Costs & price lists
Good information makes good decisions.
Funeral costs are the sum of many choices. Seeing them ahead of time, without urgency, is one of the biggest benefits of planning.
Your right to a price list
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, every funeral home must give you an itemized General Price List when you ask, in person, and must give price information over the phone. You can choose only the goods and services you want.
Why advertised prices look lower
An advertised price is usually one line item, not a complete arrangement. A very low “direct cremation” price, for example, typically covers transportation, the cremation, and return of the remains, with no service or gathering.
For a burial, items such as the cemetery plot, opening and closing, a vault, and a marker are often separate charges, sometimes from a different provider.
Where the differences come from
Two families can both give a loved one a fitting farewell and spend very different amounts. The difference is usually choices: casket or urn materials that look alike but are priced very differently, and services that feel similar but vary in scope. Most people only learn this when they are already in the room, under pressure.
How planning ahead helps
When you plan ahead, you see the whole picture first, and decide calmly. North Carolina allows two kinds of preneed contracts: a standard contract, which does not protect against future price increases, and an inflation-proof contract, which covers the selected goods and services without regard to future price increases. Some third-party costs may not be included, so ask what your plan covers. How NC preneed contracts work → Payment can often be made in one payment or spread over time.
Want the real numbers for your situation?
Duane will walk you through the funeral home’s price list and answer every question before you decide anything.