package,” said to be “economy.” The price for direct cremation said nothing about an
alternative container, and there were several options available bundling additional services with
the cremation. Both the burial and cremation options were presented as “packages.” This
approach is problematic, according to the FTC, because consumers are supposed to be able to
pick and choose particular services without being compelled to purchase items they may not
want.
The national Funeral Consumers Alliance is urging the Federal Trade Commission to require all
funeral homes to present their prices in a standard format, so that consumers can more easily
compare them. However, the FTC has not yet acted on this proposal.
Another area of the GPL that can be misleading is the disclosure statement on embalming that
funeral homes are required by FTC rules to include. The FTC says that the statement should
begin by stating, “embalming is not required by law.” However, some funeral homes are still
stating that embalming is not required by law, “except in certain special cases,” language that
was formerly based on FTC guidance but no longer is. The Floyd, Stribling, and Woodward GPLs
all say that, which is not accurate. In South Carolina embalming is never required by law. It may
be required by the funeral home if the consumer chooses a funeral service with viewing of the
remains.
We found vague and confusing statements in several of the GPLs. Community Mortuary lists a
charge of $2,220 in bold face type for direct cremation, but just below that quote, it lists a price
of $1,895 for a direct cremation with an alternative container provided by the funeral home. No
explanation for the discrepancy was given. We quoted the lower price in the survey.
J. M. Dunbar lists confusing prices for cremation. In one place it says that a cremation with a
container provided by the purchaser is $1,685. The container provided by the funeral home is
priced at $95. But then, just below, under the heading “direct cremation,” Dunbar states a price
of $2,465, which includes local removal of the body, necessary documentation, and the
crematory charge. We infer that the lower price does not include the actual cremation, but this
is not stated. If that is the case, the GPL should say so clearly.
J. F. Floyd offers what it calls a “rental cremation casket.” At first glance, that sounds
ridiculous. How could one rent a casket that would then be burned in the crematory? What the
funeral home most likely meant is a casket that can be rented for a funeral service with the body
present prior to the cremation (which would then be done using an alternative container). The
funeral home should have called it simply a rental casket.
Leeside Funeral Home priced a direct cremation with the container provided by the funeral home
at $1,295 and one with the container provided by the purchaser at $1,595, a difference of
$300. This looks like the charging of a “handling fee” for a container purchased elsewhere,
which is a clear violation of the FTC’s Funeral Rule. More generously considered, it might be
simply a misprint. Elsewhere, the price range quoted for direct cremation is $1,095 to $1.295;
therefore, the actual price for cremation with the container supplied by the purchaser may be
$1,095, with the alternative container costing $200. But that is just a guess. The GPL quotes
no price for an alternative container, which it should do.
The Kings Family Funeral Home’s description of immediate burial was confusing. First of all,
they quoted a range of prices for immediate burial – from $1,400 to $9,900 with no clarifying
description. Evidently, there is a range of burial “packages” that include additional services and
merchandise. Then, they listed a cost of $1,675 that includes a “casket” provided by the funeral
home. Since the price is $275 more than the cost of an immediate burial with the casket
provided by the purchaser, it seems that the funeral home, for the $1,675, is using its
alternative container in place of a casket. If so, that fact should be stated. Elsewhere on the
GPL, Kings lists its bottom tier casket at $2,795, so it could not be part of a burial costing
$1,675.
Stribling quotes a charge of $2,800 for an immediate burial “on weekdays” but lists no price for
weekends. Does that mean burials do not take place on weekends? That is possible but not
explained. On the other hand, the funeral home says that direct cremations on weekends cost
$100 more than the weekday rate. Stribling’s charge for direct cremation includes a “memorial
service (with the body not present).” There is no indication of the price a customer would pay if
they do not want that service.
In perusing the GPLs, we found occasional oddities. For example, Community Mortuary lists a
specific charge of $35 for transferring cremated remains from one container to another. It also
charges $150 to allow up to 10 people a “fifteen-minute” viewing of unembalmed remains.
