News & FCAME Publications: Reference Guide
I. FUNERALS
| Introduction I. Funerals II. Cremation III. Earth Burial IV. Legalities V. Prepaying Your Funeral VI. Donation (Whole Body, Organ/Tissue) VII. Veterans Cemeteries |
What is meant by the term "traditional" funeral?
It refers to a funeral in which the body is present in an open or closed casket. In an "open casket" funeral, friends and relatives see the deceased during a "viewing," for which the body has been embalmed and makeup and hairdressing applied. In a "closed casket" funeral, family and friends receive visitors during a "visitation." Both are followed by a service, religious or secular, with the body present, and (or) a graveside ceremony prior to burial. This is the most expensive type of funeral.
For a "traditional" funeral there is an extra fee, called a BASIC SERVICES FEE--in addition to all charges for merchandise and services selected. It covers basic mortuary staff services and overhead and in our area runs on the average of $1500, as ascertained in our 2005 price survey.
Depending on the services and merchandise chosen, the AARP estimated the cost of a "traditional" funeral in 1998 to be between $8,000 and $10,000, with cemetery charges extra (around $3,000 according to an FCA estimate).
What is a "non-traditional" funeral?
This may be a "traditional" funeral with an aspect such as embalming omitted. Or it may be a funeral in which the body is prepared and viewed at home. Or it may be a simple: a) Direct Cremation or b) Immediate Burial.
a. Direct Cremation
The FTC assumes that Direct Cremation includes the basic services fee (for basic mortuary staff services and overhead); removal of remains from the local place of death; and transportation to the crematory. The price of the actual cremation (i.e., the CREMATORY FEE) may be included or listed separately; if its cost is not stated, find out what it is. The price of minimum containers for holding the body during cremation and for the return of ashes may be included or listed separately.
According to the FTC, Direct Cremation is without formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony with the body present.
Based upon our price survey of 2005, a Direct Cremation costs on the average of $1500 in our area.
b. Immediate Burial
The FTC assumes that Immediate Burial includes the basic services fee (for basic mortuary staff services and overhead); removal of remains from the local place of death; and transportation to a local cemetery. The cost of a minimum casket supplied by the funeral home may be included or listed separately. Consumers must be allowed to supply their own casket and may not be charged a handling fee if they do so.
Some funeral homes include a GRAVESIDE SERVICE in the price of an Immediate Burial. Others permit it for an additional $200 or so. Others maintain that because an Immediate Burial includes no ceremony, inclusion of a graveside service would nullify the package price and require itemization of services (e.g. bathing, disinfecting, placement in the casket) as well as payment of a separate basic services fee. Since the FTC has yet to address this issue, be sure to ask about the mortuary's policy concerning a graveside service.
According to the FTC, Immediate Burial is without formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony with the body present (except that a graveside service is permitted).
Based upon our price survey of 2005, an Immediate Burial costs on the average of $1700 in our area, with cemetery charges extra.
What is the difference between a "funeral service" and a "memorial service"?
Whereas a funeral service takes place in the presence of the body (with an open or closed casket), a memorial service is held without the body present and thus often follows a Direct Cremation or Immediate Burial, though it can follow a "traditional" funeral as well.
A funeral service is called a "service of mourning," a memorial service, a "celebration of life." A funeral service is held soon after death in a religious setting or mortuary. A memorial service can be held at any time after death and at any location, including one's home; it is commonly planned and conducted by family and friends (which, among other benefits, saves on costs because the assistance of a mortician is not needed).
According to death education activist Earnest Morgan, a funeral service and memorial service perform much the same function, but a memorial service has a more positive atmosphere: it focuses on the values of the person who has died instead of on the dead body.
For tips on planning a memorial service, consult Earnest Morgan's book "Dealing creatively with death: a manual of death education & simple burial" (Zinn Communications, 1994), which can be ordered from the national FCA office (1-800-765-0107).