Q: What are my rights as a consumer?
A: The Funeral Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commision, makes it easier for you to choose only those goods and services you want or need and to pay for only those you select. According to the Funeral Rule, you can find out the cost of individual items whether you shop by telephone or in person.

If you inquire about funeral arrangements in person, funeral homes must provide you a written price list of available goods and services (GPL or General Price List). Keep in mind that when you want to buy a casket for example, the funeral provider must supply a list that describes the available selections and their prices. In 1984, the Federal Trade Commission enacted the "funeral rule." This is a quotation from the Federal Trade Commission. "the funeral rule required funeral homes to agree to use a casket you bought elsewhere, and doesn't allow them to charge you a fee for using." There is a $10.000 , per occurrence, fine for violating this rule.
For more information on this rule, click on the FTC website.

CLICK HERE

Q: Why do I need to research funeral prices?
A: The cost of burying a loved one is becoming unreasonable as a result of deceptive trade practices and consolidation in the funeral home industry. You can comparison shop for a funeral just like you do for a car. Not all funeral homes provide the exact same services at the same price. The differences between funeral homes can be quite substantial.

Q: What are my choices as a consumer?
A: No matter what your final wishes, you are entitled to a choice. People are doing funerals in city parks, in their own homes, by lakes and beautiful landscapes, as well as in funeral homes and churches. There is no such thing as a "Traditional Funeral" anymore. It is important that your choice be your own.

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Q: Do I have to embalm?
A: Embalming is not required by law, except in certain specific circumstances (which actually vary by state). The most common are: death by infectious disease, a prolonged period of time between death and burial, or most commonly, a public viewing or wake.

More and more funeral directors no longer do their own embalming or inital pickup of the remains. Ask the funeral director if he is providing these services or is it contracted to an outside source.

Q: What accounting of my service should I have?
A: The funeral director must provide an itemized accounting, known as the statement of goods and services, showing the total cost of the funeral merchandise and/or services selected.

If a funeral director is making a cash advance for such items as flowers, obituary notices, grave opening and closing fees, clergy honoraria, pallbearers, etc., it must be disclosed if any money being made on the transaction. It is advised to ask of cash receipts.

Q: What is the basic service fee?
A: When you select a funeral home to handle the service portaion of the funeral, there is one itemization that is non-declinable: the basic service fee of the funeral director and staff. The basic service fee amounts to somewhat of a cover charge for doing business with the funeral home and does not include any of the other services provided such as transfer of the remains, refrigeration, embalming, or use of the facilities.

The basic service fee is a discretionary charge that ranges from the hundreds to thousands of dollars. As with casket prices, we encourage you to comparison shop.

HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday thru Friday - 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday - 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Sunday - 12:30 PM - 3:30 PM

For Info Please Call 214-696-3123



Casket Store
11111 North Central Expressway
Dallas, Texas 75243