Like all our previous surveys, this one showed wide variations in prices for similar services.
Here are some examples:
Embalming – from a low of $665 to a high of $1,175 (difference of $510)
Immediate burial – from a low of $1,400 to a high of $5,215 (difference of $3,815)
Direct cremation – from a low of $1,225 to a high of $3,790 (difference of $2,565)
The prices quoted were current at the time we solicited the GPLs; however, all funeral homes
reserve the right to change prices at any time.
If you shop carefully and compare prices before a time of need, you can save a lot of money.
Since all members of our FCASC board live in the Columbia area, we could not have surveyed
Spartanburg County without the help of our volunteer, who prefers to remain anonymous. We
thank her for her generous service.
We also would like to recognize the staff of the Harris-Nadeau Mortuary in Chesnee. Unlike their
competitors, they posted their complete price list on their website. If only all funeral homes
would adopt this consumer-friendly practice. The National Funeral Consumers Alliance is
presently urging the FTC to revise the Funeral Rule to require funeral homes with websites to
post their GPLs online. We are optimistic that reform is coming, but no definitive ruling has
been issued to date. Meanwhile, thanks, Harris-Nadeau.
FCA/CFA Report Shows Most State Funeral Boards Provide Scant Assistance to Consumers
Our national organization, the Funeral Consumers Alliance, in conjunction with the Consumer
Federation of America, recently studied the websites of funeral regulatory boards in 49 states
and the District of Columbia to see if they contained information of value to consumers.
The study listed six criteria that would make a website user-friendly and helpful to a consumer
planning a funeral.
They were:
• An easy-to-locate, plainly identified link to consumer information on the home page
• A listing of basic consumer rights under the federal Funeral Rule
• A detailed explanation of a consumer’s rights when purchasing a pre-paid funeral
arrangements, especially relating to refunds and to reassignments of purchase contracts to
other funeral homes.
• Links to other sources telling consumers how to make better purchasing decisions when
buying funeral goods and services (e.g., the FTC’s booklet “Shopping for Funeral Services”)
• A link to instructions on how to file a complaint
• A way for consumers to see if a funeral home has been subject to disciplinary action by the
regulatory agency.
Researchers assigned grades of A through F to state funeral boards based on how well they met
those criteria.
Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, most states fell far short of meeting the criteria. Only
seven of the 50(14%) earned an A. Five states made B and five C. Over half the states (26, or
52%) rated no better than D, and seven received an F. Hawaii was not rated because it lacks a
state regulatory agency.
South Carolina was among the large group rated D.
The state bodies rated A were in Arizona, California, Kansas, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, and
Virginia.
The states rated F were Alaska, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Pennsylvania,
and Utah.
The study makes it evident that most state funeral boards are focused on licensing, regulating,
and, it must be said, protecting the industry and not helping consumers.
To read the report, click here
NATIONAL SURVEY SHOWS THAT MOST CONSUMERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE
FUNERAL RIGHTS
Only one-quarter of consumers surveyed (25%) know that funeral homes are required to provide
price quotes over the phone and an itemized price list at the funeral home. Only five percent of
consumers are aware that funeral homes are required to accept a casket provided by the
bereaved without charging a handling fee.
These are two findings of an online consumer knowledge survey of 2,009 representative
Americans commissioned by the National Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) and Consumer
Federation of America (CFA), on November 18-22, 2020.
The Funeral Consumers Alliance of South Carolina is a member of the Funeral Consumers
Alliance federation.
“It is understandable that consumers who rarely purchase funeral services do not know about
federal consumer protections,” said Overton G. Ganong, President of FCASC.
