Answer
Jan 28, 2025 - 04:16 PM
Under the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Funeral Rule, funeral homes cannot require you to purchase an urn from them, nor can they refuse to handle an urn bought from another source.
Here is our understanding: No, they can't...unless they charge for it even if you purchase and urn them.
A funeral home may charge a fee for transferring cremated remains into an urn, but such a fee must be applied consistently to all families, regardless of where the urn was purchased. This means the fee would need to cover the service of transferring the remains itself, rather than being labeled as a handling fee for third-party merchandise. It would be very, very rare for a funeral home that sells urns to also charge a fee for putting ashes into an urn they sell you. Charging only families who purchase their urns elsewhere could be seen as discriminatory and may conflict with the principles outlined in the FTC Funeral Rule.
- You are not required to buy an urn from the funeral home. You have the right to provide your own urn, whether purchased online, from a retailer, or even handcrafted.
- The funeral home must provide the ashes in a basic container if no urn is purchased. If you do not buy an urn, the ashes will typically be returned in a temporary plastic or cardboard container.
- Funeral homes cannot charge an extra fee just because you did not purchase an urn from them.
- Ask for a breakdown of the fee and clarify what service is being provided.
- Remind them of the FTC Funeral Rule, which protects your right to use an urn from any source.
- If you feel the charge is unreasonable, you can report the funeral home to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your state’s funeral regulatory board.
In most all cases, funeral homes are willing to assist with transferring ashes at no charge. Always ask about any fees upfront to avoid surprises.
