Advanced Burial/Cremation Planning
An article in the Arizona Republic discussed the issues of funeral home pricing. Many consumer activists point to the vast difference in pricing between funeral homes for the same services. I was hit pretty hard by the charge for $500.00 to transport flowers. Wow.
The price difference between services and funeral homes was vast as well. The prices cited in the article varied from $1,305 to $4,700 for approximately the same basic services. However, there could be other intangibles that would make it worth the extra cost, such as personalized attention. In a time of grief, that could be very important to a family.
The article pointed out that consumer activist worry about deceptive and abusive practices because "family members must make decisions about these services at a time when they're grieving and least equipped to make decisions about money." The activists mentioned common problems are:
• Common funeral-service terminology can be confusing, making it difficult to comparison shop.
• Some businesses employ high-pressure tactics or tack on charges late in the process.
• There's little regulation, with most of the decision-making burden left to consumers.
Like every other aspect of end of life decisions, it is suggested that you make decisions ahead of time. It can save incredible emotional distress and possibly thousands of dollars. It can also help you find the appropriate services for the appropriate price.