Free Pamphlet Provides Key Money-Saving Tips
To better inform consumers about their funeral rights, FCA and CFA are releasing a free
pamphlet titled, “Planning a Funeral: 5 Key Tips.” These tips include:
“Planning a funeral ahead of time can reduce costs by well over 50 percent and provide peace of
mind,” said Joshua Slocum, FCA national’s executive director.
The text of the Five Tips brochure is available on this website. Click on the "More" button above
and then click on 5 Tips. The brochure also can be found on the FCA website here.
Survey Findings Support Online Price Disclosure
The Federal Trade Commission is currently considering whether to revise its Funeral Rule. FCA
and CFA, among other groups, have argued that this revision should include requiring funeral
homes to post their price lists online.
“Online prices could be easily compared, obviating the need to visit a number of funeral homes
to collect price lists,” said FCA national’s Slocum. “One cannot expect a recently bereaved family
under pressure to make quick decisions to take the time and effort to visit several funeral
homes,” he added.
The value of easier access to funeral home price lists was suggested by the FCA/CFA survey
finding that only 17 percent of the 2,009 respondents correctly thought that direct cremation of
the body is usually available for less than $1,200. Fifteen percent thought the low price was
usually above $2,400, and 38 percent said they did not know.
“Online price lists would dramatically increase a consumer’s ability to cut funeral costs,” said
CFA Senior Fellow Stephen Brobeck. “Online posting of an existing price list would cost funeral
homes a trivial amount,” he added.
Older Persons Are Least Informed About Funeral Rights
Only 15 percent of those 65 years and older know that funeral homes are required to provide
price quotes over the phone and a printed price list at the funeral home, and 60 percent said
they did not know the answer to this question. In contrast, nearly 30 percent of those aged 18-
54 knew the correct answer.
Moreover, 76% of older persons surveyed said they did not know whether funeral homes were
required to accept a casket provided by the bereaved without charge.
“We were surprised to learn that older persons are least aware of their funeral rights because
they are the age group most likely to confront funeral-related decisions,” said FCA’s Slocum.
price quotes over the phone and an itemized price list at the funeral home. Only five percent of
consumers are aware that funeral homes are required to accept a casket provided by the
bereaved without charging a handling fee.
These are two findings of an online consumer knowledge survey of 2,009 representative
Americans commissioned by the National Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) and Consumer
Federation of America (CFA), on November 18-22, 2020.
The Funeral Consumers Alliance of South Carolina is a member of the Funeral Consumers
Alliance federation.
“It is understandable that consumers who rarely purchase funeral services do not know about
federal consumer protections,” said Overton G. Ganong, President of FCASC.
Free Pamphlet Provides Key Money-Saving Tips
To better inform consumers about their funeral rights, FCA and CFA are releasing a free
pamphlet titled, “Planning a Funeral: 5 Key Tips.” These tips include:
- Talk it out ahead of time: Tough decisions about cremation or burial, venue of memorial services, and related issues can be resolved without the pressures of immediate disposition of the body.
- Know your rights: The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule provides specific rights including an itemized price list, a written price estimate, and acceptance of your casket without a handling fee.
- Shop around: Comparing prices at area funeral homes can lower costs by as much as 50 percent.
- Keep it simple: The typical cost of a full funeral is $7,360, according to the National Funeral Directors Association, yet in most areas a cremation without extras can cost only $800-$1,200.
- Avoid expensive extras: Most funeral homes offer dozens of service options, including sealed caskets that may not provide you with value.
“Planning a funeral ahead of time can reduce costs by well over 50 percent and provide peace of
mind,” said Joshua Slocum, FCA national’s executive director.
The text of the Five Tips brochure is available on this website. Click on the "More" button above
and then click on 5 Tips. The brochure also can be found on the FCA website here.
Survey Findings Support Online Price Disclosure
The Federal Trade Commission is currently considering whether to revise its Funeral Rule. FCA
and CFA, among other groups, have argued that this revision should include requiring funeral
homes to post their price lists online.
