To choose a funeral home, start with two or three licensed providers near where the service will be held, ask each for its General Price List, and compare prices, services and how the staff treat you. Federal law lets you get prices over the phone and buy only the items you want, so a few calls can make a real difference in cost and fit.
Many families choose the funeral home their family has always used, which can work well. It still helps to know what to look for, especially when you are making decisions under time pressure.
Start with what you need
Before calling, decide the basics, even roughly:
- Burial or cremation? If cremation, do you want a service with the body present, a memorial service later, or direct cremation?
- Where will the service be held? At the funeral home's chapel, a place of worship, a cemetery, or elsewhere?
- Religious or cultural requirements. Some traditions call for specific preparation, such as tahara in Jewish practice or ritual washing in Muslim practice, and burial within about a day. See religious funeral customs.
- Budget. Having a number in mind helps you steer the conversation. See how much does a funeral cost.
Know your rights first
The FTC Funeral Rule (16 CFR Part 453) applies to every funeral home in the US. Among other things, it means:
- Prices by phone. A funeral home must give you price information over the phone if you ask.
- A written General Price List when you discuss arrangements in person, which you can keep.
- You can buy only what you want. You can choose individual goods and services rather than a package, with limited exceptions such as the non-declinable basic services fee.
- You can buy a casket or urn elsewhere, and the funeral home cannot charge a fee for handling it.
- No embalming without permission, and you must be told that embalming is generally not required by law.
Read more in the FTC Funeral Rule: your rights, and the FTC's own guide to shopping for funeral services.
How to compare funeral homes
1. Make a short list
Look for licensed providers near the service location. Our states and near me pages list funeral homes by city, and category pages such as funeral chapels, mortuaries and cremation services help narrow the search. Ask friends, clergy, or hospice staff for local experience.
2. Call and ask for prices
Ask each provider for the price of the specific arrangement you have in mind, for example "direct cremation with the container we provide" or "traditional funeral with one evening of visitation and burial." Ask them to email or mail a General Price List if possible. Some funeral homes publish prices on their websites, but this is not required everywhere, so a call is still the most reliable way.
3. Compare like for like
Funeral homes structure packages differently. Line up the same items:
| Item | Home A | Home B | Home C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic services of funeral director and staff | |||
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | |||
| Embalming (if wanted) | |||
| Other preparation (dressing, cosmetology) | |||
| Use of facilities for viewing | |||
| Use of facilities for the service | |||
| Hearse | |||
| Casket or container | |||
| Direct cremation or immediate burial package | |||
| Cash advance items (death certificates, obituary, clergy) |
What is a General Price List explains each line.
4. Visit if you can
A visit tells you a lot: the condition of the chapel and visitation rooms, parking and accessibility, and whether staff explain things clearly without pressure. If you cannot visit, a video call or photos can help.
Questions to ask
- Who owns the funeral home? Is it family owned or part of a larger company? (Either can be fine, but it is useful to know.)
- Do you operate your own crematory, or do you use a third party? Where is the cremation performed?
- How do you identify and track the person throughout the process?
- Can you accommodate our religious or cultural traditions?
- Do you offer livestreaming of the service? Is there a fee? (See funeral homes with livestreaming.)
- Which items in this package can we remove, and how much would that save?
- What are the cash advance items, and do you add a service charge to them?
- How and when is payment due?
- Can you work with the cemetery or place of worship we have chosen?
- If the person was a veteran, will you arrange military funeral honors and help with VA benefits?
Signs of a good fit
- Clear, written prices that match what was said on the phone
- Willingness to explain options, including lower-cost ones
- No pressure to buy a package or upgrade
- Respect for your decisions, timeline and traditions
- A current license, which you can usually verify on your state funeral board's website
Warning signs
- Refusing to give prices by phone or to provide a General Price List
- Telling you embalming, a sealed casket or an outer burial container is required by law, without citing a specific rule
- Charging a fee for a casket bought elsewhere
- Pushing you to decide immediately when there is no religious or practical reason
- Vague or missing itemized statements
If you believe a provider has violated the Funeral Rule, you can report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to your state funeral board or attorney general.
If the person prearranged a funeral
If there is a prearranged or prepaid plan, contact that funeral home first and ask for a copy of the contract. Check what is guaranteed and what is not. In some states and under some contracts, prepaid plans can be transferred to another provider, though fees may apply. See how to preplan a funeral and funeral homes with pre-planning.