When I talk with families about making cremation arrangements for their loved one, the topic of the “extra fees” comes up. Because of how we have structured our business we have very few “extra fees” but I know with many funeral homes and cremation centers these can be extensive and it’s important to understand them before agreeing to pay.

We charge for the services we provide as any business does. However, there are some fees that are simply out of our control as they are assessed by third parties, the State of Florida or the county where the death occurs.

Medical Examiner and Cremation Permit Fee

Even when the body does not go into the care of the medical examiner, some counties require a review of the nature of the death before they will allow cremation and charge a fee for this review.  This is a common practice across the State and the fee helps offset the Medical Examiner’s operating costs. These fees are collected by the funeral home or cremation center on behalf of the county.

Death Certificate Fees

Death certificates in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Auburndale and all of Polk County cost $10 for each certified copy. These fees are not marked up but collected by the funeral home or cremation center and paid to the county. In some cases, the funeral home or cremation center may have a service fee for processing a request, especially if it must be filed manually, involves an amendment, or requires additional work by the funeral home staff.

Obituaries

Each newspaper charges different amounts for obituaries. This can range from a small fee of $10 all the way up to $500 depending on the length of the obituary.

Ultimately, none of us has power over death. But it is often reassuring as a family member or next of kin of a dying or deceased loved one to know they have some undeniable cremation and funeral consumer rights when it comes to cremation arrangements – control and rights backed by the federal government.

The Funeral Rule is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. It was created to protect consumers as they make decisions about products and services. The Rule makes it possible for you to choose only what you need or want. It also gives you a clear picture of costs you are being charged. This means you can compare prices among cremation providers and funeral homes to see if they are quoting the same services.

Package pricing for cremation is available at many providers, including Gilley’s Family Cremation. This provides a straightforward way to provide pricing on what is typically needed and is less confusing for families. However, it’s important to know your funeral consumer rights under the Funeral Rule to choose services individually as well. You do not have to accept a package deal from a funeral home or cremation provider that includes items you don’t want. However, when comparing prices, you may find the package price is less expensive than the individual items. For example, especially with direct cremation, you typically see a package because there are specific items always required in Florida including a cremation container, cremation permit (Medical examiner in Polk County charges $25), transportation from the place of death and refrigeration.

In addition, cremation providers and funeral homes are required to give price information over the phone if you request it and give you a general price list when you visit in person. This list, which is yours to keep. It will show the items and services the provider offers and the cost of each one. After options are selected and a plan is made, the cremation provider and the funeral home will provide an itemized statement, so you can see the total before services are rendered, even if you selected a package.

You can count on Gilley’s Family Cremations to be upfront and honest in our pricing. Feel free to contact us anytime at 863-875-9079 and a member of our professional staff will be happy to answer your questions.

Contact us to set up an in-person meeting. We also are available to meet with families at your home or a location of your choosing.

When most of us think of a conference, we think about a group of sports teams, a big meeting featuring keynote speakers and everyone wearing name tags. But when it comes to an end-of-life arrangement conference is when plans are made for cremation.

If you haven’t attended an arrangement conference, there can be anxiety leading up to the meeting due to not knowing what to expect. Understanding what will occur goes a long way in making the arrangement conference less scary.

An arrangement conference is a coordination and meeting where initial decisions are made about cremation. It is time set aside for those wishing to be part of planning to meet with the cremation provider. And, the more prepared a family is for the meeting, the better and more productive it will be.

Cremation providers normally begin by collecting facts about the loved one if they were not already provided including specific information for documents such as the death certificate, obituary or other published notices. If possible, the facts about the deceased should be brought to the arrangement conference unless they were provided during a pre-planning meeting or phone conversation.

There is specific information required by the Department of Vital Statistics for deaths occurring in Florida even if you are arranging a simple cremation.

• Full Legal Name including any suffix (Jr., III, etc.)
• Birth Date
• Birth Place (City, State)
• Social Security Number
• Spouse’s Full Name (including Maiden Name), if applicable
• Father’s Full Name
• Mother’s Name (including Maiden Name)
• Home Address
• Highest Education Level
• Professional Industry
• Occupation
• If the deceased was a veteran
• Race
• Photographs (electronic versions are typically preferred.
• Organizations they were involved in (churches, clubs, volunteer work)
• Education history (including names of schools, years attended)
• Military service details
• Work history

Also, we must establish who has the legal right to approve the cremation. This would normally be a spouse. If there is no spouse, it would fall to the all of the children. If there are numerous children, one of them could slow the process considerably. If no spouse or children, then all siblings. This is why that it is so important that the deceased themselves sign their own cremation authorization prior to their death.

Be ready to receive information, as well as giving it. The staff at Gilley’s Family Cremation will assist the family in making decisions about the cremation and explaining any other details.

• Ask questions. There are no insignificant questions, especially at this time. Be sure to feel comfortable with the decisions being made and understand what is involved.
• If needed information requested at the time of the conference is missing, don’t worry. It can be provided after the meeting.
• Take notes. Many people think they will remember it all but when they get home, there are details they have forgotten.

Arrangement conferences are a valuable part of arranging cremation. If pre-planning did not occur, it is when all of the important decisions about the cremation are made.