“Online prices could be easily compared, obviating the need to visit a number of funeral homes
to collect price lists,” said FCA national’s Slocum. “One cannot expect a recently bereaved family
under pressure to make quick decisions to take the time and effort to visit several funeral
homes,” he added.
The value of easier access to funeral home price lists was suggested by the FCA/CFA survey
finding that only 17 percent of the 2,009 respondents correctly thought that direct cremation of
the body is usually available for less than $1,200. Fifteen percent thought the low price was
usually above $2,400, and 38 percent said they did not know.
“Online price lists would dramatically increase a consumer’s ability to cut funeral costs,” said
CFA Senior Fellow Stephen Brobeck. “Online posting of an existing price list would cost funeral
homes a trivial amount,” he added.
Older Persons Are Least Informed About Funeral Rights
Only 15 percent of those 65 years and older know that funeral homes are required to provide
price quotes over the phone and a printed price list at the funeral home, and 60 percent said
they did not know the answer to this question. In contrast, nearly 30 percent of those aged 18-
54 knew the correct answer.
Moreover, 76% of older persons surveyed said they did not know whether funeral homes were
required to accept a casket provided by the bereaved without charge.
“We were surprised to learn that older persons are least aware of their funeral rights because
they are the age group most likely to confront funeral-related decisions,” said FCA’s Slocum.
Home Funeral Documents from DHEC
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control has posted some helpful documents on
their website. If you are considering caring for a loved one as they are dying or want to act as
your own funeral director, you will want to look at the following:
1. Instructions for Filing a Death Record without a Licensed Funeral Director
This document will give you information about transporting a deceased individual to final
disposition, in other words, how to obtain a BRT (Burial-Removal-Transit) permit. This is the
form needed in order to move the deceased from the place of death to the place of final
disposition, be that a cemetery or a crematory.
2. Filing of Death Record
This instruction on the DHEC website includes a link to a South Carolina Certificate of Death
Non-funeral Home Worksheet (DHEC-670D)
3. Obtaining a Certified Copy of a Death Record
The website has a link to obtain an application.
Go to www.dhec.sc.gov/VitalRecords/Forms.
You may also want to consider our pamphlet on "Caring for Your Own Dead in South Carolina," a
copy of which is available here.
Recommended sources of further information:
Caring for Your Own Dead in South Carolina, a pamphlet available from the Funeral Consumers Alliance of South Carolina, www.scfunerals.org.
Complying With the Funeral Rule, Federal Trade Commission, April (2015).
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/complying-funeral-rule
FTC Facts for Consumers, Paying Final Respects: Your Rights When Buying Funeral Goods & Services, Federal Trade Commission, May (2007).
Funerals: A Consumer Guide, Federal Trade Commission (undated).
All of the above may be obtained from the FTC website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/shop/funeral.shtm
The Funeral Director’s Guide to Consumer-Friendly General Price Lists, (2007). Available free at: http://www.funerals.org/affiliateresources/cat_view/48-affiliate-resources-/70-funeral-price-survey-instructions-and-help
Green Burial: Environmentally Friendly Burial, a pamphlet available from the Funeral Consumers Alliance of South Carolina, www.scfunerals.org.
Harris, Mark, Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial, New York: Scribner (2007)
Slocum, Josh and Lisa Carlson, Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death, Hinesburg, VT: Upper Access, Inc. (2011). Available at www.funerals.org
September 2016
Be a Friend of the FCASC. You can join the mailing list simply by sending your name, mailing address, and email address to:
Mailing List
Funeral Consumers Alliance of SC
2701 Heyward St.
Columbia, SC 29205
A form for joining the mailing list can be found here.
By becoming a Friend, you will receive a newsletter twice a year, an invitation to our annual meeting, notices of educational workshops, and periodic surveys of funeral home prices in South Carolina. Since we will be relying on donations, you also will receive occasional requests for financial contributions. We thank you in advance for your support.
For contact information, click here.
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